EMDR

If EMDR is a treatment modality that you feel will best meet your needs, our time together may look a bit different. While typical therapy can eb and flow from session to session, EMDR is a more systematic therapy modality that follows a specific 8 state protocol. EMDR can be used on its own, or in combination with more traditional talk therapy type approaches.

The 8 stages include: history gathering, resourcing/skill building, assessment, desensitization/processing, installation, body scan, closure, reevaluation.

During this process, we will work to explore the past overwhelming experiences or thoughts you have been carrying, and identify those we want to focus on targeting in our time together. Before we get started, we will work to learn some new resources or skills that can help support regulation and help manage some of those big emotions that may come up in treatment. We will then begin to process. In EMDR, processing looks different than just talking about a challenging past experience. In processing, we will identify a specific event and recall all the pieces that come along with that event, including physical feelings and negative thought associations. We will then explore a more positive statement you would like to have associated with that occurrence. At that time, the memory is recalled and bilateral stimulation, such as tapping, buzzers, or eye movement are used while thinking about the traumatic event until those feelings of distress start to decrease. Then, a focus is put on strengthening the positive beliefs you want to remember about a situation. A closure activity is completed to help manage any lingering feels and ensure that our time together is ended in a place that feels comfortable. This 8 phase approach can then continue to address different experiences or memories that arise.

A key component of the reprocessing part of EMDR includes bilateral stimulation, which involves any visual or physical movement that involves both sides of the body and therefore, both sides of the brain. Via telehealth, EMDR requires that the client is willing to engage in a bilateral tapping on themselves through the reprocessing. This is a skill that is taught in therapy together, and can look like tapping your hands back and forth on your legs, or crossing your arm in a “Butterfly taps” where you put your right hand on your left shoulder and your left hand on your right shoulder. Then, you alternate gently tapping each shoulder in a consistent rhythm or pattern.

Are there any side effects of EMDR therapy?

As with any form of psychotherapy, there may be a temporary increases in distress that comes up when we start to dig a bit deeper into some of those past stressful events that we often work hard to keep hidden. While we will work on learning new skills to help manage these feelings of distress, it is important to note that the following may be experienced:

Distressing and unresolved memories may emerge that had previously been hidden or repressed. Some clients may experience reactions during a treatment session that neither they nor the administering clinician may have anticipated, including a high level of emotion or physical sensations. Sometimes, this leads to the EMDR process being cut short and session time being focused on managing those distressing feelings subsequent to the treatment session, the processing of incidents/material may continue, and other dreams, memories feelings, etc., may emerge.