EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapeutic intervention designed to help individuals recover from the effects of traumatic life events. Research has shown that EMDR therapy can be particularly effective for people who haven’t found success with traditional talk therapy.
Key points
- EMDR has been shown to be effective in addressing traumatic experiences.
- EMDR is often less stressful than other forms of therapy.
- In some cases, you can experience tangible benefits relatively quickly.
- A single traumatic event can usually be processed in 3-6 sessions. More complex trauma typically requires 8-12 sessions.
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Overview of EMDR
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapeutic method designed to help individuals recover from issues such as panic attacks, trauma, and distressing memories. This approach utilizes rapid eye movements combined with your perceptions to re-process and alter the way you think about traumatic events, aiming to reduce the impact of past trauma.
Although the exact mechanism behind EMDR’s effectiveness isn’t fully understood, numerous controlled trials and research studies have demonstrated its success in treating these conditions.
What issues is EMDR effective for?
EMDR is often used to treat:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma disorders.
- Anxiety — including panic attacks, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and phobias.
- Depression.
- Dissociative disorders.
- Eating disorders — including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating.
- Hoarding.
- Personality disorders — including borderline personality, avoidant personality, and antisocial personality disorders.
What to expect during EMDR
During an EMDR session, you’ll be guided through a process that helps you use both your body and mind to transform painful memories. The therapy targets specific memories or events and uses EMDR techniques to process them.
You’ll start by identifying a visual image related to the memory, along with any negative beliefs, emotions, and physical sensations associated with it. While focusing on this memory, your therapist will guide you through sets of side-to-side eye movements, sounds, or taps, prompting you to notice what thoughts or feelings arise after each set. This process may lead to new insights or shifts in how you perceive the event, including changes in related images, emotions, or beliefs.
When EMDR is effective, it can transform the emotional impact of painful events at a deep level. Typically, the process begins with a thorough history-taking, and EMDR is often paired with learning coping strategies to help manage any resurfacing memories.
Benefits of EMDR
Traumatic memories can be unexpectedly triggered by sounds, smells, or sights, leading to flashbacks where your brain recalls difficult experiences in an uncontrolled way. These resurfacing memories can bring about intense emotions such as panic, fear, or anger.
EMDR allows you to access and “reprocess” these traumatic memories. Through this reprocessing, the emotional impact of these memories can be “repaired.” The aim is that, over time, when you recall the trauma, it will no longer feel as if you are reliving the event. Instead, the emotions connected to the memory will become more manageable.
- EMDR can help you resolve issues without speaking in detail about your experiences.
- Often, you can experience tangible results more rapidly than other forms of therapy.
- Controlled trials and research studies have shown that EMDR can be effective in overcoming the effects of trauma.
- It requires less work. EMDR doesn’t require journaling or homework between sessions.
Reach out today
If you’re struggling with challenges in your life rooted in past trauma, the therapists at CFTSAP are here to help. Our experienced team is skilled in EMDR, a proven therapeutic approach that can help you overcome the lingering effects of traumatic experiences. EMDR has been shown to be most effective when trauma is at the core of your difficulties, offering you a path to healing and a brighter future. Don’t let past trauma control your life—reach out to CFTSAP today and take the first step toward lasting recovery.
Related information
Mavranezouli, I., Megnin-Viggars, O., Daly, C., Dias, S., Welton, N.J., Stockton, S., Bhutani, G., Grey, N., Leach, J., Greenberg, N., Katona, C., El-Leithy, S.M., & Pilling, S. (2020). Psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: a network meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 50, 542 – 555.
Perlini, C., Donisi, V., Rossetti, M.G., Moltrasio, C., Bellani, M., & Brambilla, P. (2020). The potential role of EMDR on trauma in affective disorders: A narrative review. Journal of affective disorders, 269, 1-11.
Perri, R.L., Castelli, P., La Rosa, C., Zucchi, T., & Onofri, A. (2021). COVID-19, Isolation, Quarantine: On the Efficacy of Internet-Based Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Ongoing Trauma. Brain Sciences, 11.
Website of The EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).