Trauma Therapy: Healing with EMDR
When we experience trauma, those distressing experiences have the power to shape how we interpret the world around us. We might start seeing threats where we didn’t before, feel more unsafe in certain situations, and carry beliefs that limit us.
Trauma can create barriers to living fulfilling and meaningful lives. Not only can it get in the way of maintaining healthy and loving relationships, but it also makes it challenging to use helpful coping strategies and feel good about ourselves.
Fortunately, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful tool for healing. When guided by a trained therapist, trauma therapy can lead to profound personal growth.
Understanding EMDR
EMDR is an evidence-based therapeutic approach developed by Francine Shapiro that focuses on effectively processing traumatic memories. Through a structured protocol involving guided eye movements, tapping, or audio, EMDR helps individuals recall traumatic memories and explore thoughts and feelings related to them while staying grounded in the here and now.
When distressing memories are reprocessed, folks tend to notice reduced distress and improved capacity to stay calm and respond adaptively to stress and triggers. By targeting the roots of the trauma, EMDR can alleviate symptoms of post-traumatic stress and help individuals reclaim their sense of well-being.
Key Elements of EMDR
Bilateral Stimulation:
Eye movements, tapping, and audio tones are used to stimulate both hemispheres of the brain (right and left). Stimulating these brain regions helps to integrate aspects of the traumatic event in new adaptive ways. We learn that we can move forward and trust ourselves to navigate future situations.
Dual Attention:
In EMDR therapy, we aim to keep you grounded in the present moment while simultaneously focusing on specific traumatic memories. You will be prompted to focus on distressing aspects of the memory, then to focus on the therapist and recall what you noticed happened. New information, emotions, and thoughts might emerge. Whenever something feels overwhelming, we will pause, ground your nervous system, and find safety before continuing.
Adaptive Information Processing:
The AIP model suggests that the brain has a natural capacity to process and adaptively store information. When events overwhelm us in the moment, they might not become fully processed. This can cause distressing symptoms. EMDR helps to reprocess and integrate memories to reduce distress and restore functioning.
References:
Shapiro, F., & Forrest, M. S. (2016). EMDR: The breakthrough therapy for overcoming anxiety, stress, and trauma. Hachette UK
https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/