EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an innovative psychotherapy approach shown to help people overcome trauma and other distressing life experiences.
EMDR works by accessing the brain's natural healing processes while utilizing bilateral stimulation like eye movements, hand buzzers, or tapping movements. This helps the brain process memories and disturbing feelings efficiently at an emotional level.
Studies show EMDR can rapidly reduce symptoms of:
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder): EMDR is widely recognized for its effectiveness in treating PTSD, resulting from traumatic events like accidents, abuse, natural disasters, or other life threatening experiences.
Complex Trauma: Complex or chronic trauma can be addressed through EMDR as this treatment looks at layers of trauma from childhood wounds, interpersonal trauma, and repetitive traumatic experiences.
Anxiety Disorders: EMDR has shown promise in treating various anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety and panic disorders.
Depression: EMDR can be beneficial in cases where depression is linked to past traumatic or distressing experiences.
Grief: The loss of loved ones and the resulting grief can be processed more healthily using EMDR therapy, particularly if your grief is prolonged and you feel stuck.
Phobias: Specific phobias, often rooted in past experiences, can be effectively treated with EMDR.
Benefits of EMDR Therapy
There are many potential benefits of pursuing EMDR treatment with a qualified therapist:
Rapid Results with EMDR Sessions: Many individuals report noticeable improvements in just a few EMDR sessions.
Distress Reduction Through EMDR: EMDR therapy significantly diminishes the emotional distress linked with traumatic memories as clients often experience a marked reduction in their trauma-related symptoms.
Enduring Positive Outcomes of EMDR: EMDR clients frequently benefit from long-lasting relief.
Minimal Verbalization in EMDR Sessions: EMDR can work without the need for you to verbalize your traumatic experiences, helping you avoid retraumatization.
EMDR's Holistic Treatment Approach: EMDR therapy addresses the multifaceted symptoms associated with trauma, including psychological, cognitive, and physical aspects.
EMDR's Proven Effectiveness for PTSD: EMDR is a research backed method for addressing and resolving trauma.
If past experiences still haunt you, EMDR could be your path to freedom. Our compassionate EMDR specialists in Seattle have extensive training to guide you through EMDR’s healing process safely and gently.
The 8 Phases of EMDR Treatment
EMDR therapy is a structured process that unfolds over eight distinct phases. This structure ensures that every aspect of the client's distress is thoroughly addressed. These phases are:
1. History Taking and Treatment Planning
Your therapist will gather details about your history, background, the disruptive memories or triggers to be addressed, and your readiness for EMDR. They will collaborate with you about your goals for therapy as well as what resources you have to support yourself during the process.
2. Preparation
Your therapist will explain the process of EMDR, teach you some coping strategies for grounding and emotion regulation, and prepare you for what to expect. They will also help you identify which memory or trigger to target first.
3. Assessment
A target event is reviewed and expanded upon in detail, including the imagery that emerges in memory of the event, the negative beliefs associated with it, and related emotions and body sensations. Your level of distress for the event is also assessed based on level of disturbance to provide a baseline to track your ongoing progress.
4. Desensitization
This phase is when you will engage in bilateral stimulation (side to side eye movements, alternating hand buzzers, or tapping movements) while focusing on the traumatic event. You will follow the prompts of your therapist and will mainly be thinking about the event rather than saying it out loud.
5. Installation
Now, you enforce a positive belief about the target event while engaging in bilateral stimulation. This continues until positive beliefs are strengthened and replaces the previously held negative belief.
6. Body Scan
Attention to emotional and physical responses is so important throughout the whole session. While you hold both the positive belief and the target event in mind, your therapist will guide you through a body scan to decrease any physical disturbance in the session.
7. Closure
At the end of each re-processing (phases 4, 5, and 6), your therapist will help you reach a sense of calm so that you leave the session feeling grounded, even if the target event hasn’t yet been cleared out. Your therapist will offer you an opportunity to debrief, if you want to discuss any new insights, thoughts, or about the processing experience.
8. Reevaluation
At the beginning of each next session, your therapist checks your progress and stability to ensure that recently processed memories have maintained a low level of distress and a strong positive cognition. Ongoing sessions move to additional target events and may add related memories until comprehensive resolution is achieved.
This structured approach ensures a comprehensive treatment process, addressing not only the memories themselves but also the client's negative beliefs, physical sensations, and overall psychological well-being.
The duration varies depending on the individual and their circumstances. Some clients notice improvements after just a few sessions, while others may require longer. On average, our EMDR therapists in Seattle work with clients for 6 to 12 months and they will prioritize the pacing of treatment to meet your specific needs.
Do I Need to Talk in Detail About My Trauma?
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require you to talk in detail about your trauma, making it a suitable option for individuals who find it difficult to verbalize their experiences. Some people may prefer giving specifics, while others may prefer to focus on a general outline of their experiences.
What Can I Expect in an EMDR Session?
Each EMDR session typically lasts about 45 to 90 minutes. You will be asked to focus on a traumatic memory while your therapist directs your eye movements or other bilateral stimulation. Many clients report feeling less distressed about the memories and more optimistic about their well-being after a few sessions.
Is EMDR Therapy Safe?
EMDR is considered a safe therapy with few side effects. However, initially, some clients may experience heightened emotions or vivid dreams as they process their trauma. Our therapists at Relational Psych are trained to guide you safely through these experiences.
Is EMDR Vulnerable?
Yes, all therapy is vulnerable and you may get emotional or feel physically distressed during processing. Your therapist will prepare you for this and will support you with coping strategies to manage the distressing experiences.
Can EMDR be done in conjunction with talk therapy?
Yes! You and your therapist can collaborate on how to incorporate both talk therapy and EMDR sessions in order to reach your treatment goals.
Is EMDR Effective for Conditions Other Than PTSD?
Yes, EMDR has been shown to be effective for a variety of conditions including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and other trauma-related disorders. It is a versatile therapy adaptable to various emotional challenges.
Get Started with EMDR Today
Schedule your free consultation call today with our compassionate Care Coordinator, Ally, to learn more about our EMDR services in Seattle.
We look forward to supporting your journey toward healing and growth.
