EMDR Therapy & Virtual EMDR
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) is a powerful form of therapy that helps the brain and body heal from unprocessed trauma. In addition to traditional therapy, LiveFree Counseling specializes in helping people recover from trauma through a variety of services including EMDR.
What is EMDR therapy?
When a person experiences trauma, the brain does not process the event the same way as it does a regular memory. Rather than processing the experience, a feedback loop develops that results in the intrusive thoughts, anxiety and distressing images that occur in flashbacks and nightmares.
Trauma is a physical and psychological problem, affecting the body just as much as the mind. EMDR helps people process their trauma by stimulating the brain’s hemisphere’s back and forth, which alternating different sides of the brain (called bi-lateral stimulation or BLS) while recalling traumatic experiences; addressing these memories while being physically distracted through rapid eye movements essentially “reprograms” the brain’s response and allows people to finally put the past behind them.
By accessing the part of the brain where trauma is closely held, EMDR helps people work through disturbing thoughts or images, alleviate distress and truly heal from within.
What does an EMDR session look like?
You may opt to have a weekly, 50-minute EMDR session or multiple intensive sessions per week. Your therapist will guide you through processing through the memory as well as the negative beliefs you have about the trauma. A traumatic belief of, “I am powerless,” can be replaced with, “I am strong and in control.”
There are eight phases to EMDR treatment:
- History
- Preparation
- Assessment
- Desensitization (“reprocessing”)
- Installation
- Body scan
- Closure
- Reevaluation (follow-up)
Some people will breeze through certain phases while others might require additional support. We check in with you every time we meet to discuss how you’re feeling about the progress you’ve made. Treatment can be extended as needed to ensure a genuine recovery.
Commonly Asked Questions About EMDR Therapy
What is EMDR?
EMDR is an advanced form of trauma treatment. Before and after each session, your therapist will help guide you through any difficult emotions or thoughts you may experience. Learning how to see things from a different point of view can help reprocess any thought processes that are not beneficial to your mental health.
Through counseling, we help clients overcome feelings of blame, guilt and worthlessness that have been ingrained through years of trauma and abuse. We also work on any other symptoms you may be experiencing including fear, depression and anxiety.
How does EMDR therapy work for PTSD?
PTSD is a result of past trauma that impacts the present and future. It combines all the pain of trauma with fear of the future. Through EMDR, the therapist guides the client to gradually and carefully recall the traumatic event. In doing so, the brain is able to reprocess or reorganize the memory without the trauma associated with it; thus healing the brain. By moving past the psychological barriers of stress, anxiety and depression, EMDR can help “patch up” the wounded parts of the mind and bring people affected by PTSD relief.
Why does EMDR make you tired?
EMDR is incredibly safe, but it does have some potential side-effects. Some clients report feeling tired, as their brain is working hard healing. Occasionally clients report more dreams, resurfacing memories and an increase in stressful thoughts during the early sessions. Part of the EMDR protocol is resourcing clients, enabling them to handle these stressors without becoming fully triggered. All of these symptoms resolve with continued treatment, and the majority of people who undergo EMDR report feeling lighter, less stressed, anxious and depressed.
Can EMDR be done online?
Yes, virtual EMDR is becoming more common and accessible. Now, you can work with your therapist on recovering from trauma in the comfort of your own home.
If you are ready to recover and explore your options, including EMDR, reach out to LiveFree Counseling today.
Call: 720.465.6180
Send Us an Email
Healing is possible, and it starts by taking the first step. To start your transformation, contact us today.
