EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing
What is EMDR & how does it work?
EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) is an innovative, clinical therapy which involves a series of rapid eye movements, like those of REM sleep, to reprocess disturbing memories, trauma or phobias and resolve and desensitise them emotionally. It's an integrative psychotherapeutic tool used with adults and children that has been researched extensively and is a proven aid for the treatment of trauma and many types of psychological stress.
Using a rapid set of eye-movements whilst working with traumatic memories, feelings and thoughts stimulates left and right brain integration so that trauma can be processed by the brain and body, just as in REM sleep. EMDR is recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a treatment for PTSD.
Trauma and its effects
We all experience traumatic experiences during our lives and we're often affected both emotionally as well as physically. Most of us will heal the traumatic experience and move on from it. Some of us don't and the effects of such trauma can remain, leaving us with the affects of the experience and being vulnerable to retriggering the emotional and physical responses to that trauma.
Normally, when we sleep we naturally process our experiences from the day with REM sleep, where the eye movements connect right and left brain hemispheres. This brain activity whilst you sleep encourages resolution and understanding of situations within the unconscious mind. When we experience trauma and it doesn't get resolved or processed naturally due to overwhelm or being repeatedly subjected to trauma, the memory gets "frozen" in the hypothalamus brain. This may feel as raw or painful as its initial experience. The traumatic memory and its responses and emotions, stored in the neurology, unprocessed, in their raw form then get "triggered" afresh when similar situations or evoking experiences happen again.
EMDR, used whilst the client is fully conscious and alert, naturally and effectively reprocesses the memories, triggering desensitisation and resolution within the emotional self and the physical self, allowing the brain to heal any psychological disturbance whilst healing any physical affect of emotional trauma.
Using a rapid set of eye-movements whilst working with traumatic memories, feelings and thoughts stimulates left and right brain integration so that trauma can be processed by the brain and body, just as in REM sleep. EMDR is recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a treatment for PTSD.
Trauma and its effects
We all experience traumatic experiences during our lives and we're often affected both emotionally as well as physically. Most of us will heal the traumatic experience and move on from it. Some of us don't and the effects of such trauma can remain, leaving us with the affects of the experience and being vulnerable to retriggering the emotional and physical responses to that trauma.
Normally, when we sleep we naturally process our experiences from the day with REM sleep, where the eye movements connect right and left brain hemispheres. This brain activity whilst you sleep encourages resolution and understanding of situations within the unconscious mind. When we experience trauma and it doesn't get resolved or processed naturally due to overwhelm or being repeatedly subjected to trauma, the memory gets "frozen" in the hypothalamus brain. This may feel as raw or painful as its initial experience. The traumatic memory and its responses and emotions, stored in the neurology, unprocessed, in their raw form then get "triggered" afresh when similar situations or evoking experiences happen again.
EMDR, used whilst the client is fully conscious and alert, naturally and effectively reprocesses the memories, triggering desensitisation and resolution within the emotional self and the physical self, allowing the brain to heal any psychological disturbance whilst healing any physical affect of emotional trauma.
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What are the benefits of EMDR therapy?
EMDR is the most rapid and effective way to desensitise the images, sounds, emotions and bodily feelings associated with trauma. Studies consistently show that treatment with EMDR result in the healing of the targeted emotion . The memory remains, although those too may seem different in your perception, and the negative emotions are neutralised or “flattened”. The use of EMDR therapy has shown that the positive, long-term results affect all aspects of a client's well-being - the physical, mental and emotional. Because EMDR has the capacity to relieve many types of emotional block or fear, it is now used across a wide range of issues, making it possible to overcome severe emotional trauma in a relatively short period of time. However, the length of therapy will vary according to the complexity of the issues being experienced by the individual. How can EMDR therapy help me? EMDR has been shown to help those who have developed psychological difficulties or disturbance originating from a traumatic experience such as an accident, violence, sexual abuse, childhood neglect, war zones, riots or terror attacks. The effects of such trauma often cause PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder.) |
Conditions treated with EMDR
Studies shown to date have shown that EMDR therapy is highly effective with the following conditions: PTSD Anxiety & Panic disorders Phobias Abuse Addictions Trauma & Accidents Physical assault Witnessing trauma Violence Experiencing disaster Childhood abuse Stop smoking Emotional & behavioural problems OCD Depression Anger & rage |
What is PTSD?
PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, is classed as an anxiety disorder and can begin after witnessing or experiencing trauma. Trauma can be experienced as a life-threatening event and sometimes literally is, such as experiencing a terrorist attack or an accident. During trauma one may feel that we have no control over what is happening. After a traumatic experience you may feel confused, terrified or angry. It is when these feelings and sensations continue to be experienced or even worsen that PTSD can be diagnosed. Symptoms of PTSD may hinder your daily life and relationships. It's not known why some people who witness or experience such an event may develop PTSD and others not. PTSD has been known to change the body's response to stress. How does PTSD develop? People who have had traumatic experiences don't necessarily develop PTSD but those with PTSD have all lived through a traumatic event where they've seen or experienced awful things and felt helpless and scared. Such strong and overwhelming emotional responses to the traumatic experience create changes in the brain and the body and the way it handles stress. More information on trauma & PTSD. |