Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy that was developed to help people heal from trauma. It is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy, which means it focuses on helping people change the way they think and behave in order to improve their lives. EMDR uses eye movements and other bilateral stimuli to help process the events and heal from a traumatic experience.
EMDR is usually conducted with a trained therapist in an individual or group setting. The therapist will guide the individual with the stimulus being used while the individual focuses on the memory or event that is causing distress. The aim of EMDR is to help the individual process the memories and emotions associated with the trauma and engage their brain’s natural healing abilities. The work to modify their emotional response to the event and develop new associations with the event that trigger positive beliefs.
During EMDR therapy, the therapist has the person recall a traumatic event while simultaneously moving their eyes back and forth. This is thought to help process the trauma and reduce its negative effects. Although it is not necessarily a magic cure, EMDR has been extensively researched and has demonstrated effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it can also be effective for other conditions such as anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
EMDR can be used in the treatment of different types of trauma, such as:
- Combat
- Sexual assault
- Car accidents
- Natural disastersÂ
EMDR has been found to be an effective treatment, and it can help reduce symptoms associated with the trauma, improve overall functioning, self-esteem, and self-confidence. It can also help promote the use of positive coping mechanisms and reduce the incidence of self-medicating with drugs and/or alcohol. If you are interested in EMDR, it is important to find a therapist who is trained and experienced in this type of therapy.
I hope you found this post helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out. 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.