What is EMDR Therapy?
First developed back in 1987 by Francine Shapiro, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is intended to help clients cope with difficult emotions, reduce anxiety, and improve self-esteem. EMDR is a form of psychotherapy that allows individuals to process and release traumatic memories, distressing thoughts, and/or difficult emotions. It is intended to help clients cope with overwhelming emotions, reduce anxiety, and improve self-esteem. EMDR has been shown to be an effective form of treatment for PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief, or panic attacks from past trauma or events. If you’re feeling stuck in the past, EMDR therapy might be the right next step for you.
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
EMDR is a unique form of therapy that uses bi-lateral stimulation to treat and heal your brain. Bi-lateral stimulation refers to the use of alternating left and right physical or auditory stimuli to help you reprocess memories.
When you experience trauma, sometimes your brain cannot process it properly. If this happens, you can remain stuck in your memories. While the memory may be gone or vague, the painful emotions connected to the memory continues to be triggered, resulting in panic, anger, and depression.
The bilateral stimulation offered through EMDR supports your brain to process painful memories from the past differently, which reduces the emotional pain associated with these memories. When this happens, they reduce the negative impact they have on your life. EMDR’s structured approach works with the adaptive functioning of the brain (how your brain naturally works). This approach to therapy allows the brain to recode those traumatic memories so they are stored as past events, and no longer set off the alarm response.