EMDR THERAPY

 THIS IS ABOUT TRAUMA.

There it is again. That feeling like you are running on “high alert.”

It is physically draining and makes it difficult to focus or concentrate. You worry about everything that could potentially go wrong. You crave solitude as you find you are afraid, anxious, and jumpy around other people. In relationships, you lash out and hurt the people you love most in the world.

Your sense of self has deteriorated to the point you constantly tell yourself, “I’m worthless and unlovable.” You also experience physical symptoms that include chronic pain, digestive issues, sleep problems, weight gain, and heart disease.

TRAUMA IS TYPICALLY CATEGORIZED AS EITHER BIG “T” OR LITTLE “T.”

Big “T” traumas are events that are most commonly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including serious injury, sexual violence, or life-threatening experiences. For example, threats of severe physical injury, death, or sexual violence can cause intense trauma even if the person is never physically harmed. Witnesses to Big “T” events or people living and working with trauma survivors are also vulnerable to PTSD, especially those who encounter emotional shock regularly, like paramedics, therapists, and police officers.

Little “t” traumas are highly distressing events that affect individuals personally but don’t fall into the big “T” category. Examples of little “t” trauma include non-life-threatening injuries, emotional abuse, death of a pet, bullying or harassment, and loss of significant relationships. People have unique capacities to handle stress, referred to as resilience, which impacts their ability to cope with trauma. What is highly distressing to one person may not cause the same emotional response to someone else, so the key to understanding little “t” trauma is to examine how it affects the individual rather than focusing on the event itself.

AS YOU KNOW, TRAUMA AFFECTS US TO OUR CORE.

Many of our negative beliefs about ourselves and the world come from the trauma we have suffered.

For example, one common human experience is being rejected. It happens in the workplace and in our relationships. It feels painful to think you were not chosen, and this may result in your believing you are less than or not enough. However, if a parent died in your childhood experience, you may feel that rejection more intensely. Because of the loss, you experienced as a child; you may have developed the belief that “bad things always happen.” When you are rejected as an adult, this may stir up the memory of the original negative core belief, making the rejection FEEL more intense and thus more traumatic for YOU.

Sexual assault can make us feel as though we are dirty or damaged. Being harassed or bullied can make us feel as though there is something wrong with us. A parent’s drug addiction can make us feel as though we are unlovable and unworthy.

We develop these negative core beliefs when we operate from our emotional brain. This is due to our emotional escalation during these moments in our life that are painful. Our frontal lobe shuts down, and we start making judgments from the emotional brain that tends to be very childlike and illogical, which is why most develop these negative core beliefs as children. We do not have the same ability to comprehend or empathize in situations. It is why children think a parent’s divorcing has anything to do with them. Or if both parents are working in the household, as a child, we may think something is wrong with us because they are never around.

LET’S TALK ABOUT EMDR THERAPY…

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has been proven effective for many types of therapeutic issues.

EMDR can help resolve past trauma, recognize negative core beliefs, help interfere with the automatic thought processes associated with addiction, interrupt emotional dysregulation, and enhance future performance.

Here’s what we’ll do…

First, you’ll be asked to think about a distressing memory or belief.

This may be the memory of a car accident you witnessed, which has resulted in an intense physical reaction from memory. Or you may have developed the belief system that “the world is not a safe place” after that same accident, and this belief system would be processed using EMDR.

I’ll then use bilateral stimulation in a way that causes your brain to reprocess this negative information so that it no longer causes distress in your body.

EMDR is a form of psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro starting in 1988. It consists of a series of standardized procedures that focus simultaneously on a) spontaneous associations of traumatic images, thoughts, emotions, and body sensations and b) bilateral stimulation that is most commonly in the form of repeated eye movements.

In a therapy session, we will review the eight phases of EMDR (as described below). When we are in the desensitization and installation phases, we will use bilateral stimulation. The bilateral stimulation will be either hand buzzers, a light bar, or alternating beeps in the ear. The movement between the different sides of the body represents how EMDR helps connect the brain’s left hemisphere (logical) to the brain’s right hemisphere (emotional).

THERE ARE EIGHT PHASES TO EMDR…

History taking…

This phase consists of history taking and treatment planning. A detailed history helps to identify your readiness and identify any secondary gains that maintain your current problem. By analyzing the dysfunctional behaviors, symptoms, and specific characteristics, I will determine suitable targets for treatment. The targets are prioritized for sequential processing.

Preparation…

This phase consists of building a therapeutic relationship. We will determine reasonable levels of expectations. Then, I will teach you self-control techniques to close any incomplete sessions and help you find ways to maintain stability between and during the sessions.

Assessment…

Assessment is the third phase of EMDR, where we jointly identify the target memory for the session. You will then be asked to identify the most salient image associated with this memory and will be asked to determine the negative beliefs associated with this memory. We will discuss any irrationality of the event, and this will help you gain insight. Positive beliefs suited to the target are introduced, which contradict your emotional experiences.

The validity of the cognition scale (VOC) and subjective units of disturbance scale (SUDS) are assessed to understand the appropriateness of positive cognition (how much you consider this particular statement to be true for the target memory). These assessments will be used as baseline measurements.

Desensitization…

In the desensitization phase, your disturbing event is evaluated to change the trauma-related sensory experiences and associations. Increasing the sense of self-efficacy and elicitation of insight is also part of this phase. You will then be asked to attend simultaneously both the target image and bilateral stimulation and then be open to whatever happens. After each set of bilateral stimulation, you are directed to take a deep breath and asked to identify the physical sensations you are experiencing. Then, depending on what is happening for you, we will either continue with the desensitization phase or move onto the installation phase.

Installation…

Within the installation phase, we will attempt to increase the strength of the positive cognition, which is supposed to replace the negative belief. Then the positive cognition is paired with the previously dysfunctional material during the bilateral stimulation.

Body scan…

During the body scan, you will be asked to complete a body scan to focus on any somatic responses considered as residues of tension related to the targeted event are remaining. If it is present, I will target this body sensation for further processing.

Closure…

The seventh phase uses the self-control techniques that were already taught when reprocessing is not complete. This helps in bringing you back to a state of equilibrium. I will then explain what to expect between sessions and reiterate ways to maintain a record of disturbances between sessions to ensure these targets are processed in further sessions.

Reevaluation…

Reevaluation is the eighth phase in which review is carried out for optimal treatment effect and to check out additional targets.

“If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.” –Jim Rohn

IF YOU HAVE TRIED THERAPY IN THE PAST…

… and have not achieved the results you want, why not try something unusual to get an extraordinary result? Please know that if you choose this healing method, it’s important to be transparent with me to ensure we are installing appropriate positive cognitions and visualizations. This type of therapy is EXTREMELY effective, and you can experience relief from negative symptoms almost immediately.

Sound too good to be true? Research indicates that 90% of trauma survivors present with minimal to no PTSD symptoms after just three sessions.

Call or text me at (720) 629-2729 for a free 15-minute consultation to determine if you are a good candidate for this type of psychotherapy.

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