Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.
Repeated studies have shown that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal, EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.
EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. 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 intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes.
The Theory
Memories are linked in networks that contain related thoughts, images, emotions, and sensations. Learning occurs when new associations are forged with material already stored in memory.
When a traumatic or very negative event occurs, information processing may be incomplete, perhaps because strong negative feelings or dissociation interfere with information processing.
This prevents the forging of connections with more adaptive information that is held in other memory networks. The memory is dysfunctional stored without appropriate associative connections and with many elements still unprocessed. When the individual thinks about the trauma or when the memory is triggered by similar situations, the person may feel like they are reliving it or may experience strong emotions and physical sensations.
Francine Shapiro, who developed EMDR therapy in 1987, proposed that EMDR can assist to alleviate clinical complaints by processing the components of the contributing distressing memories.
Information processing is thought to occur when the targeted memory is linked with other more adaptive information. Learning then takes places and the experience is stored with appropriate emotions, able to appropriately guide the person in the future.
Tried and Tested
More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy.
Some of the studies showed that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after only three 90-minute sessions.
Another study found that 100% of the single trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free PTSD in 12 sessions.
How Does it Work?
EMDR therapy is an 8-phase treatment.
Eye movements are used during one part of the session. After the clinician has determined which memory to target first, he asks the client to hold different aspects of that event or thought in mind and to use his eyes to track the therapist’s hand as it moves back and forth across the client’s field of vision. As this happens, internal associations arrive, and the clients begin to process the memory and disturbing feelings.
In successful EMDR therapy, the meaning of painful events is transformed on an emotional level. Unlike talk therapy, the insights clients gain in EMDR therapy result not so much from clinical interpretation, but from the client’s own accelerated intellectual and emotional processes.
The net effect is that clients conclude EMDR therapy feeling empowered by the very experiences that once upset them.
8 Phases of EMDR Therapy
Phase 1
The first phase is a history taking session. The therapist assesses the client’s readiness and develops a treatment plan. Client and therapist identify possible targets for EMDR processing. These may include distressing memories and current situations that cause emotional distress.
Phase 2
During the second phase of treatment, the therapist ensures that the client has several different ways of handling emotional distress. The therapist may teach the client a variety of imagery and stress reduction techniques the client can use during and between sessions.
A goal of EMDR therapy is to produce rapid and effective change while the client maintains equilibrium during and between sessions.
Phases 3 to 6
In phases three to six, a target is identified and processed using EMDR therapy procedures. These involve the client identifying three things:
• The vivid visual image related to the memory
• A negative belief about self
• Related emotions and body sensations
In addition to this, the client identifies a positive belief. The therapist helps the client rate the positive belief as well as the intensity of the negative emotions. The client is then instructed to focus on the image, negative thought, and body sensations whilst simultaneously engaging in EMDR processing using sets of bilateral stimulation. These sets may include eye movements, taps, or tones. At this point the EMDR client is instructed to just notice whatever spontaneously happens.
After each set of stimulation, the clinician instructs the client to let their mind go blank and to notice whatever thought, feeling, image, memory, or sensation comes to mind. Depending upon the client’s report, the clinician will choose the next focus of attention. These repeated sets with directed focused attention occur numerous times throughout the session, if the client becomes distressed or has difficulty progressing, the therapist follows established procedures to help the client get back on track.
When the client reports no distress related to the targeted memory, they are asked to think of the preferred positive belief that was identified at the beginning of the session. At this time, the client may adjust the positive belief if necessary and then focus on it during the next set of distressing events.
Phase 7
In phase seven, closure, the therapist asks the client to keep a log during the week. The log should document any related material that may arise. It serves to remind the client of the self-calming activities taught in phase two.
Phase 8
The next session begins with phase eight. Phase eight consists of examining the progress made thus far. The EMDR treatment processes all related historical events, current incidents that elicit distress, and future events that will require different responses.
—
Hi, I’m Simon Dowling. I am an EMDR Trauma Therapist and a registered Accredited Member of the British Association for Counsellors & Psychotherapists (MBACP).
I provide online and face-to-face psychotherapy & EMDR to help people overcome life’s obstacles, including trauma, sudden loss and bereavement, work-related stress, low self-esteem, addictions, guilt, anger, depression, anxiety, fears, and sexual identity.
If you’re looking for a therapist to help you work through obstacles you’ve faced in your life, I am here to help you.
Simon Dowling Therapy
I am dedicated to providing compassionate and specialised care for individuals who have experienced childhood abuse and/or trauma. I offer a safe and supportive environment where clients can explore their experiences and begin the healing process, utilising evidence-based therapies to address the psychological, emotional, and physical effects of abuse. I’m committed to helping survivors regain their sense of self, build resilience, and achieve a better quality of life.
If you’re struggling with the on-going effects of childhood abuse or trauma, counselling and therapy can help. Get in touch and we will work through your healing together.