Imagine trying to move forward in life while feeling tethered to painful memories from your past. It’s like walking with an invisible weight, dragging you back whenever you try to take a step forward. For many, this is a daily reality, as trauma and distressing experiences linger, affecting mental and emotional well-being. If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unable to escape the shadows of your past, know that you’re not alone—and there’s hope.
Why Are Emotional Challenges So Prevalent Today?
High-pressure jobs, social media comparisons, and global uncertainties increase our stress and anxiety. Personal experiences can also make some people more prone to lasting trauma.
How Does Trauma Manifest?
Trauma can manifest in various forms, affecting individuals differently. Understanding these variations can help in recognizing and addressing the issue more effectively.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Characterised by intrusive memories, flashbacks, and severe anxiety related to a traumatic event.
- Complex PTSD: Involves prolonged or repeated trauma, often leading to intense emotional distress, relationship difficulties, and negative self-perception.
- Acute Stress Disorder: Similar to PTSD, but symptoms occur immediately after the traumatic event and last for a shorter duration.
- Secondary Traumatic Stress: Experienced by individuals who are indirectly exposed to trauma, such as healthcare workers or first responders.
Why EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has gained recognition for its effectiveness in treating various forms of trauma. This therapy uses bilateral stimulation, often through guided eye movements, to help individuals process and integrate traumatic memories. By doing so, EMDR reduces the emotional charge associated with these memories, allowing individuals to move forward without being hindered by their past.
Is EMDR an Effective Treatment of Trauma?
Addressing trauma is not just about alleviating symptoms; it’s about reclaiming your life. Studies have shown that individuals who undergo EMDR therapy often experience significant improvements in their overall quality of life (Van der Kolk et al., 2007). By effectively processing traumatic memories, you can reduce their impact on your present and future, leading to a more fulfilling and balanced life.
Practical Steps to Healing with EMDR
What Makes EMDR So Effective?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) stands out as a highly effective therapy for processing and overcoming trauma. This structured approach helps individuals revisit traumatic memories in a safe, controlled environment, using bilateral stimulation to reduce the emotional charge of these memories.
Finding a Qualified EMDR Therapist
The first step is to find a licensed therapist trained in EMDR. You can search for certified practitioners through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) website. A qualified therapist will guide you through the EMDR process, ensuring that you feel supported and safe throughout your sessions.
Jeanette Dreyer is an experienced and licensed EMDR Clinician (EMDR Institute™)
What to Expect During EMDR Sessions
EMDR therapy typically involves eight phases, each designed to help you process and integrate traumatic memories effectively. Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect:
- History Taking: Your therapist will gather information about your history and current concerns to create a tailored treatment plan.
- Preparation: You’ll learn about the EMDR process and develop coping strategies to manage any distress that arises during sessions.
- Assessment: The therapist will identify specific memories and negative beliefs associated with your trauma.
- Desensitisation: Using bilateral stimulation (e.g., guided eye movements), you’ll process the traumatic memory, reducing its emotional intensity.
- Installation: Positive beliefs are reinforced to replace negative ones.
- Body Scan: You’ll focus on any residual physical sensations related to the trauma and process them as needed.
- Closure: Each session ends with techniques to ensure you leave feeling safe and grounded.
- Reevaluation: Progress is assessed, and future sessions are planned based on your needs.
Phase 1: Client History & Treatment Planning In the first few sessions, you and your therapist will discuss your history and create a treatment plan. The therapist will identify specific issues, events, feelings, or memories that will be the focus of EMDR therapy, known as targets. These targets are the troubling experiences you want to address. Additionally, any negative beliefs you hold about yourself will also be identified.
Phase 2: Preparation Before starting EMDR, you’ll be asked to think of a “safe place” — a memory or image that makes you feel secure and positive. This safe place will help you handle any distress that might come up during therapy.
Phase 3: Assessment To begin EMDR, you and your therapist will choose a target to focus on. You’ll pinpoint a specific image that represents this troubling memory or issue. You’ll also identify a negative belief associated with it, such as “I am not good enough.” Alongside this, you’ll choose a positive belief that is more helpful, such as: “I am good enough.”
Phase 4: Desensitisation You’ll focus on the target image, the negative belief, and the emotions or physical sensations it brings up. The therapist will then guide your eye movements, usually by asking you to follow a moving object side to side. After each set of eye movements, you’ll briefly share any thoughts, feelings, or memories that come up. This process repeats until the distress associated with the target is significantly reduced, often measured using a scale called the Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUDS).
Phase 5: Installation Next, the therapist will help you reinforce the positive belief. You’ll hold the positive belief and the target image in your mind simultaneously. You’ll rate how true the positive belief feels on a scale of 1 to 7, and the therapist will continue guiding your eye movements to strengthen this belief.
Phase 6: Body Scan You’ll check if any physical discomfort remains. If you feel any stress or pain, you’ll focus on that sensation while doing more eye movements until the discomfort decreases.
Phase 7: Closure The therapist will provide support and information to help you process the session. This ensures you leave the session feeling safe and stable.
Phase 8: Reevaluation At the start of your next session, you’ll discuss any new sensations or experiences from the past week. You’ll review the level of disturbance from the previous target to ensure it’s resolved. The goal is to process all relevant memories and experiences.
By following these steps, EMDR helps you process and reduce the distress associated with traumatic memories, promoting healing and well-being.
Taking the Next Step
If you’re finding it difficult to manage the impact of trauma on your own, don’t hesitate to seek support. A psychologist can provide strategies to identify the root causes of your distress and develop healthier coping mechanisms. Jeanette Dreyer is an experienced and licensed EMDR Clinician (EMDR Institute™). She can assist you in navigating your healing journey through trauma, helping you reclaim your life and well-being.
Remember, you don’t have to face this journey alone. With the right support and tools, you can overcome the shadows of your past and move forward with hope and resilience.
