If you’ve stumbled upon this post you are probably looking for an EMDR therapist near me. EMDR is a therapy that has been used to help people who have experienced trauma. During EMDR therapy, the patient follows the movement of a visual target with their eyes while recalling disturbing memories. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, which may make you feel like giving up trying to understand it. Even its creators admit that the name is terrible. It’s just one of those unfortunate acronyms. For this article we’ll use the intended acronym, EMDR, rather than EMDRS or even EMDSR because all three are so commonly used as search terms when looking for information about EMDR Therapy.
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy. It’s a therapy that has been used to help people who have experienced trauma. During EMDR therapy, the patient follows the movement of a visual target with their eyes while recalling disturbing memories. The idea is that the rhythmic movement of your eyes stimulates the brain and helps it process the experience. How do eye movements do this? Nobody knows. It’s just a thing that happens. The idea is that the rhythmic movement of your eyes stimulates the brain and helps it process the experience.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR therapy is based on the idea that your brain holds different memories in different ways. When you have a traumatic event, or even a really really bad day, your brain puts it on a special “keep this away from everything else” shelf. Even if you want to get it off the shelf again, it’s really hard to find it again. EMDR therapy is based on the idea that your brain holds different memories in different ways. When you have a traumatic event, or even a really really bad day, your brain puts it on a special “keep this away from everything else” shelf.
Even if you want to get it off the shelf again, it’s really hard to find it again. What’s happening here is that your brain is trying to protect you from having too much bad stuff happening at once. It’s putting the traumatic event in a special place, away from other memories that you are trying to focus on. This is a normal response to trauma, but it can have negative effects on your life, like having trouble concentrating or sleeping, having an increased chance of developing PTSD, or having trouble feeling happy or experiencing positive emotions. You can also have really strong reactions to things that remind you of the memory, like hearing a car backfire and instantly thinking of a gunshot.
Is EMDR Therapy Right for You?
EMDR is a therapy that helps process trauma. While it is most often used for PTSD, it can be used for any kind of trauma, even with people who don’t meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. EMDR is used for other issues as well, including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and negative thinking patterns. There are a few things to consider before trying EMDR therapy, including whether you have a trauma you want to work on and whether you have enough self-discipline to complete the therapy. Doing EMDR requires a level of self-discipline that not everyone has. You have to be able to tolerate the difficult memories, follow the therapist’s instructions, and have the ability to concentrate.
What Does an EMDR Session Look Like?
EMDR sessions are highly individualized and will differ depending on what you’re working on and the skills of your therapist. Generally, you’ll begin by telling your therapist about the traumatic event you want to work on. Your therapist will then ask you to recall the memory as fully as possible, looking for parts of the memory that are strongly upsetting. .
Once you’ve identified a disturbing part of the memory, your therapist will ask you to think about the event and what you want to feel about it. They’ll then ask you to follow the therapist’s finger as it moves back and forth, or side to side, or in a different pattern. You may also see flashing lights, hear a noise, or smell a scent. You’re expected to keep thinking about the event. This is a fairly quick overview of a therapy session. To understand more, you can also read our full article on EMDR Therapy.
Is EMDR Good for Anxiety or Panic Attacks?
Many people who experience anxiety or panic attacks also have trauma. Often, the anxiety or panic attacks are a way your brain reacts to the trauma. If you have anxiety or panic attacks and you’ve experienced trauma, you may want to try EMDR therapy. The therapy can help you process the trauma and work toward feeling better. Some people with anxiety or panic attacks may also find that EMDR therapy helps them experience less anxiety and fewer panic attacks.
Is EMDR Good for Depression?
People who suffer from depression may experience trauma, or they may have negative thinking patterns that are holding them back from achieving their goals. If you have depression and you’ve experienced trauma, you may want to try EMDR therapy. The therapy can help you process the trauma and work toward feeling better. Some people with depression may also find that EMDR therapy helps them experience less depression and have a better mood overall.
Find an EMDR Therapist Near Me
There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for an EMDR Practitioner. First, make sure they’re an accredited practitioner. The EMDR International Association has a list of verified practitioners on their website, and you can use their search feature to see if there are any therapists near you. If there are no nearby practitioners, you can still do EMDR therapy. You can do this either by following the instructions in a book or with assistance from a therapist using a video or phone call. If you decide to do EMDR therapy, be sure to select a therapist who specializes in EMDR and PTSD and who has had training and supervised experience in EMDR.
Bottom line
EMDR therapy is a treatment that helps process traumatic events and relieve the symptoms of PTSD, anxiety and depression. It can take some people many sessions to complete the protocol, others can do it in a single session. Because it is a therapy that requires a lot of self-discipline, there are a few things you should consider before trying it. Make sure you are working with a practitioner who has had training and supervised experience in EMDR therapy. You may also want to consider whether you have enough self-discipline to complete the therapy, and if it’s the best treatment for your issues.