What is EMDR?

EMDR is a highly researched, fast and effective form of Mental Health Therapy. EMDR requires less talking about your problems and more results.

What does EMDR do?

EMDR helps you rid yourself of anxiety, stress, anger, self-esteem issues and more by processing the events from your past that caused those symptoms. Sometimes events are too traumatic for your brain to process when the event occurs. This can leave you with negative messages about yourself, a constant reliving of the events, hyperarousal, and feeling like you are constantly in fight or flight mode. EMDR helps to quickly and efficiently process those memories, leaving you free from the resulting symptoms.

How does this work for me?

Your therapist will learn about your background and needs in your first session where you are free to share as much or as little as you would like. Together you will begin to determine events to be targeted.

In the following sessions, your therapist will help you build up resources needed for the actual EMDR. These are ways you cope with stress such as getting a massage, calling a close friend, practicing yoga, or using guided meditation. After your therapist feels you have adequate resources you will move to the EMDR.

In EMDR the therapist will help you to bring the events to mind while you receive “bilateral stimulation”. In our office that is done using handheld buzzers, one in each hand, with one buzzing and then the other. Your therapist will walk you through the processing, checking in and guiding you as needed. Again you may share as much or as little as you prefer. The processing is slightly different for each person, but basically, the event is processed in your mind leaving you with a more positive view that you began with. The memory still exists but it doesn’t hold the intensity that it once did.

In the days immediately following EMDR your brain will continue to process, providing more insights and any areas to work on with EMDR. You needn’t worry about these, continuing to use your coping resources as needed and keeping notes to share with your therapist at your next session. If you only have one traumatic event you may be done after just a few sessions. If you have more connected traumas those will be helpful to process as well. Usually, after the processing of any connected events, the subsequent symptoms disappear.

If you are ready to start EMDR you can schedule online now for your free 15-minute phone consultation. If you have more questions feel free to use the form below, email me, or give me a call. 612.990.2383 – Lis@ownselfbetrue.com