What Is EMDR Therapy?

Updated on January 16, 2023
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Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a form of treatment created to assist patients in coping with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Eye movements

Eye movements during EMDR therapy help a person process past traumatic memories. It is a form of psychological therapy, which is used to treat anxiety, depression, and other psychiatric disorders.

EMDR is an eight-phase approach that helps people deal with a traumatic memory. The goal is to create new positive cognitions about a disturbing event. You can learn more by clicking the link.

During an EMDR session, a patient is instructed to move his or her eyes rapidly from side to side. These movements mimic the rapid eye movements that occur during REM sleep. They allow the brain to process and sort through the memories it has gathered during the night.

EMDR is an 8-phase treatment that uses eye movements to help patients process traumatic memories. During the first phase, the client is asked to identify the aversive qualities of a traumatic memory.

In the second phase, a therapist guides the patient to focus on alternative cognitive appraisals of the trauma. He or she also guides the patient to track the therapist’s finger.

During the third phase, the patient is given the opportunity to make statements that are positive and uplifting. A fourth phase involves the development of positive beliefs about the self. This is also known as positive belief building.

At this point, the therapist repeats the desensitization phase. When the aversive quality of a traumatic memory is gone, the patient is asked to let it go.

Aside from eye movements, EMDR therapy can also involve other techniques such as hand taps and specialized light devices. All of these can be used to help the patient process a traumatic memory.

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Bilateral stimulation

EMDR is a psychotherapy technique used to help people with a wide range of issues, including depression, anxiety, and phobias. It aims to help patients place painful memories in the past. The technique uses bilateral stimulation to bring about changes in memory storage in the brain.

A client may undergo a series of standardized procedures during a EMDR session. They might listen to soothing music or play audio tones. This will help them to relax and focus on the treatment.

Eye movements are also used during the reprocessing phase of EMDR. These eye movements are like rapid blinks.

Bilateral stimulation is an essential component of EMDR therapy. In fact, it is the core element of the treatment.

EMDR Therapy has eight phases. Each of these phases focuses on a specific aspect of the treatment. The duration of each phase varies from client to client. However, most patients participate in a total of between one and twelve sessions.

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Eliciting negative responses

If you are looking for ways to alleviate post-traumatic stress, then EMDR is a great option. It combines guided eye movements with targeted memories. The aim is to reduce the vividness of traumatic memories and their accompanying emotional responses. Depending on the type of PTSD you suffer from, this method may be beneficial.

While it is difficult to determine if EMDR will work for you, it has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms. According to one study, a combat veteran’s PTSD diagnosis dropped by 78% after twelve sessions. Another study of civilians showed a 70% to 90% decrease in PTSD symptoms after three or four sessions.

EMDR has been used in a variety of studies, including treating substance use disorders. In addition, there are anecdotal reports that it has helped people who suffer from other disorders as well. However, more research is necessary to validate its efficacy and to establish parameters for its effectiveness.

Some of the benefits of this treatment are: a reduction in distress and a reduction in negative reactions to traumatic memory. Click the link: https://www.samhsa.gov/trauma for more information about trauma. Additionally, this treatment can also reduce clinical complaints, such as anxiety and depression.

This treatment is a process that includes a number of steps, including visualization, guided eye movements, and rehearsing of the negative cognitions. These steps are based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) theory, which is an overview of how the brain processes information.

Using AIP, a therapist can predict what a client will think, so they can effectively work with it. This is also important in helping the therapist gauge if the client is ready for this treatment.

Identifying a positive belief you’d like to believe instead

One of the most interesting aspects of EMDR is that it allows you to engage in cognitively stimulated conversations with your provider. As such, you get to talk about what matters to you. This can be a welcome respite after a long day at work. It also enables you to make meaningful connections with others. 

With the help a trained counselor, you can feel better about yourself and the world around you. Click the link to learn more about The Enhancement Center for more information about this treatment. Whether you are dealing with anxiety or depression, EMDR will give you the confidence to go out and start a new life.

The best part of EMDR is that it does not have to be a long term affair. It can be done in the comfort of your own home, or in the office. It is also highly effective for short durations like the commute to work or lunch time. 

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