What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy. It has been recommended by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychiatric Organization for treating those who have experienced trauma, and has a substantial body of evidence supporting its effectiveness.
The idea behind EMDR is that our brains, like our bodies, have built-in processes for healing itself when we encounter difficulties and painful events. However, some events are so distressing or traumatic that they interrupt the brain’s natural processes and rather than being “digested” and becoming memories that we can learn from and recall but do not get emotionally distressed by, get stored in a separate part of the brain. It’s like there’s a limbo in the brain for distressing/unprocessed memories. While in limbo, these distressing memories can be triggered by things that happen to us or that we experience that somehow remind us of the original disturbing event. Like a flashback. Sometimes we’re aware of this happening, but oftentimes, we’re unaware of this.
Here’s an example. A child may have felt fearful at being yelled at by an adult for something they did. Perhaps this was the only time that this adult yelled at them and perhaps this adult even apologized for it. Even so, the child felt so much fear and distress that this memory was not processed in the same way that other, less distressing memories, are processed. Fast forward and the child grows up to become a successful executive. They feel illogically fearful, anxious, or uncomfortable when engaging with this one client who, consciously or not, reminds them of the adult who yelled at them when they were little. They know that this doesn’t make any sense, especially since they have strong interpersonal skills, know what they’re talking about, and have no issues engaging with any other clients. But somehow, illogically, they can’t shake this feeling. If you’ve experienced situations where you’ve reacted “illogically” and perhaps more intensely than what the current situation calls for, then you’ve likely experienced the triggering of a previously distressing memory. The past being brought into the present. EMDR, through doing bilateral stimulation like eye movements in the safety of a trusting client-therapist relationship, seeks to tap into the brain’s natural information processing system to “digest” the distressing memory so that the past no longer has such a powerful hold on the here-and-now.
As a therapist, I love working with EMDR because it provides an alternative for folks who may have tried more traditional talk therapy before but didn’t like it or didn’t experience results. I also love that this therapy gives clients the ability to process distressing memories without needing to talk in detail about it. Certain types of experiences come with social stigma, shame, and/or embarrassment that make them difficult to talk openly about. With EMDR, you don’t have to share details that you’re not comfortable with sharing. I love that this therapy allows me to respect my clients’ privacy while still helping them to process, heal, and move forward in a powerful way. This brings me to the last reason why I love EMDR- it’s powerful. I’ve experienced this therapy both as a client and a therapist and I’m constantly struck by how powerful it is. It’s not a magical pill- I believe that nothing is- but it is undeniably powerful. I could go on and on about this topic, but I think I’ll stop here for now.
To read about the types of workplace difficulties that might benefit from EMDR and who may not be suitable right away for EMDR, click here.
If you’re interested in trying EMDR, feel free to book a free 15-minute consultation with me.