What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing

EMDR is a clinically proven therapy approach which alleviates the distress and current-day symptoms associated with traumatic memories or adverse life experiences.

These do not have to be the ‘big T’ Trauma experiences often associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but can be common adverse childhood experiences such as emotional neglect, bullying, or experiences of harsh criticism.  

It is based on the understanding that – much like the body can heal its own wounds – the mind knows how to heal from distressing experiences. EMDR follows specific methods to activate memories that have been stored incorrectly (for example core beliefs that you might know in your mind are not true, but still ‘feel’ true and impact on your current life, such as ‘I am a failure’ or ‘I am not worthy’; or intrusive flashbacks, nightmares and body sensations about an overwhelming event) and ‘jump-start’ your brain into filing them correctly.

When we experience adverse events, the brain’s processing system can get overwhelmed. In trauma this can look like re-experiencing the event as though it was happening in the present; in childhood experiences where there was a lack of attunement to the child’s needs, this can look like deeply held core beliefs that impact self-esteem and show up in symptoms of depression, anxiety, addiction, emotional detachment. and many others.

I use EMDR in the context of talking therapy to help to rewire your brain – we often follow the same patterns because our brain prefers to go down familiar pathways than forge new ones.

Neurons that fire together, wire together

Neuropsychologist Donald Hebb first used this phrase in 1949 to describe how pathways in the brain are formed and reinforced through repetition

Think of it like the tracks cows and sheep make across hills – they wear away the grass and use the same path over and over, because once it is there, it is the easiest way down the hill.

Rewiring your brain is forming and using new pathways – and for a while it might feel like hacking through a blackberry bush (!) – difficult, sometimes painful, often unclear – but the more you use it, the easier it will get. Forming new habits and changing core beliefs is absolutely achievable, and EMDR is a fantastic therapy approach for this.

It often works much faster than traditional talking psychotherapy, and draws on natural coping mechanisms - for example the rapid eye movement (REM) that occurs during sleep.

What you can expect with EMDR

Together, we will identify key memories or beliefs to reprocess using bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements, but we can also use tapping or sounds). Sets usually last about 30 seconds, and a memory might require anywhere from 8 to 30 sets to reprocess.

The number of sessions you will need varies widely, depending on your presenting issues. Usually we will have several sessions preparing, prior to starting the bilateral stimulation.

Following EMDR, most people report changes in the issue or event that was previously distressing. Memories typically become less vivid, intrusive, and upsetting. The event can still be recalled, but is often reported to be ‘blurry’ or ‘fragmented’. A person’s beliefs about themselves, other people and the world also change, becoming more realistic and less entrenched in fear, self-blame, guilt, shame, mistrust and anger, all of which commonly occur after trauma.

Interested? Book a session to discuss your needs