From overwhelming, disastrous events, to "small" things that got stuck in your mind, trauma is an inevitable part of life that can hold us back from living fully. Our brains have a natural way to process distressing experiences, and it often works very well. Sometimes, however, events like these go unprocessed. This can lead to painful feelings, faulty beliefs about ourselves, and a host of mental and physical problems as we try to cope with the weight of trauma.
Well-executed EMDR therapy can activate your brain's natural healing system so that you can remember these events of the past without being affected by them in the present, and get back to truly living. I am proud to have received EMDRIA-accredited training to implement EMDR with clients safely and effectively.
Continue reading below to learn more about how EMDR at All Things Grow can help you find real healing from your traumas.
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective, extensively researched form of therapy that helps people heal from traumatic effects of distressing life events.
How does it work?
In short, EMDR mimics the brain's natural healing mechanism, triggering communication between the amygdala (alarm system), hippocampus (learning and memory), and prefrontal cortex (behavior and emotion).
Who can benefit from EMDR?
EMDR clinicians frequently find that, as traumas are adapted in the brain, other mental health problems that were in place as dysfunctional coping mechanisms for these traumas, such as anxiety-related problems, medical problems, depression-related problems, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, grief, chronic pain, personality disorders, stress-related problems, sleep disturbances, addictions, and violence and abuse can also decrease in intensity or disappear.
Is EMDR supported?
EMDR is recognized as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization, the US Dept. of Veteran's Affairs, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Dept. of Defense, among others.
What makes EMDR unique?
Some of the most unique aspects of EMDR compared to other types of therapy are that it does not require talking in depth about a trauma, it is a relatively short-term therapy, its healing effects have demonstrated to be lasting, and, according to long-term studies, is shown to be the most effective at treating and resolving trauma for most people.
What steps does EMDR actually involve?
EMDR is a personalized, yet highly structured therapy that takes place through eight distinct phases. Click here for a video introduction to the process, and don't hesitate to contact me with any additional question you may have about trauma or EMDR.