EMDR Therapy in Jacksonville, NC

Eye - Movement - Desensitization - & - Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a dynamic therapy modality that is used primarily to treat trauma disorders and their symptoms, but can also treat other concerns. 

 

EMDR is a very in-depth treatment to explain, but this page will cover some basic points of the treatment here.  

 

If you are interested in learning more about EMDR therapy, or if EMDR is a good option for you, reach out to an EMDR trained therapist for a consultation. 

 

 

What is EMDR?

 

EMDR therapy is an empirically validated, integrative, multi-phase therapy treatment that is used to treat trauma disorders, as well as other clinical issues. The therapeutic effectiveness and positive impacts of EMDR therapy have been demonstrated through extensive research and clinical trials, and it has been recommended as an effective treatment for trauma by a number of health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Department of Veterans affairs, the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies, and the American Psychiatric Association. 

 

 

How does EMDR therapy work?

 

The short answer to this question is: we’re actually not entirely sure. What we do know about EMDR therapy, thanks to the dozens of empirical clinical trials that have demonstrated it, is that something about the EMDR therapy process works. 

 

The framework of EMDR therapy is based in psychological science and theory, biological research about the brain itself, and neuroscientific research on brain function and operations, particularly as it pertains to memory formation and storage. EMDR addresses the unique impact trauma can have on the brain and our memories. 

 

When we encounter trauma, sometimes the information from that event is not stored according to normal mechanisms our brain would usually follow to create and store new memories. This can be especially true if information is particularly distressing, disturbing, or upsetting. The traumatic information can be stored dysfunctionally in different memory networks - think of this like the information becoming “stuck” in the integration process. 

 

As we continue to live our lives, our brains continue to take in more information, but that new information may also get maladaptively processed and stored, especially if the brain sees a current experience as even mildly reminiscent of an older more traumatic experience. That can activate the original maladaptively stored traumatic information, which is now memory, creating new pattern recognition shortcuts based on that traumatic memory. This in turn can strengthen our negative thoughts, beliefs, and physical sensations that are connected to that original traumatic information. 

 

There is good news: our brains are naturally very adaptive, and they come equipped with mechanisms to help us recover from traumatic events and properly store traumatic memories. Our brains do this through subcortical communication between different brain regions, like the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and the amygdala. Our brains are designed to do this naturally, but sometimes, this process needs an assist. 

 

That’s where the EMDR comes in handy. 

 

EMDR helps to “unstick” these memories by stimulating subcortical communication between brain regions with bi-lateral stimulation (often referred to as BLS in EMDR therapy). BLS happens when your left and right hemispheres of your brain are communicating with each other at the same time. 

 

Your EMDR therapist can create BLS with different techniques, but most commonly, clients receiving EMDR therapy will follow a moving point with their eyes, such as a dot moving across a light bar. BLS may also be conducted by holding “buzzers” that alternate buzzing sensations from your left to your right hand, or by wearing a pair of headphones and listening to alternating sounds in your left and right ear. 

 

 

What happens during an EMDR therapy session? 

 

There are multiple steps to EMDR therapy, and actually processing older, more disturbing memories doesn’t happen right away. 

 

First, you and your therapist will discuss if EMDR therapy is a good fit for you and your symptoms. If it is determined that EMDR would be helpful, your therapist will gather information from you, and together with your therapist you will create a treatment plan aimed at issues you would like to process in EMDR therapy. After this, you will begin EMDR preparation. 

 

The preparation phase is an imperative step to effective, ethical EMDR therapy. Since your brain is the primary healing mechanism doing the work in EMDR therapy, your brain needs to be prepared to confront traumatic information, and regulate itself after remembering distressing information. Your therapist will teach you different relaxation, meditation, and grounding tools that you will practice multiple times before you decide you are ready to begin processing traumatic information with EMDR reprocessing. 

 

After thorough preparation, the next phase of treatment is the EMDR reprocessing. During reprocessing sessions, your therapist will walk you through a memory that you wish to reprocess with EMDR. Then, for brief periods (most often 20-50 seconds at a time), you will be instructed to just notice what happens for you as you recall this information - thoughts, images, feelings, sensations, etc. 

 

Each individual and their trauma is different, so it is difficult to say how many sessions you will require to obtain the results you are seeking. Some people only need one or two EMDR reprocessing sessions per specific traumatic memory to experience relief from their symptoms; other clients might need more. The goal is for clients to notice that the traumatic information becomes less distressing and uncomfortable over time, and negative thoughts, beliefs, or feelings connected to the traumatic event are weakened or eliminated. 

 

When you come back for your next session, your therapist will guide you through re-evaluating the memory you processed last time, and check to see if it needs further reprocessing. 

 

 

What are the benefits and risks of EMDR therapy?

 

Just like any therapy treatment, there are benefits and risks when choosing EMDR therapy. 

 

EMDR therapy has become a treatment standard in trauma counseling because of how quickly clients tend to experience relief from their distressing symptoms. For some clients, especially those with isolated traumatic events, relief may come in just a few sessions of reprocessing. 

 

Another benefit to EMDR therapy is that if you do not wish to discuss details around the specific trauma itself, you don’t have to. Your therapist doesn’t need to know the details if you do not wish to share them. Instead of describing the disturbing event in detail, you will be instructed to recall the memory as you experience BLS, and to notice the associated thoughts, feelings, and sensations that come up as the session unfolds. 

 

While EMDR is an effective treatment option for trauma disorders and symptoms, there are some risks to consider as well. For example, as with any trauma therapy, clients will be recalling and confronting traumatic and upsetting memories. This can lead to feelings of emotional and physical discomfort and distress. While your EMDR therapist will help you to ground yourself after a reprocessing session, EMDR clients often continue to experience the effects of reprocessing for 24 hours after an EMDR session. 

 

During or after an EMDR session, clients may also experience dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and even more intense, detailed dreams the night after a session. 

 

Additionally, EMDR therapy is approached differently for clients with complex trauma (multiple traumas which tend to be interrelated or connected in some way). For individuals with complex trauma symptoms, there are likely to be more extensive dysfunctional memory networks of maladaptively stored information. This could mean that more EMDR reprocessing is needed for longer periods of time compared to clients who have isolated incidents of trauma. 

 

Certain medical conditions are important to account for when considering EMDR therapy and BLS instruments. Talk to your EMDR therapist if you have a history of seizures or seizure disorders, traumatic brain injury, dissociative symptoms or disorders, psychosis, headaches and migraines, substance use, or pregnancy. 

 

 

Is EMDR therapy just for trauma?

 

While EMDR was first utilized in the treatment of trauma, and has been studied most prominently in the treatment of trauma disorders, it can be used to treat other mental health concerns. EMDR therapy can also be helpful for treating and reducing symptoms of: 

 

• Anxiety disorders 

• Acute stress 

• Panic disorders 

• Phobias

• Performance anxiety 

• Major depression & persistent depression 

• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) 

• Complicated grief

• And more

 

How do I get started with EMDR therapy?

 

Deciding to begin therapy is a huge step toward making positive change in your life. If you are considering EMDR therapy, you can begin by looking into local EMDR therapy providers through online therapist directories such as Psychology Today, Headway, or asking trusted providers for referrals in your area. 

 

EMDR therapy can also be provided remotely through Telehealth as well as in person, so if you are in a rural area, or you want to work with a distance provider, you can still access EMDR treatment. Consult with your EMDR therapist to make sure that you have the appropriate technology to receive Telehealth EMDR therapy. 

 

As with any therapy, make a consultation appointment with your EMDR provider, not only to review symptoms and treatment goals, but also to ensure that you and your therapist will be a good working fit. The most impactful, healing component of any therapy treatment is the therapeutic alliance, or the relationship and trust you build with your therapist. 

 

 

Where can I find more information about EMDR therapy?

 

If you’re still curious about EMDR therapy, consult verified, trusted sources of healthcare information. Online resources include the American Psychiatric Association, the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), medical journals such as the National Institute of Health, and National Library of Medicine, to name a few. 

 

You can also consult your local healthcare institution for more information by calling your primary care doctor, psychiatrist, community mental health center, licensed mental health counselor, or other trusted medical provider.