Understanding EMDR: A Pathway to HEALING
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a specialized form of psychotherapy designed to help individuals process and heal from traumatic experiences. Developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR has gained recognition as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions.
How EMDR Works
EMDR is based on the premise that traumatic memories can become stuck in the brain, leading to emotional and psychological distress. During an EMDR session, the therapist guides the client through a structured process that includes:
1. History Taking: The therapist gathers information about the client's history and identifies target memories to work on.
2. Preparation: The therapist explains the EMDR process and teaches the client relaxation techniques to help manage distress during the session.
3. Assessment: Clients identify specific negative beliefs related to their trauma and the emotions associated with it.
4. Desensitization: The core of EMDR involves bilateral stimulation, typically through guided eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones. This stimulation helps the brain reprocess the traumatic memory, reducing its emotional charge.
5. Installation: Clients work to replace negative beliefs with positive ones, reinforcing a healthier self-perception.
6. Body Scan: The therapist guides the client to identify any residual physical tension related to the trauma and processes these sensations.
7. Closure: The session concludes with techniques to help the client return to a state of equilibrium.
8. Reevaluation: Subsequent sessions involve checking in on the progress and addressing any remaining issues.
The Benefits of EMDR
EMDR offers several advantages for those dealing with trauma:
- Rapid Results: Many clients experience significant relief in just a few sessions, making it a time-efficient therapeutic option.
- Non-Invasive: Unlike some traditional therapies that may require extensive talk therapy, EMDR focuses on the memory processing aspect, minimizing the need for detailed discussions of the traumatic events.
- Versatile: While primarily used for PTSD, EMDR can also be effective for anxiety, depression, phobias, and other emotional challenges stemming from trauma.
Who Can Benefit from EMDR?
EMDR is suitable for adults and children alike. It has been shown to be effective for individuals who have experienced:
- Childhood abuse or neglect
- Natural disasters
- Accidents or injuries
- Combat exposure
- Sexual assault
Conclusion
EMDR presents a powerful approach to healing trauma, offering hope and recovery to those who have been affected by distressing experiences. Its structured yet flexible methodology allows clients to confront and process their memories effectively. As awareness of EMDR continues to grow, it stands out as a valuable resource in the mental health field, guiding individuals toward a path of healing and resilience.
If you or someone you know is struggling with trauma, consider exploring EMDR as a potential pathway to healing. Always seek out a licensed and trained EMDR therapist to ensure the best possible care.
What is trauma-informed therapy and how does it help?
It all begins with the innate wisdom to find healing.
Trauma-informed therapy provides healing from our traumatic experiences which may be causing intrusive distress, flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness, irritation, or anger. We can heal from our pain and shame which we have been distancing from. We may go to great lengths to try to numb the pain. Trauma-informed therapy supports us in reclaiming our power and letting go of the past.
Trauma-informed therapy helps us discern the safety in our present situations, as triggers can leave us physiologically distressed. Triggers can cause us to feel enraged, ashamed, furious, terrified, or frozen and look for someone to blame in the present. Post-traumatic stress is overwhelming and leaves us feeling disempowered. We may not understand or be able to control what is going on with our mind and body. Trauma-informed therapy supports us in gaining awareness of our symptoms so we can step into healing.
Trauma-informed therapy supports us in creating safety and learning to show up for ourselves as we start to reclaim our power. At Jennifer Michaud & Associates INC. we are aware that our trauma coping patterns did not emerge overnight. We help you assess which patterns are serving and sabotaging you. We encourage you as you begin to create boundaries for your healing journey. We provide a safe space and support you as you grieve everything the trauma has robbed from you.
What does the therapy process look like?
Some of us may be entering trauma therapy for the first time. Judith Herman’s marathon metaphor is a helpful image to understand the complexities and perseverance of trauma recovery. Once we have decided it do the run, it is important to remember that this work will take time.
For example, we may be ready to plunge into the crimes that are haunting us; however, in the first phase of marathon training we start small. Once the training is underway, we must prepare and practice to endure the run. Both our physiological and psychological strength, and perseverance is put to the test in trauma healing. Healing like training feels isolating, requires determination and is a courageous act.
To grieve the past is to reclaim our power. We are not responsible for the injuries that were perpetrated, we are responsible for our recovery and healing. Accepting that we must prepare for the marathon of healing is beginning to take our power back.
We step into our power by taking full responsibility of our healing. Finding a trauma informed therapist who is a good fit for us, is profound. There is no set time or path for our grieving; we all grieve differently. We will know that we are healing when telling the trauma story does not dysregulate us anymore.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a therapy which helps us integrate our traumas so we can let go of the past. It is a procedure used by trained and certified therapists that helps you reduce impact or intrusion of past experiences into present day life.
EMDR is a staged intervention that begins with assessing your history and creating a specialized treatment plan. We prepare you before we go into the assessment phase and desensitization through eye movements. The eye movements are done for bilateral stimulation to help us integrate the trauma experiences. - Jessie Dhaliwal, Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) & EMDR Specialist
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) & how can it help?
It all begins with an idea.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, also referred to as CBT is an evidence based psychological treatment shown to be one of the most effective treatments for the management of anxiety. Research has shown CBT to be effective in treatment of general anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorders. In addition, CBT is appropriate for mood disorders, eating disorders and emotional dysregulation.
CBT is solution focused form of psychotherapy that involves two components, a cognitive component, and a behavioral component. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy involves learning new skills to manage and understand symptoms, which helps clients develop new ways of thinking and behaving. Cognitive-Behavior Therapy addresses negative patterns and distortions in the way clients view themselves and the world around them.
Unlike medications, which may have unwanted side effects, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, has few risks. CBT uses a wide range of strategies to help clients. These strategies may include journaling, relaxation techniques, mindfulness techniques, role-playing and exposure therapy.
CBT is a collaborative treatment therefore its benefits are affected by the client’s willingness to participate in and out of the therapy session.
What are some of the principles of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?
There are several principles of CBT that are important to understand.
1. CBT focuses on the here and now.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is designed to target a specific problem or symptom. The benefit of this is that the goal(s) of therapy is clear from the start and clients do not spend and extended number of sessions determining the root problem.
2. CBT emphasizes collaboration and active participation.
CBT works best when clients take an active role in determining treatment goals and the therapist tailors those components to the client’s specific needs. Homework, what the client is asked to do outside of the session time, is a key component of CBT treatment.
3. CBT is structured and time-limited
CBT can offer clients relief in a relatively short period of time and each session follows a predictable order and builds on previous sessions. It is designed as a short-term therapy.
How does Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Work?
The basic premise of CBT is that our thoughts affect the way we feel not external events. Different emotions evoke different emotions in people depending upon personal expectations attitudes and beliefs. For clients with anxiety, negative ways of thinking lead to negative emotions. The goal of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is to identify the negative thoughts, beliefs and correct them. - Kate Harvey, Professional Counsellor