EMDR Therapy in Michigan, South Carolina, Florida & Vermont
Therapy that is effective & evidence-based
You’ve been through painful experiences that have impacted your world.
Sometimes strong emotions seem to come out of nowhere. Suddenly you’re feeling really afraid, incredibly angry, absolutely disgusted, or totally detached. You don’t always know what you're feeling or why you’re feeling that way.
Similarly, you get body sensations like a racing heart, chest pain, sweatiness, blurred vision, dizziness, or nausea. They can hit in a moment when you feel stressed or something reminds you of a painful event in your past.
Sometimes you make decisions and wonder, “Why did I do that?” It can be hard to put words to what is happening inside of you. You may want to tell people about what you’re going through, but you don’t know how. You end up feeling alone, disconnected, and like you have to figure it out on your own.
When past memories replay in your mind, you may get stuck in a negative thinking cycle, saying things like:
I’m so stupid
How could I be so dumb?
It’s all my fault
No one cares about me
I can’t handle this
Nothing is ever going to change
It’s confusing, because it can come out of nowhere. Maybe it doesn’t even feel like the real you. You’re so kind to others and yet, at times, you can be so mean to yourself. You would never speak to anyone else that way. You don’t understand what’s happening inside you that’s leading you to act this way.
More than anything, you just want to be at peace and able to enjoy life again.
EMDR Therapy can help
WHAT IS EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) Therapy?
Before we talk about EMDR, let’s talk about trauma.
Trauma is when we experience something that overwhelms our ability to cope. When that happens, all the emotions, body sensations, and beliefs from that experience get stored in the brain in a specific place, called the trauma neural network.
Usually, when we experience things that do not overwhelm our ability to cope, our experiences get stored by the brain in a functional manner. And the past feels like it’s in the past - we can move on without it feeling like it’s still with us, in the present.
But when trauma occurs, the brain keeps “the file” of the event open on the desk so it can be easily referenced. The brain doesn’t allow it to get filed in the past because that information is needed and can be useful to protect us from further harm or danger. That’s why so many trauma survivors feel like the bad thing that happened is still happening even days, months, or years after the experience. And when something similar to that trauma happens again, our brains link those same thoughts and feelings that we had when the original trauma occurred.
This is where EMDR comes in
EMDR Therapy uses bilateral brain stimulation (or eye movements) to help us work with those traumatic memories so they can be re-processed and stored by the brain in a functional manner. That way they are actually “filed away” in the past.
EMDR Therapy does not get rid of the painful memories. After EMDR Therapy is complete, you can still remember the details of what happened, but you will no longer feel the intense emotions, body sensations, or negative beliefs that were associated with them. Now, your painful experience is stored in the brain the way it should be - allowing you to move on with your life and create new positive memories.
WHAT IS AN EMDR THERAPY SESSION LIKE?
During the first few sessions, we spend time getting to know each other and talking about your history. Next, we work on building you up with resourcing activities including imagery of a calm place, as well as nurturing and wise figures to prepare for EMDR and build you up.
Once resources are set up, we move on to target your concerns. We make note of your painful past experiences, the negative and positive beliefs associated with them, and other times in life when you have felt the same way. We will also talk about your present triggers and any events that could trigger symptoms in the future.
Once that foundation is in place, we move on to apply bilateral brain stimulation (or eye movements). During this session we will target the presenting complaint, using our resources to help you re-process all those negative thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. At the end of the EMDR process, clients will often report “no disturbance” when they think of the painful event or experience.
Overview of The Process
History taking
Resourcing Activities
We select a target / area of concern to focus on
I will ask: “When was the first time you can remember feeling this way?”
We will apply bilateral brain stimulation
I incorporate more resourcing and IFS parts work along the way
The negative emotions, beliefs, and body sensations are reduced in intensity and the memory is re-processed
EMDR therapy can help you…
Find relief from difficult memories & painful experiences
Learn how to cope with strong or overwhelming emotions
Be able to set boundaries & make the best decisions for yourself
Feel closer to the people you love
Respect and care for yourself
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT EMDR THERAPY
Is there anyone who should not do EMDR?
Certain medical conditions would need medical clearance to participate in EMDR ( like epilepsy and traumatic brain injury). Many times it is safe with a form of bilateral brain stimulation other than eye movements. Please note that EMDR is not seen to be effective with clients who take benzodiazepines or marijuana within 24 hours of the session.
Where can I find additional information about EMDR?
Click this link to see the EMDRIA Video - https://youtu.be/Pkfln-ZtWeY