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Online Counseling for Sensitive, Introverted Women
What is Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing?
(EMDR)
What is a session like?
A complete EMDR therapy session is comprised of 8 phases. Not all 8 phases will be completed in
every session.
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Read More
How long does it take?
The first session will be to determine if EMDR therapy is right for you. If it is determined to be a good fit, the length of treatment varies based on several factors.
Read More
EMDR therapy is a proven technique that can eliminate your intrusive, unwanted memories along with the physical reactions you might experience when you think about a negative memory like
tightness in your chest, lump in your throat, or knot in your stomach.
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EMDR can also take away the emotional charge that is connected to your memory so you no longer
feel anger, rage, disgust, guilt, or shame when you think about that past event.
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In addition, the picture of your memory will change and won't be so vivid.
It can become fuzzy/blurry, fade from color to black and white, or feel like it is smaller or far away.
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There has been a lot of research published about the effectiveness of EMDR.
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In fact, the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Veteran's Affairs both
recognize EMDR as a highly effective treatment for service men and women.
(To see a list of other national and international organizations that use EMDR, click here.)
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However, I find that EMDR therapy is best understood through experience.
I am very pleased to offer this remarkable treatment as part of my practice.
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What is an EMDR session like?
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. There is some preparation before we jump into the "desensitization"phase of the process including implementing grounding tools. The grounding tools would be something that helps calm you down and makes you feel safe. This would be used during the "desensitization" phase if you were to get overstimulated.
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You are always in complete control of the session. If at any point you get too uncomfortable, we stop. Then we would use one of your grounding techniques. The session also ends with a grounding technique.
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Once we get to the "desensitization" phase of EMDR, I will have you close your eyes (if you are comfortable doing so) and focus on a memory, experience, or negative belief about yourself that we identified in the previous phases.
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FOR EXAMPLE
You may want to target a specific memory such as a car accident, embarrassing moment, time you were really scared. You can focus on an experience that was ongoing such as being bullied in the fourth and fifth grade. You can even focus on a negative belief that is holding you back such as "I should've done something," I am not in control" or "I am inadequate."
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EMDR works by integrating the left and right parts of your brain. In order to do this, I will have you cross your arms over your chest and alternately tap your shoulders. If you are comfortable, I have you close your eyes and begin tapping your shoulders while thinking of the memory. You don't have to say anything during the tapping "sets".
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NO RIGHT WAY
Keep in mind, there is no right or wrong way to do EMDR. You are not expected to have a particular outcome or feel a particular way. We work with whatever comes up for you.
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After a little while (a few seconds to a few minutes) I will ask you pause the tapping and open your eyes. At that time you can choose to share with me what you processed. You can say as little or as much as you feel comfortable. We then repeat the process, having you close your eyes, tap your shoulders and process.
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There is much more to EMDR than what you just read. This is just a brief overview of how the tappers are incorporated into the session and what your role is in the process.
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To read an in-depth version of the phases used in EMDR, click here.
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Here is a great article in which Prince Harry talks about using EMDR to overcome PTSD.
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How does EMDR work?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) works by incorporating both the left and right part of the brain. This is known as bilateral stimulation (BLS).
The left and right side of your brain are activated by watching fingers move back and forth in front of your face (hence, the "eye movement" part of the name.)
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Bilateral stimulation can also be activated by watching a finger go back and forth, tapping the left and right sides of your body, or even using headphones and listening to a sound in each ear.
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EMDR therapy allows you to process a "stuck" memory or ingrained negative belief about yourself and then pair it with a positive belief. Using BLS, you begin to "desensitize" (that's the D in EMDR) yourself to the memory.
Once you are fully desensitized to that event, we then reprocess the negative belief that was attached to the event.
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For example, you may have been in a car accident and now have the overwhelming feeling that you are not in control. For a target like that we may choose to instill the opposite belief "I am in control."
Once we can desensitize the accident by replaying a piece, or all, of the memory in your head we can change your thought pattern.
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In other words, once you have completed EMDR therapy on the car accident, when you think about the event and it will no longer be that traumatic incident that you can't stop thinking about.
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After EMDR you will still remember the accident but now the accident is no longer distressing. It will be a neutral event that occurred in your past. Your brain will realize that the belief "I am not safe" is not relevant in the present.
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Therefore, the memory will no longer have an emotional charge. You will have let go of the belief that was haunting you. When you think of the accident you will no longer have the overwhelming feel of not being in control.
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After the negative belief has been detached, we will pair the memory with the new belief "I am in control" as your present thought.
Through processing the memory, the mental picture you envision will become harder to see. It won't be as vivid and you won't feel like you are back at the scene. You should no longer be able to attach any smells, sounds, or bodily feelings to the memory.
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In addition to specific traumas, EMDR works on negative beliefs you might have about yourself due to prolonged exposure in an unsupportive environment.
If you grew up being constantly criticized you may have developed the belief that you are "not good enough" or that you "have to be perfect."
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Since these beliefs are not tied to one specific event, we can approach EMDR in a few ways.
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We can choose to focus on the worst event that caused you have that belief, we can focus on the person or persons who caused you have that belief, or we can even just focus on the statement "I am not good enough" and see where your brain takes you.
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EMDR works by addressing both the cognitive and emotional part of the memory. Initially the traumatic memory or memories got stored incorrectly with a negative belief attached to it.
EMDR helps to process the trauma, change the belief and properly store it in your long term memory.
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To learn more about the theory behind EMDR, click HERE.
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