EMDR

What Is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful and effective therapy for the treatment of trauma and pain. EMDR has been extensively researched as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and is considered to be an evidence-based therapy.

In EMDR therapy, we use bilateral stimulation (BLS), which is a non-invasive way of stimulating the right and left hemisphere of the brain with alternating audio tones or by using a device you hold that gently vibrates in each hand.

As Laurel Parnell, one of the leading experts in EMDR therapy, says: “We use BLS as part of a comprehensive approach that processes and releases information trapped in the mind and body, freeing people from disturbing images and body sensations, crippling emotions, and negative beliefs.”

In addition to the treatment of PTSD, EMDR is also used to treat the psychological effects of smaller traumas that manifest in symptoms of depression, anxiety, phobias, low self-esteem, creativity blocks, and relationship difficulties.

Not only does healing occur much more rapidly than in traditional therapy, but as a result of EMDR’s clearing of emotional and physical blockages, many people also experience a sense of joy, openness, and deep connection with others. EMDR is a quantum leap in the human ability to heal trauma and maladaptive beliefs.”
 

What does it feel like to do EMDR?

People often describe the experience of EMDR as being in the room feeling safe, but also feeling far away in their mind. EMDR strips troubling memories of their vividness and the distress they cause. After EMDR, people often say that the memories become less intense and more distant, that the trauma memory seems further in the past and harder to focus on. The memory stays, but it loses its power.

After EMDR people often say things like:

 “I feel lighter”, “Like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders,”  “I feel free,” and “The pain is much less.”

Now is the time for you to get relief too. It is time that your intense and painful memories lose their power while you take your own power back. Memories can fade into the past where they belong and you can move forward.

If you are experiencing an ongoing trauma, such as physical pain, you too can have relief and the ability to take back control of your body and mind. Let’s get started with a free 20-minute phone consultation. Call me at (310) 433-0493.