About EMDR
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
EMDR is a protocol-based form of psychotherapy that integrates elements from a number of treatment approaches. It is effective and efficient for addressing unresolved psychological and physical symptoms stemming from difficult life experiences. EMDR is recognized as an effective trauma treatment by many organizations, including the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Alliance on Mental Health, the World Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association, and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Developed by Francine Shapiro in the 1980s, EMDR is designed to stimulate the brain's natural capacity to process and integrate experiences, allowing it to adapt toward states of resolution. EMDR therapy aims to alleviate the distress of conditions associated with traumatic memories such as post-traumatic stress disorder, including acute, chronic, and complex variations. It can also be effective in treating anxiety, depression, OCD, and panic disorders, particularly when distressing or traumatic experiences are contributing to current symptoms. EMDR supports the brain’s natural capacity to process and integrate experiences, reducing distress and fostering new, more adaptive perspectives.
Learn more here.
What is Trauma?
Trauma can be understood as an experience or a series of experiences that overwhelms or exceeds our capacity to cope with and integrate what happened. What is traumatic for one person may not be for another, and can be influenced by a number of factors, including a person’s access to caring, attuned support after the incident. EMDR can be utilized for the whole spectrum of trauma, from major or single incident traumas to more subtle traumas or complex trauma.
Trauma may manifest as:
Chronic depression and anxiety
Feeling like you’re stuck in high or low gear - always on the go or shut down and disconnected
Behavior related to anything having to do with the experience
Intrusive memories or flashbacks
Nightmares and disturbed sleep
Hypervigilance and constantly feeling on edge
Lapses in memory and difficulty concentrating
Negative emotion toward self, others, or the world
Agitation, irritability, or angry outbursts
Fatigue and chronic body issues
Patterns of dissociation
Difficulty feeling positive emotions and connection to others
How does EMDR work? How does it help me?
EMDR utilizes our brain’s capacity for neuroplasticity, supporting changes in our patterns of response, mood, emotions, and thoughts. During EMDR, the client focuses on emotionally difficult material in brief, sequential doses while simultaneously engaging in external stimulus, such as bilateral stimulation (alternating eye movements, taps, or tones). This can result in an often rapid reduction in painful emotions, distancing or disconnection from associated images and aspects of the memory itself, and a reduction in or resolution of somatic complaints associated with the experience.
Attachment-focused EMDR supports the repair of attachment wounds and unmet developmental needs from early childhood trauma. These are often caused by chronic misattunement, absence of care, neglect, or abuse. These interpersonal injuries tend to be rooted in relationships with caregivers but can shape our blueprint for relationships throughout life. We can begin to make sense of and work to untangle unhelpful patterns in interpersonal relationships that are rooted in attachment or interpersonal trauma.
We also focusing on resourcing, where we bolster existing and/or creates new adaptive internal strategies or experiences to strengthen, soothe, and empower you to cope with or navigate difficult situations in and between sessions.
Further, when humans experience trauma, we make meaning of it. This self-protective strategy is at the root of the negative beliefs so many of us carry. You can think of this belief system as an operating system running outdated, glitchy, rigid, and problematic programs. As the trauma is processed, those old programs can begin to update. What once felt like an unquestioned truth can become something we can see with more perspective, flexibility, and choice. This allows for deep, sustained shifts in perspective, freeing us to better connect with our most authentic selves and relationships.
EMDR allows the past to stay in the past, so that you can be present for your life and relationships. It does not erase what has happened to you, but it can change your relationship to your experience and how you feel about yourself and the world.
What is EMDR like?
EMDRIA gives good insight into the process here.
What kinds of results or growth may I expect to feel and experience?
Clients often tell me they feel lighter, with more space, relief, a greater sense of peace and calm, self-compassion, self-confidence, self-worth, and even pride in how they have managed despite their hardships. They describe a greater sense of empowerment, ownership, and agency in their lives. They discover they can slow down and choose their response rather than live in a place of activation and reactivity. They often find themselves better able to experience feelings of safety and experiment with vulnerability, increased intimacy, and connection in safe relationships. EMDR, in the context of a supportive and safe therapeutic relationship, can help somebody move beyond surviving their trauma to thriving.
Is EMDR right for Me?
Let’s find out! Learn about how I support clients with my approach to therapy here.
How long does treatment take, and when will I notice improvements?
Every person is unique, and every person’s experience is different. People process at different rates and have varying degrees of severity and complexity. Some people experience meaningful change in one or two sessions, particularly when working with a single event or a relatively focused concern. More complex or longstanding difficulties generally require more time, preparation, and integration. Many people notice meaningful shifts early in treatment, with additional changes emerging and consolidating as we continue.
We will create a personalized treatment program within the framework of this highly focused therapy, tailored to each individual’s needs and goals. Depending on your circumstances, needs, and preferences, we chart a course forward to optimize your healing journey.
I need more information.
For a broader overview of EMDR and the research supporting its use for PTSD, the American Psychological Association's overview of EMDR is another helpful resource.
You can explore these frequently asked questions about EMDR.