What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) uses rapid sets of eye movements to help you update disturbing experiences, much like what occurs when we sleep. During sleep, we alternate between regular sleep and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). This sleep pattern helps you process things that are troubling you. EMDR Therapy replicates this sleep pattern by alternating between sets of eye movements and brief reports about what you are noticing. This alternating process helps you update your memories to a healthier present perspective.
Emotionally charged experiences influence your present emotions, sensations, and thoughts about yourself. They lead to a disconnect between the right and left sides of the brain, so while you may KNOW something, you may not FEEL it. For example, a person may feel worthless while they can rationally state that no person is worthless. The problem is that feelings often overwhelm the senses even if they are not factual.
Imagine plugging your phone in for only a few minutes each day; you would be running on low battery most of the time. This is how the brain operates when it cannot fully recharge after a distressing event. The longer this goes on, the more prominent the symptoms become. EMDR processing helps you break through the emotional blocks that are keeping you from living an adaptive, emotionally healthy life.
Who can EMDR Therapy help?
You may be surprised by how many people do not seek therapy when they have experienced an emotional wound because they feel they "should be able to handle it" or "it’s not that bad" or even "other people have it way worse." The truth is that everyone has experienced emotional wounding at some point in their life, and it takes work to recover from this.
An emotional wound is a difficult, traumatizing, or negative experience (or set of experiences) that causes mental and psychological pain. These types of wounds often involve a lasting hurt caused by friends, families, colleagues, or someone we trust. Emotional struggles and pains may be tied to an event, a hurtful realization, or physical challenges. When such an event and the emotions felt hence are left unaddressed, they leave an emotional wound.
Meet Lexi
Lexi, a 23-year-old graduate student who was raised by both her parents in a comfortable middle-class home, has never experienced any abuse or neglect. Lexi struggles with anxiety and low self-esteem. She has been in an on-again-off-again relationship with a boyfriend who is not very nice to her...until he wants something. She knows she should leave, but it feels so good when he wants her back. The last breakup was really bad, and Lexi experienced her first panic attack which led her to therapy.
In talking with Lexi, her therapist discovered that even though all her physical needs had been met, she had not always felt that her emotional needs were met. Her parents loved her, but her dad worked all the time, and her mom was always busy with her younger siblings. Lexi felt guilty for feeling overlooked because of how "privileged" she was in other ways so she never brought up her feelings. Lexi constantly feels "invisible," and this causes her to seek out places where she is seen even if they are unhealthy. Her EMDR target would be "I’m invisible," and she is working towards shifting that into "I can get my needs met."
When Lexi first says, "I’m invisible," she immediately feels a tightness in her chest and her stomach sinks. She thinks, "Great, here comes the panic," but with the focus on her eye movements, the physical sensations begin to dissipate, and she feels much more calm. This calmness begins to last longer and longer with each session before.
Physical Sensation
One of the worst parts about emotional distress is the physical sensations that arise with negative belief systems. For example, if you are overwhelmed, you may start to feel dizzy, shaky, nauseous, etc. One of the best benefits of EMDR Therapy is that the REM in the desensitization phase takes the "gut punch" out of the physical sensation that you feel with your negative belief.
What is Different About EMDR Therapy?
EMDR focuses on the brain’s ability to constantly learn, taking past experiences, and updating them with present information.
Adaptive learning is constantly updating memory network systems.
Past emotionally-charged experiences often interfere with your updating process.
EMDR breaks through that interference and helps let go of the past and update your experiences to a healthier present perspective.
EMDR uses a set of procedures to organize your negative and positive feelings, emotions, and thoughts, and then uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or alternating tapping, as the way to help you effectively work through those disturbing memories.
CORE BELIEF CLUSTERS
NEGATIVE ADAPTIVE
SURVIVAL
I am abandoned. | I can survive / exist / get my needs met. |
I am alone. I can survive / exist / get my needs met. | I can survive / exist / get my needs met. |
It’s not safe to feel. I can begin to learn when and how to... | I can begin to learn when and how to... |
I am unimportant. I have value regardless. | I have value regardless. |
I am invisible. I can get my needs met. | I can get my needs met. |
RESPONSIBILITY
Control
I am powerless / helpless / trapped. I can control what I can in ... | I can control what I can in... |
I have to be in control. I can safely let go of some control. | I can safely let go of some control. |
I am responsible. I can recognize appropriate responsibility. | I can recognize appropriate responsibility. |
I should have done something. I did what I could. | I did what I could. |
SHAME
I am...(core sense of self)
I am unlovable / undeserving. | I am okay as I am. |
I am worthless / defective. | I am okay as I am. |
I am bad / selfish. | I can accept myself. |
I am not good enough. | I am inadequate. I can accept myself. |
GUILT
I am a failure. | I did the best I could. |
I am responsible. | I can recognize appropriate responsibility. |
VULNERABILITY
I am vulnerable. | I can protect myself. |
I am powerless, helpless, trapped | I can only control what I can |
PTSD (“T” trauma—child or adult onset)
I am going to die. | I survived. |
I am in danger. | I can survive. |
I am overwhelmed. | I can get through it |
EMDR Therapy FAQs
Is it necessary to tell my therapist all the details about my problems for them to be processed?
No, it is not necessary to talk about all the details of your experiences for them to be processed.
Will I get emotional?
Yes, you may. Emotions and sensations may come up during processing; although, you will be prepared
and your therapist will help you safely manage them. Once they are processed, they rarely come back!
Is EMDR like hypnosis?
No. During EMDR processing, you are present and fully in control.
Is EMDR a brief treatment?
EMDR, as with all treatment approaches, will help you accomplish your treatment goals. The length of
time that it takes is dependent upon the complexity of your problems.