EMDR Therapy

That not-so-ordinary “ordinary” day…

One minute, everything was fine; you were going about your day as usual. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

The next minute, you were blindsided by an unthinkable situation.

It was incomprehensible and devastating… and it created a new reality that you now have to face.

There’s your life BEFORE and AFTER the event. It changed everything.

Trauma changes the mind AND the body.

Since that traumatic moment, everything feels surreal. It’s almost like that terrible moment keeps happening to you again and again.

Trauma, complex grief, extreme anxiety, and paralyzing depression are among the worst things a person can experience. Without even trying, your mind wanders back to those moments, holding you hostage to them. It’s like your brain is replaying the same awful movie over and over.

The mental anguish is accompanied by physical reactions, too. Sometimes, it’s hard to catch your breath when those memories are stirred up. You may feel hot, sweaty, or have a racing heart.

You can’t relax, sleep, or be well when you don’t feel safe.

EMDR helps your brain heal naturally.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was created as a treatment for PTSD, but it’s been shown to be effective in treating anxiety, depression, grief, and many other everyday challenges.

There are experiences so profound that the brain can’t completely process them. The shock and pain of these moments lead to blocks in the mind’s ability to recover and move forward in life.

EMDR is an eight-phase process that removes those blocks so you can “reprocess” the event. Once reprocessed, those memories lose their power over your mind and body, and you’ll start to feel relief.

Here’s how it works…

EMDR can be performed remotely or in person. Extended sessions are strongly encouraged so that you have adequate time to complete each phase of the process.

There’s also an option to complete all eight phases in a one-session intensive!

(1) Planning

We’ll discuss your history and identify trauma targets to treat. These targets might include memories, emotional triggers, or goals you’d like to accomplish in the future.

(2) Preparation

We’ll give you a detailed explanation of the treatment. You’ll know exactly what the procedures look like, and we’ll practice key elements like how to do back-and-forth eye movements.

(3) Assessment

We’ll examine the targets you’ve identified and discuss them to assess how disturbing they are for you. Part of that discussion will be negative beliefs you’ve formed because of those memories (e.g., “No one will ever truly accept me.”)

(4) Desensitization

In this phase, we’ll stimulate both sides of your brain using eye movements, tapping, or the use of gentle hand buzzers. This reduces fear and anxiety around the memory, and it generates new details, thoughts, and images you may not have considered before.

(5) Installation

We’ll install new, positive beliefs to replace false, negative beliefs associated with the traumatic memory. We’ll continue bilateral stimulation until you’ve internalized and BELIEVE those positive beliefs.

(6) Body Scan

This is part of the memory processing phase. As you think about the targeted memory and the positive belief, we’ll scan your body for disturbing sensations. If there are none, we’ll move to the next phase.

(7) Closure

This phase forms a bridge between sessions. We’ll discuss your expectations for healing and how to stabilize your body and emotions between sessions.

(8) Reevaluation

We’ll review your progress and determine if you need more sessions or if you need to adjust your goals and process additional targeted memories.

It’s time to work through the pain.

It’s the only way to liberate yourself from it.

Freedom comes from telling your story…

And we’re here to honor all of it.

Don’t wait any longer for peace. Call today to schedule your free 15-minute consultation: (615) 994-1314