What is EMDR:
EMDR stands for “Eye-Movement De-sensitisation and Reprocessing” and helps us to change the way bad memories are stored in the brain. EMDR was founded by psychologist, Dr. Francine Shapiro 20 years ago. It is now a well-researched and highly developed way of working.
EMDR is acknowledged as effective in the treatment of PTSD by the Department of Health, National Institute of Clinical Excellence (Ref: March 2005 Guidelines for the Management of PTSD)
It equally helps a range of other presenting problems.
EMDR and major trauma
By major trauma we usually mean something like experiencing a life-threatening event or seeing someone else experience one. Examples are being attacked by someone, a car crash, or early childhood experiences that were scary and frightening - such as experiencing some sort of physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
Is EMDR just for treating major trauma?
No - It is just as effective a way of working with the type of experiences that, on the surface, seem like “just part of life.’ Things such as seeing your parents argue, having a pet taken away, not getting chosen in an event or for a sport, getting bullied or picked-on etc. Events that happen over-and-over and are never really resolved or taken care of.
How does EMDR work?
As life is happening, the brain is constantly gathering, filtering and storing information. Most of the information the brain receives gets resolved and stored in a helpful way as it processes through the mind.
Trauma information like shock, upset, or highly charged disturbance is processed differently. When life-threatening experiences hit the brain, the normal processing channels are shut down and ‘trauma processing’ takes over. Body and mind go into fight, flight or freeze mode. Survival is all that counts. You’re in the present moment whether you want to be or not.
The left (logical) brain shuts down and the information streaming through the senses is captured by the right (creative) brain. The worst of it (most traumatic) is stored in the mid region of the brain.
The problem is that after the disturbance stops, the brain carries the memories of the disturbance long into the future. Those memories may be disturbing images, unpleasant angry, sad, or fearful emotions or anxious body sensations. They are hard to get rid of yet they are easily triggered and they get replayed over-and-over.
There is usually little or no awareness of what is happening. You may not even know where the bad feelings are coming from or even what caused them originally, or triggered them in the present.
With EMDR, we re-visit the disturbances and reawaken the images, emotions, body sensations and negative feelings. When we do that, we also use bilateral stimulation which lets the brain re-process the stored bad feelings, thoughts and body sensations. This means that the trauma information is re-processed and stored in a healthier way. It means you are de-sensitised from the bad feelings.
Your thoughts become based on the ‘facts’ of actual situation rather than the underlying negative emotions. This way of working is referred to as AIP – Adaptive Information Processing.
The mind and body working naturally, geared to the health and happiness of the individual.
Is it like hypnosis, am I in a trance?
No. It is not like hypnosis. You are fully present with your experience while the brain does its reprocessing.
How long does it take if I do EMDR?
That depends on the person and the extent of the trauma. Traumas that were long term or repeated several times can take longer to resolve. 8 weeks is an average length of time.