You realize you have trauma. Many people do. No matter the cause or circumstances of the trauma, you deserve peace and healing. However, trauma tends to create roadblocks in the path to healing. While this is normal, EMDR can assist you in removing those roadblocks so you can achieve your wellness goals.
With 15 and counting of our caring counselors trained in EMDR Therapy, Mindsight Behavioral Group is an ally to those seeking peace and healing from trauma.
Below you will find a little bit about EMDR and how it can help you!
What Is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a type of psychotherapy that allows you to heal from emotional distress that is the result of traumatic events that have happened in your life. EMDR Therapy focuses on the belief that traumatic experiences and memories can act as roadblocks in the healing process and that once those are removed the healing process can resume.
EMDR was developed by Francine Shapiro starting in 1988 to help people with PSTD. It has since evolved into a treatment for addiction, anxiety, panic attacks, and depression, among others.
How Long Does EMDR Take To Work?
There are eight phases to EMDR therapy. The phases are initial history discovery and treatment planning, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and then reevaluation.
Typically these phases take place over 6-12 therapy sessions.
A session lasts from an hour to an hour and a half and may be used in addition to standard talk therapy, as a supplemental therapy with a separate therapist, or as a treatment all by itself.
How Does EMDR Help?
When traumatic events happen to us, those memories are stored in the brain with no time or date associated with them. This causes us to feel like those events are happening all over again when we are triggered.
EMDR helps by changing the way these traumatic or negative memories are stored in your brain. EMDR therapy helps you file these memories away by the date that they occurred and resolves the unprocessed memories that stand between you and healing. You may not forget these traumatic memories but it will make them easier to deal with.
What Does A Typical EMDR Session Look Like?
Depending on which phase of the process you are in, an EMDR session might look different from traditional therapy sessions. You may go through a few different techniques to help your brain reprocess a traumatic memory.
After you and your therapist decide that EMDR therapy is a good fit, the first few sessions will include talking about what you want to work on and understanding your ability to manage distress.
In the next phases of EMDR therapy, you will be asked to focus on a specific event in your life that was traumatic for you and replay it, almost like a movie. Your therapist will have you pay special attention to your beliefs, body feelings, and the negative images and emotions related to this event.
While you focus on the traumatic memory, the therapist will begin sets of side-to-side eye movements, sounds, or taps. You will then be guided to notice what comes to your mind after each set. The stimuli are then repeated until the event becomes less disturbing.
Check out this video for a demonstration of an EMDR Therapy session!
You don’t have to relive your trauma forever. With EMDR, you can really heal!
What's Next?
Ready to take your next step? Request an Appointment with a Mindsight counselor.
What online counseling options do I have? There are lots of great telehealth treatment options and lots of incredible therapists to choose from. Check it out!
What is Mindsight Behavioral Group all about? Mindsight has locations throughout Kentucky and they are dedicated to making sure their clients are cared for. Learn more here!
What if I own a mental health group practice and need extra support and resources during this time? We have just the thing! Kasey Compton, CEO of Mindsight Behavioral Group, is incredibly passionate about helping other practices succeed! Check out KC Consulting!
Looking for a supportive community for group practice owners, check out Mindsight Partners.