Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of therapy typically performed by a certified therapist in an effort to treat mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other symptoms that arise as the result of a traumatic event.
The therapist works with the client to identify the traumatic event. As the client focuses on the event, the therapist guides bilateral stimulation, such as the client following the therapist’s hand movements with their eyes. Utilizing this method, EMDR helps the client process the event and the associated emotions and emerge feeling more empowered.
There are eight phases involved in the process of EMDR. These phases include history and treatment planning, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation.
Planning
During history and treatment planning, the therapist will determine the readiness of the client and help identify possible traumatic events to target. The therapist will develop a treatment plan based on this information.
Preparation
In the preparation phase, the therapist will thoroughly explain the process of EMDR to the client. The therapist will also equip the client with different coping mechanisms, such as stress reduction or imagery techniques, to handle distress. This phase helps build trust between the client and therapist.
Assessment
In the assessment phase, the target of the therapy is reviewed. The client, with the help of the therapist, will work to identify an image associated with their memory, a negative belief about themselves, and a positive belief. The intensity of negative belief and positive belief will be assessed during this time.
Desensitization
The desensitization phase is when the bilateral stimulation is used to elicit the senses and allow for processing of the targeted event. There is minimal conversation in this phase other than when the therapist checks in on the client. There will be intermittent assessment of the level of disturbance in relation to the target, and this process will continue until the target feels neutral.
Installation
Once the target has been neutralized, the installation phase begins. In this phase, the therapist will reassess the positive belief for any changes and for how true it feels. The therapist will begin to install the positive belief utilizing bilateral stimulation until the assessment returns a completely true response.
Body Scan
After installation, the client will mentally perform a body scan to see if there are any remaining tensions or sensations that would signify that something more needs to be done. If there are any lingering feelings, the bilateral stimulation will continue. If there are not any lingering feelings, the client will move to the closure phase.
Closure
During the closure phase, as the name suggests, the client will begin to close the target and do a final assessment. This assessment uses a variety of methods to attempt to contain any residual, unprocessed emotions or feelings. The methods typically include the coping mechanisms developed together with the therapist in phase two, or the preparation phase.
Reevaluation
The final phase, reevaluation, includes a reassessment of the disturbance level of the target. This assessment will determine if the positive belief still feels true to the client or if the target still requires work. If there is an indication that work still needs to be done to neutralize the targeted memory, including the identification of any additional traumas that need to be reprocessed, the client will return to the desensitization phase.
It is important to recognize that everyone responds differently to therapy. While some may experience neutralization and symptom relief in a short period of time, others may require several more sessions. There are many factors that contribute to the response, such as the age of the traumatic event, the age of symptom onset, the number of traumatic events, and the length of time the trauma occurred, among other factors.
We hope you found this information helpful and informative. Feel free to reach out with any questions or comments or if you are interested in learning more about EMDR therapy or determining if it may be right for you. You can find us on our website at https://thattherapyspace.com/, by phone at (509) 800-7129, or email at [email protected]. We are located in Liberty Lake, Washington, just minutes from Spokane, WA and Coeur D’ Alene, ID.