EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy, people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It’s widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.

When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with emotional wounds.

The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy can help you activate your natural healing processes, so you can be free of symptoms that cause your suffering.

Since it was developed by Francine Shapiro in 1985, there has been so much research on EMDR therapy that it’s now recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization and the Department of Defense as an effective form of treatment for trauma, as well as other distressing life experiences.

Given the worldwide recognition as an effective treatment of trauma, you can see how EMDR therapy would be effective in treating the “everyday” memories that are behind low self-esteem, feelings of powerlessness, difficulty in relationships and at work, and all the other problems that bring us into therapy.

---

My EMDR Story

 (or Why I Believe in the Effectiveness of EMDR Therapy)

---

Treatment Description

EMDR therapy combines different elements to maximize treatment effects, and involves attention to the past, present, and future. Focus is given to past disturbing memories and related events, to current situations that cause distress (also known as “triggers”), and to developing the skills and attitudes needed for positive future actions.
These items are addressed using an eight-phase treatment approach.

Phase 1
Assessment and History-Taking

We’ll talk about what brought you in to EMDR therapy, and identify possible targets for EMDR work. These include physical symptoms, distressing memories from the past, and current situations that cause emotional distress.

Some people come in with a list of clear “top ten” distressing memories from their past, and others have only fragments of memories; both can be useful targets for EMDR.

If you experienced a problematic childhood, initial EMDR processing may be directed to childhood events rather than to adult onset stressors or an identified recent critical incident.

Phase 1 is also where I’ll talk to you about how EMDR works in the brain and body, do some trauma education, or recommend books or podcasts to help you gain understanding and insight into your experiences and symptoms.

Phase 2
Resourcing and Emotional Regulation

During the second phase of treatment, we’ll assess the resources and support you have in your life already, as well as your current self-care routine (including how you’re sleeping, eating and moving your body).

Since EMDR therapy can be hard work emotionally, I want to be sure that you have several different ways of handling emotional distress between sessions. I may teach you a variety of imagery and stress reduction techniques that you can use on your own outside of sessions. We may also discuss ways you can increase self-care behaviors in your daily life. A goal of EMDR therapy is to produce effective change while you maintain equilibrium during and between sessions.

At the end of phase 2, I like to do an orientation to front load phases 3 and 4. I find that most people appreciate knowing what to expect in these more intense phases of EMDR, and I believe that this increases the feeling of safety as well. I’ll introduce you to my lightbar (affectionately known as “Lars”) for eye movements, and the tappers, for those that prefer or require tactile bilateral stimulation.

Phases 3-4
Choosing a Target Memory, “Lighting Up” the Neural Networks, and Reprocessing

In phase 3, I use the Parnell Method of Attachment Focused EMDR therapy to quickly light up the chosen memory (by asking you a series of pointed questions about the memory we’ve chosen as our target) and get right into phase 4, reprocessing.

I’ll ask you to focus on 3 pieces of information you gave me in phase 3, while simultaneously engaging in EMDR processing using sets of bilateral stimulation. These sets may use eye movements or tactile stimulation. The type and length of these sets is different for each person. During phase 4, you’ll be asked to just notice whatever spontaneously happens, not to try to make anything happen.

If you become distressed or have difficulty in progressing, I’ll help you get back on track, or we’ll pause and do some grounding exercises until you feel ready to continue.

Phases 5-6
Rescue, Unburdening, Positive Cognition and Body Scan

Here, I use Internal Family Systems (IFS) methods and Attachment Focused EMDR adapted protocol to “rescue” child parts from memories, relieve them of their long-held burdens, and allow you to re-write your experience. We may also send helpers (Nurturers, Protectors, your Adult Self) into the memory to allow child parts to get their needs met in the memory.

When you get to the point where you no longer feel distress related to the targeted memory, a positive belief about yourself will sometimes arise naturally (example: It’s not my fault, I’m okay, or I’m safe), If it doesn’t arise naturally, I’ll ask you what you believe about yourself now when you think of the memory, and then use eye movements or tapping to anchor this belief.

Lastly, we’ll do a final “white glove test” and have you do a scan of your body from head to toe in order to catch any places where trauma may be stuck in the body.

Phase 7
Closure

Here, we may do some grounding or centering exercises following reprocessing difficult material, and I’ll tell you what you can expect during the time between sessions. We may also do some talk therapy here to discuss some of the things that you learned from the reprocessing.

Phase 8
Re-Evaluation

After we begin phase 4 (which usually takes 3-5 sessions), each new session begins with phase eight, examining the progress made thus far. We’ll check in about how your week went, and I’ll ask you what you noticed in the time between sessions; looking at triggers, dreams, insights or any behavior or emotional changes you noticed.

I’ll also answer your questions and address any concerns you may have that came up during the week. Then we’ll get right back into reprocessing (phases 4-6).

In the course of reprocessing, people often gain insight into their situations and their emotional distress resolves. They may start to feel a release of physical symptoms, troubling thoughts or difficult feelings, or more easily change their problem behaviors. Phase 8 gives us a chance to check in on your progress.
Length of treatment depends on the number of traumas, the age of onset, the age of the client at treatment, current level of functioning, and access to support.

Generally, those with single event adult onset trauma (for example, a 30 year old with no childhood abuse who is in a car accident) can be successfully treated in 10-12 sessions. Survivors of multiple or repeated trauma, or of childhood trauma generally require a longer treatment time.

Some of the content on this page was adapted with permission from and gratitude to The EMDR Institute. For more detailed information as well as research studies, please visit www.EMDR.com

“What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?“
~ Mary Oliver