3 Ways EMDR Therapy Helps People Find Peace

Do you have a memory that is so traumatic that it takes over all of your thoughts?

When you struggle with trauma, triggers bring the traumatic memory back to life. The sights, sounds, and physical sensations that occurred during a moment you would rather forget come back to life. While other methods of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder focuses on changing your memories, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) focuses directly on the memory.

Trauma has a way of causing us to live in fear. We feel like danger lurks at every corner, leaving our bodies frozen in preparation to protect ourselves. Using eight phases, EMDR changes the way a traumatic memory processes in the brain. Eye movements, tones, or taps allow you to focus on the traumatic memory and the stimulations that come with it.

How EMDR Works

Phase 1: History-Taking

EMDR therapy starts with the therapist getting your full history and assessing your ability to regulate emotions. This involves identifying targets of treatment such as past memories, current triggers, and future goals.

Phase 2: Preparation

In the second phase, the therapist provides an explanation for the treatment as well as introduces you to the procedures, practicing eye movements, and other components. The therapist is also likely to do “resourcing” or teaching strategies for self-regulation. This may include visualizations like the Safe/Calm Place exercise or body-based techniques like deep breathing and grounding.

Phase 3: Assessing the Target Memory

What people typically think of as “trauma treatment” starts in this phase. The therapist helps you identify and assess each of the disturbing memory components like images, thoughts , emotions, and body sensations. This is done to activate your memory circuits in preparation for processing.

Phase 4: Processing the Memory for Resolution

Here, you will focus on the memory while engaging in eye movements or other bilateral stimulation like tapping. The therapist will ask you to report what new sensations and emotions have emerged until the memory is no longer distressing. You may get emotional or tired, which are signs of progress.

Phase 5: Installation

Once the traumatic memory has been processed, the therapist will guide you through an installation of positive beliefs. This involves recalling the memory while thinking about an empowering or affirming statement of your choice and receiving slow bilateral stimulation.

Phase 6-7: Body Scan and Closure

The sixth phase is body scanning while absorbing the memory. The therapist will ask you to slowly move through your body head to toe and search for any remaining disturbing sensations. Closure is used during the seventh phase when the therapist will tell you what to expect for the next few days.

Phase 8: Evaluation

The last phase is done during the next session. The therapist will evaluate your current psychological state and whether the memory has been fully processed. If you are no longer disturbed by it, the therapist will proceed to go back to phase three to target and process another memory.

Three Core Benefits of EMDR

Here are three ways that EMDR therapy can help you find peace without your traumatic memories holding you down.

1. Reduce Distress From Past Memories

Traumatic memories can make an impact on the decisions we make in the future. We spend so much of our time trying to avoid these events which worsen the memories. Instead of trying to change these thoughts or get rid of them, we confront them head-on. EMDR targets memories associated with negative beliefs. By the end of EMDR therapy, these past memories will no longer cause us distress. They will just be memories. We already did the worst part in confronting them. Now, we can let them go and breathe again.

2. Develop Healthy Self-Beliefs/Thoughts in the Present

While traumatic memories may not be changed through EMDR, you can change the way you think of them. Traumatic memories bring about a lot of negative feelings. We could have negative feelings about the world, humanity, and even ourselves. If we believe these negative thoughts, we could be living the rest of our lives depressed or fearful. With a negative outlook, we could be afraid of find love in our lives or trying anything new. EMDR targets negative beliefs and changes them to positive ones. You will be able to love yourself again and the people around you.

3. “Install” Positive Scenarios for Future Challenges

When you have been dealt with a heavy hand, it can be hard to picture your life getting any better. Without confidence and love in yourself, your fear and anxiety will impact every decision you make. You will not be able to even picture yourself in a better place than you are now. During the installation phase in EMDR, a positive belief is “installed” to your brain after exposure to your traumatic memories. By the end of this therapy, your traumatic memories will no longer bother you. This will leave room for visualizing yourself being successful, confident, and loved.

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EMDR can eliminate negative beliefs that stand in your way and turn them into positive ones. We offer EMDR therapy at our offices, so feel free to contact us for your first appointment.