What is EMDR Therapy?
ARTICLE BY: DEIRDRE COSGROVE, LMFT
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) therapy is an integrative, dynamic experiential method of therapy that is based on the belief that your brain has the ability to heal itself. EMDR therapy can benefit anyone who feels like they can’t fully move forward from an event that happened, and gets emotionally overwhelmed by these past experiences. When people have experienced distress in their lives and find they can’t fix it on their own, they turn to EMDR therapy.
EMDR Therapy has been proven to be effective treating:
PTSD stemming from traumatic events, such as sexual assault or sexual abuse, car accidents, and witnessing or being a victim of violence
Symptoms of depression and anxiety, including sleep issues and panic attacks
Emotional abuse and vicarious trauma
Chronic pain
Distress caused by life transitions, such as divorce or loss of a loved one
Long held and deep negative views of oneself, such as “I am unlovable, I am damaged, I am a failure,” etc.
Anything that has happened in your life that you haven’t been able to process, that continues to cause distress and discomfort- EMDR therapy can help!
How does EMDR work?
When we experience a distressing event that has a negative impact on us, or our sense of wellbeing/safety, that traumatic experience can become ‘stuck’ in a memory network. When it becomes stuck, we can experience that memory in a very real way- it feels as if it is happening to us in the present. It can impact our physical body, our emotions, and our beliefs about ourselves. The experience continues to cause us pain, or make us feel badly about ourselves, or believe that we are not good enough, strong enough, or worthy, when it is triggered.
During EMDR Therapy, you will be asked to recall the experience while doing sets of movements called BLS (Bilateral Dual Attention Stimulation). Examples of BLS include eye- movements (following clinician’s fingers as they move hand back and forth, or following image on computer screen), tapping on knees or arms, tactile pulsers held in the hands, or audible sounds in each ear. This process activates your brain to continue processing that memory along to a place of usefulness for you. You are in charge of the experience and your brain will work to get to a place of healing. It’s important to know that in EMDR therapy, memories are not erased. They are integrated into your life story in a way that feels useful and promotes healing.
What to Expect from EMDR Therapy:
EMDR therapy starts like most forms of psychotherapy- I’ll talk with you about why you are seeking therapy, and gather relevant history from you. Before we start processing the presenting issue, I will work with you to ensure you have resources to self-soothe safely. I’ll work with you on body awareness through guided exercises, as well as teach you grounding meditations. We won’t move on to processing until you are comfortable, and have tools for feeling safe and calm in your body and mind. This can take one session, or several sessions- it depends on each person’s unique situation.
Once I assess that you are ready to begin processing, we will choose which issue to work on first. Some clients have one thing they want to work on- for example, a single car accident. Others will have more complex concerns- perhaps an abusive relationship or a deeply -held negative belief. While EMDR therapy follows a specific protocol, it is a client-centered approach. I meet you wherever you are when you come into the room, and we work together to craft your treatment plan.
EMDR therapy targets three areas: present, past and future. We start by assessing what is causing you distress in your life today. Then, we see if that is linked to any past events. If so, we work on each of the past events in order. Once all the memories have been processed, we take the new learnings into the future. We work on installing more positive beliefs and learnings to help you feel more empowered to deal with future stressors.
Goals of EMDR therapy include:
Eliminating your suffering and symptoms of distress
Increasing your ability to self-soothe, feel emotions effectively and maintain a sense of self while doing so
Cultivating feelings of empowerment and resilience
Increasing sense of confidence to handle future stressors or challenges in your life
I believe anyone can benefit from EMDR therapy- if you are interested in scheduling a consultation, feel free to email me at Deirdre@abetterlifetherapy.com
Deirdre Cosgrove, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Deirdre offers services online through our HIPAA compliant platform and in person at our beautiful Center City, Philadelphia office. She supports individuals and couples as they learn to navigate our families post divorce. She offers both traditional therapy and weekend couples intensives. To schedule an appointment click here.