Dr. Aly Savala of Sonder Psychotherapy and Wellness
This article from Sonder Psychotherapy & Wellness, a practice that specializes in trauma work and providing EMDR to clients in person in Houston, TX or virtually all over the United States, will explain what EMDR Therapy is, who can benefit from EMDR Therapy, and if EMDR Therapy is the right fit of therapeutic treatment or intervention for you.
Don’t hesitate to reach out for help and take the first step towards recovery.
When trauma, difficult memories, symptoms, and or pain are present in our lives, it can cause complete disruption of our normal functioning. It can be easy to just attempt to block things out or ignore things that are reminding us of those past or current struggles. Internally we may even know that trying to suppress what happened to us or what we are going through isn’t the healthiest option, but damn it can make things feel more manageable in the moment. At some point, these experiences may catch up with us or maybe it has been steadily growing in unpleasant ways such as flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, feelings of depression anxiety or panic, and even physical symptoms.
EMDR(Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy can help to help reduce the impact these events, trauma, symptoms, or experiences have on your life.
So, What Exactly Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is a structured therapy that allows for patients to focus on a difficult or traumatic memory for brief periods of time while also undergoing bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, sounds, vibrations etc). Bilateral stimulation used in EMDR can be effective in reducing how vivid the traumatic or difficult experience is and assists in reducing the emotions that are attached to those memories.
Why does EMDR utilize bilateral stimulation?
Have you ever noticed someone or even an animal sleeping and how their eyelids appear to be fluttering or moving back and forth? That is when our brain is processing and storing all our memories from the day. EMDR replicates this process by engaging in bilateral movements or stimuli, while also focusing on a specific memory that is difficult for you or evokes painful, stressful, or unpleasant emotions. Sometimes when we experience something disturbing or upsetting, that memory or experience gets stuck and
doesn’t get fully processed by our brain. What results from that is we are in a pattern of viewing our world through basically a trauma lens. We might continue to view the world as unsafe or view ourselves in a negative way. We keep suffering from those vivid intrusive thoughts or memories.
What EMDR does is, it allows the brain to continue to process this stuck memory in a way that feels safe and in manageable increments. Later in the process, it assists by replacing the way we view that memory with a more positive or adaptive way of viewing it. For example, if someone was assaulted, they might believe they have no control over their safety or that they are unsafe. EMDR can help shift this belief to “I am safe now or I am in control now”. It also helps with ensuring that any physical representations of the memory that might be stored in the body such as tension, headaches, upset stomach etc. are also addressed and alleviated.
How Is EMDR Therapy Different From Other Forms of Therapy?
EMDR Therapy is different from other forms of therapy in several ways. EMDR has extensive research backing it as well as continued ongoing research on its effectiveness. EMDR therapy has been proven to be superior to medication in trauma treatment (Van der Kolk et al., 2007). More than 7 million people have been treated successfully with EMDR since 2016.
The American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association , the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs/Dept. of Defense, and the World Health Organization among many other national and international organizations recognize EMDR therapy as an effective treatment.
EMDR Therapy does not require people to have to discuss in specific detail the distressing memory or issue. EMDR also does not require the client to engage in any type of homework or work between sessions but rather allows for and encourages the brain to resume its natural healing process.
EMDR is designed to resolve unprocessed memories or experiences within the brain and for many clients can be completed in fewer sessions than most other types of therapy.
Some research suggests that 1 single EMDR session can do what 10 or more talk therapy sessions does.
Another difference is that it specifically addresses traumatic memories and the residual symptoms that can result from them. One of the key components of EMDR Therapy is the use of bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, tapping, or audio tones, which is thought to help the brain process and integrate traumatic memories. This is different from other forms of talk therapy, which may focus on addressing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to the trauma without using bilateral stimulation.
Another difference is that EMDR Therapy typically follows a specific protocol, which includes 8 phases.
This protocol is designed to ensure that the therapist and the client are addressing all aspects of the traumatic event, including past, present, and future implications.
EMDR Therapy also places an emphasis on the client being an active participant in their treatment, with the therapist guiding them through the process of identifying and processing traumatic memories.
This is different from other forms of therapy where the therapist may play a more active role in leading the therapy sessions.
Questions You May Want To Ask A Therapist Regarding EMDR Therapy and If It’s Right For You
- Are you certified in EMDR Therapy through EMDRIA (EMDRIA is a professional association for EMDR practitioners and researchers to seek the highest standards for clinical use of EMDR)?
- How long have you been providing EMDR therapy?
- Can you provide EMDR via telehealth and how much experience do you have with telehealth, if so?
- What is your experience treating individuals with trauma-related conditions?
- How do you determine if EMDR therapy is appropriate for me?
- Can you explain the 8 phases of EMDR therapy and how they will be used in my treatment?
- How do you address safety concerns, such as potential triggers, during EMDR therapy sessions?
- How often will we have sessions and how long will they be?
- How will you monitor my progress and adjust the treatment if needed?
- Can you explain the use of bilateral stimulation in EMDR therapy and which method might be the best fit for me?
- How will you work with me to develop a treatment plan that addresses all aspects of my traumatic experience?
What to Expect During an EMDR Session
If you and your therapist determine that EMDR treatment is the best fit for you, then your therapist will begin to assist you in working through the eight phases of EMDR. During the reprocessing phase of EMDR (where the trauma or disturbance is addressed), you will be asked to bring your attention to the negative image, belief, emotion, and body sensations associated with the event. Your therapist will also assist you in determining what you would like to believe when you think about this memory or event in the future and then help you connect that new positive and more adaptive belief to the memory.
A typical EMDR session can last between 50-90 minutes but sometimes you and your therapist might decide to meet for even longer if appropriate (an EMDR intensive session can last for multiple hours). EMDR therapy might be used within your typical talk therapy session as a tool or as a standalone treatment.
How Sonder Psychotherapy & Wellness can Help
At Sonder Therapy we believe that no matter what stage of life someone is in, they can always benefit from working with a therapist. We also believe that each person we work with is unique and that there is not a one size fits all method to therapy. If you would like to learn more about how we can help, please visit our contact us page to get in touch with us, or learn more about EDMR Therapy and how it can help.
