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Standard talk therapy is not always enough for people who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a new therapy that has helped many people work through their traumatic memories and their symptoms.
If you are looking for other trauma treatments, EMDR could be what you need. This therapy was created to help people heal memories in a way similar to how the brain is supposed to heal them. Where EMDR differs from traditional treatment is that it doesn’t depend on the detailed recounting of past traumas. Instead, it focuses on the brain’s sensitivity and response to distressing memories.
EMDR is a way of processing trauma, anxiety, and depression by helping people control their feelings. People need to know that those who have undergone EMDR therapy claim to have improved a lot, and some of them feel better after a few sessions. For those planning to seek treatment, it will be helpful to know how EMDR works, what makes it different from other therapies, and why it has such a high success rate.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy is a kind of trauma-focused treatment that was developed to assist people overcome their traumatic memories. Standard therapy does not involve the use of language and cognitive change. However, EMDR therapy includes moving through traumatic events using eye movements or other lateralizing signals.
The basic idea of EMDR is that trauma can get “stuck” in the brain, and this results in symptoms such as flashbacks, panic attacks, and intrusive thoughts. EMDR solves these symptoms by allowing the brain to reschedule the painful memory to decrease its emotional intensity. That way, people can look at their trauma in a different light and begin the healing process.
How EMDR Works for Trauma Recovery
EMDR therapy is a way of processing trauma in a structured manner such that people can process the trauma in a controlled environment. The process is divided into eight phases to enable the person to address different aspects of the healing process.
Phase 1. History Taking and Assessment
In the first phase, the therapist must collect a thorough history of the trauma the person has experienced and find out how it impacts the person’s life in the present. This way, the therapist can determine which memories are significant and how they are connected to the person’s feelings and psychological problems.
Phase 2. Preparation and Coping Strategies
In the preparation phase, people also learn ways of handling the stress of emotions during and after therapy. Since trauma recovery can bring up intense feelings, it is essential to have the right tools to deal with them to have a successful treatment.
Phase 3. Identifying the Trauma and Negative Beliefs
In the assessment stage of the model, the person identifies a specific traumatic memory and the negative beliefs about it. It determines the source of emotional distress and prepares the brain for reprocessing.
Phase 4. Desensitization – The Core of EMDR Therapy
The main work of EMDR is the desensitization process. The therapist’s eye movement or rhythmic tapping ensures that the client is able to relive the traumatic memory while being in the here and now. This allows the brain to reschedule the event and decrease the emotional sensitivity to it.
Phase 5. Installing Positive Beliefs
In the installation phase, positive beliefs are installed to counter negative ones after the reprocessed distressing memory. It also helps people to be able to cope with past trauma better and with a positive frame of mind and a different view of the past trauma.
Phase 6. Body Scan for Lingering Trauma Responses
In the body scan phase, it was verified that there was no physical discomfort related to memory in the body. Since trauma is mainly stored in the body, releasing physical tension is an essential part of the healing process.
Phase 7. Closure for Emotional Stability
At the end of each session, as a part of the therapy, the client feels grounded and stable before leaving therapy. This is to make sure they don’t leave the session overwhelmed.
Phase 8. Reevaluation for Ongoing Progress
In the reevaluation phase, the therapist sees what has changed and whether further changes are needed for the next sessions. It ensures that any pain that may have been unattended to is well addressed and that the healing process is maintained.
Cognitive Processing in EMDR and Brain Function
One of the most interesting aspects of EMDR therapy is that it affects the brain. Traumatic memories are usually held in the limbic system, which is the part of the brain associated with emotions. Unprocessed memories can cause ongoing intense emotional reactions to a traumatic event, even months or years after it has happened.
EMDR cognitive processing helps move these memories from the limbic system to the prefrontal cortex, which is of the brain associated with problem-solving, decision-making, and behavior control. This allows the brain to decrease its attachment to the emotional content of the trauma, and therefore, people are able to forge ahead without being controlled by past events.
EMDR Vs. Traditional Therapy: Key Differences
EMDR is quite different from traditional therapy, and it doesn’t include a thorough discussion of past trauma. Instead, it uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain quickly process distressing memories. EMDR is a quick solution for PTSD and anxiety, and many people get better with it in a short time.
The EMDR success rate is also better than that of traditional therapy alone. The research also reveals that 84-90% of individuals with single-trauma PTSD achieve complete symptom relief after 3-6 EMDR sessions. This makes EMDR a very valuable tool in trauma therapy.
EMDR Therapy Benefits for PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression
EMDR therapy is not only limited to PTSD but can help in the treatment of anxiety and depression. EMDR is suitable for reducing flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and emotional distress about traumatic memories for those with PTSD. EMDR can assist in decreasing panic attacks, excessive worry, and negative thought patterns for those with anxiety.
This therapy enables people to regain control over their emotions by addressing the root cause of anxiety. The leading cause of depression is unresolved trauma, and EMDR can help people change negative beliefs and improve their self-image. In addition, people can have a much better quality of life and feel better mentally by working through experiences.
EMDR for Childhood Trauma and Long-Term Healing
However, research has revealed that this therapy is quite helpful in managing childhood trauma and its effects on the individual’s life, including their mental health, relationships, and well-being for the rest of their life. EMDR is quite popular in childhood trauma recovery, as this therapy assists in managing early childhood traumatic events in a safe environment.
People who have childhood trauma get a chance to eliminate the negative beliefs about themselves that were formed during childhood and develop new, better beliefs. This offers long-term emotional healing and prevents the trauma from affecting adult life.
Start Your Healing Journey With Lonestar Mental Health
At Lonestar Mental Health, we offer EMDR therapy for PTSD, anxiety, and depression based on scientific evidence. All our therapists are EMDR trained and will lead you through the healing process in a safe environment.
If you are ready to reclaim your mental health and move past your past traumas, then EMDR therapy benefits might be what you require. Schedule your first meeting with Lonestar Mental Health to get an appointment and begin your path to healing.
FAQs
How does EMDR therapy help with trauma?
In helping people process traumatic memories, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, to help reduce emotional distress. It is a way for the brain to rescale painful experiences and assists with intrusive thoughts and bad emotional regulation.
What are the positive effects of EMDR?
It is an eye-opener that through EMDR therapy, PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and depression are reduced while self-esteem and emotional stability are enhanced. It is not only that many people recover from their flashbacks and nightmares, but they feel as if they are done with the chapter and are free from their past trauma.
What does EMDR seem to be effective for treating?
Besides PTSD, EMDR is used to treat anxiety, depression, phobias, chronic pain, and substance use disorders. It is particularly effective in processing childhood trauma and other types of distressing life events with little or no need for verbal processing.
What is the success rate of EMDR therapy?
EMDR is effective in treating trauma – from single-incident PTSD up to complex cases, with 84-90% success rates. Several people get better in just a few sessions, making it one of the fastest ways of treating trauma available.
How does EMDR compare to other trauma treatment methods?
Traditional talk therapy depends on conversation and cognitive change. EMDR works directly with traumatic memories through cognitive processing. It is faster and more long-lasting; thus, it is the best way to approach psychological healing with EMDR.
