What is EMDR (Eye movement desensitisation reprocessing)?

When I first learned about EMDR, I was working for the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (now called Open Arms). I was working with a lot of clients with complex post traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD), and we were using two main approaches: prolonged exposure and cognitive processing therapy (CPT). CPT was a structured 12 session program and it was tough on clients, but the progress made it worth it, and it seemed to be the fastest (slow) way to help people process their traumatic experiences.

... which is why EMDR seemed too good to be true. It promised a reduction in symptoms, sometimes in SINGLE SESSIONS, and all without the psychologist having to know all the details of the experience (i.e. without the client having to talk about them).

Not only did it help with PSTD, but also anxiety, depression, health issues and many other symptoms which stem from negative beliefs produced by previous traumas. .

Best yet, clients that had long 'known' something was true, finally FELT that it was true in their bodies too.

I am not proud that it took me several years to overcome my skepticism and do the Level 1 and 2 training. But I am so glad I did. While no therapy or approach works for every client or every problem, EMDR is an amazing tool, and I have seen so many people change old beliefs, feel distance from extremely upsetting memories and genuinely feel different.

So what exactly is EMDR?

EMDR is a technique designed to help individuals process traumatic memories and reduce the emotional distress associated with them. It aims to facilitate the brain's natural ability to process information that has been overwhelmed by trauma.

How it works:

EMDR helps people heal from trauma by using bilateral stimulation (like eye movements, sounds, or tapping) while a person focuses on a distressing memory. This bilateral stimulation allows the brain to naturally reprocess the stuck traumatic memory, reducing its emotional intensity and the distress it causes in the present. Lots of clients describe this as a kind of 'distancing', meaning that the image(s) stop being so powerful and upsetting. Memories that perhaps used to feel vivid and intense often seem fuzzy and harder to recall, and the beliefs that surrounded them also lose their power.

EMDR in steps:

1. Focus on the Memory:

   You and the therapist identify a specific upsetting memory, along with any negative thoughts, feelings, or body sensations linked to it. 

   
   

2. Bilateral Stimulation:

   While focusing on this distressing memory, you engage in bilateral stimulation. This could involve: 

   • Following the therapist's finger or a light as it moves back and forth. 

   • Listening to alternating sounds or tones in each ear. 

   • Feeling gentle, alternating taps or sensations on your hands or body. 

   • Other distractions that tax the working memory (see EMDR 2.0 - that's another blog post!)

     
     

3. Processing the Memory:

   The combination of focusing on the trauma and receiving bilateral stimulation helps to activate your brain's natural information processing system. 

   
   

4. Desensitization and Reprocessing:

   Over time, the distressing memory loses its emotional charge and vividness. The feelings and beliefs associated with the trauma shift, allowing you to experience the memory with less pain and to see it differently. 

   
   

5. Resumption of Healing:

   Once the memory is fully processed, the brain can integrate it into your life experience without it continuing to trigger strong emotional reactions.