Often individuals who have experienced trauma often find that they have distressing thoughts of past events and experience disturbing emotions. These unresolved memories can manifest in the form of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other trauma-related conditions.
What is EMDR therapy?
Eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, is an evidence based therapeutic technique that has been proven to be effective in treating trauma and unwanted symptoms associated with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other distressing life experiences. EMDR therapy relies on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model and rapid eye movements to help clients reprocess their painful or traumatic memories and store them in the same part of the brain as “normal” memories. In doing so, clients can heal from their negative memories and experiences more effectively and reduce their unwanted emotional, physiological, and psychological responses through the desensitization process.
EMDR therapy is delivered through individual sessions, which typically occur twice a week for a total of 6-12 sessions. EMDR typically offers more rapid results than other forms of therapy. Unlike some therapeutic approaches, EMDR does not require the client to relive their trauma or negative experiences repeatedly. Instead, it focuses on processing and moving past trauma by targeting the negative responses associated with the painful memories.
Who can benefit from EMDR therapy?
EMDR is a suitable treatment approach for children, adolescents, teenagers and adults experiencing a wide range of mental health conditions. EMDR therapy is a culturally adaptable therapeutic technique that is supported in over 130 countries across the world.
EMDR therapy has been proven to be an effective intervention in treating PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression disorders, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, gender dysphoria, obsessive-compulsive disorder, personality disorders, and trauma disorders. Additionally, EMDR therapy can assist in treating panic disorders, grief and loss, sleep disturbances, and substance abuse and addiction. EMDR therapy is a common intervention with individuals who have experienced sexual, emotional, and/or physical violence and abuse in their lifetime.
What to expect in EMDR therapy:
EMDR therapy consists of the following eight phases: history taking, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and re-evaluation. The history taking, preparation and assessment phases involve gathering the client’s history and identifying targets for treatment, introducing the client to the procedures and practicing the eye movements, and assessing the image, cognition, affect and body sensations associated with the target memory. Desensitization involves focussing on the negative memory while engaging in the eye movement until the client reports that the memory is no longer distressing. Followed by installation, the client is asked to observe their physical response through the body scan while thinking about the negative memory to ensure further rounds of desensitization are not required. The closure phase ends the EMDR session, which is then re-evaluated during the following session.
At Jas Hundal Counselling, we know unresolved trauma can present challenges in relationships, careers and other factors in life. EMDR therapy is a formal mental health intervention and should, therefore, only be offered by a trained and certified mental health professional. If you are ready to heal from your trauma, book a consultation with us to see if EMDR therapy is right for you.
Our experienced counsellors are dedicated to helping you enjoy a more fulfilling life and optimize your health to reach its fullest potential. Contact us today for an in person counselling session in Abbotsford or virtual services anywhere in BC!