EMDR
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a structured therapeutic approach originally designed to help individuals process and heal from traumatic experiences. The science behind EMDR is rooted in the understanding of how memories are stored and processed in the brain. When a traumatic event occurs, it can overwhelm the brain’s normal processing abilities, leading to distressing memories that remain unprocessed (and often unconsciously stored in the body) and cause ongoing emotional, psychological and even physical symptoms.
During EMDR therapy, I help clients connect with memories and embodied experiences while engaging in bilateral stimulation (literally stimulating the right and left side of the brain), typically through guided eye movements, sound, and hand buzzers (if you’re in person). This bilateral stimulation is thought to mimic the brain’s natural processing mechanisms, similar to what occurs during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, a critical phase of sleep associated with memory consolidation.
Research has shown that the bilateral stimulation in EMDR can help reduce the vividness and emotional intensity of traumatic memories. This process allows clients to reprocess these memories, integrating them into a more adaptive narrative. Think of it like refiling of things that have been misfiled, and a cleaning out of what has been inadvertently stored that is no longer serving you. As a result, people tend to find that their emotional and physiological responses and triggers diminish and even go away ((think of it like releasing the built up charge), leading to reduced symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression and even physical tension and pain.
Neuroscientific studies suggest that EMDR promotes changes in brain activity, enhancing connectivity between the emotional and cognitive regions of the brain. This helps individuals develop new insights, healthier beliefs about themselves, and effective coping strategies, facilitating a pathway toward healing and recovery. Consequently, it also helps rewire the body’s nervous system into a less reactive and more calm and resilient state.
