What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR therapy is an evidenced-based psychotherapy approach that was originally designed to treat individuals who have experienced trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and negative life experiences.
The main principle of EMDR therapy is that traumatic experiences can result in disturbances in the way information is stored and processed in the brain. EMDR therapy aims to reprocess traumatic memories and reduce their emotional intensity, allowing individuals to heal from the distressing effects of the trauma.
What is EMDR therapy used for?
EMDR therapy is mostly known as a proven, highly effective and efficient treatment of trauma-related conditions, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
However, it has also been found to be beneficial in addressing other mental health concerns, including:
- Anxiety Disorders: EMDR therapy has shown effectiveness in treating various anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, phobias, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and social anxiety disorder. It helps individuals desensitize and reprocess anxiety-provoking experiences.
- Depression: EMDR therapy can be helpful in treating depression, especially when there is an underlying traumatic event or negative life experiences contributing to depression. By targeting and resolving the associated distress, EMDR therapy can alleviate depressive symptoms.
- Childhood Trauma and Adverse Experiences: EMDR therapy is used to address the effects of childhood trauma and adverse experiences, such as parental separation or divorce, bullying or social rejection, high conflict household, abuse, neglect, or witnessing violence. It helps individuals process and heal from the traumatic experiences that occurred during their developmental years.
- Distressing Memories and Events: EMDR therapy can be beneficial for individuals who have distressing memories or events that continue to impact their daily lives, even if they do not meet the criteria for a formal diagnosis. It can provide relief and resolution for these specific experiences.
- Self-esteem and Self-confidence: EMDR therapy can help individuals address negative beliefs and self-perceptions that contribute to low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence. By reprocessing and replacing negative beliefs with more positive and adaptive ones, EMDR therapy promotes a healthier self-concept.
What are the benefits of EMDR therapy?
EMDR therapy offers several primary and highly effective benefits for individuals seeking therapy.
First and foremost, EMDR therapy is particularly renowned for its success in treating trauma-related conditions rapidly and without homework. Studies have shown rapid decreases in a wide range of symptoms after two or three active treatment sessions and an elimination of diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 77-90% of participants after three to seven sessions (EMDR Institute, Inc).
Through its targeted approach, EMDR therapy facilitates the reduction of distressing symptoms associated with trauma and supports the resolution of traumatic memories. It achieves this by enabling individuals to reprocess and integrate the emotional and cognitive components of the trauma, resulting in a sense of closure and emotional resolution.
EMDR therapy also stands out for its ability to transform negative beliefs, replacing them with positive and adaptive ones that enhance self-esteem, improve self-efficacy, foster emotional regulation, and promote resilience.
These benefits of EMDR therapy are often seen to generalize beyond the specific traumatic event, leading to improvements in relationships, work or school performance, and overall well-being.
Can EMDR therapy be done virtually?
Yes! Virtual EMDR therapy through online telehealth platforms has become more common and accessible, especially in situations where in-person sessions are not possible or convenient. Therapists can adapt the EMDR protocol to virtual settings by using various techniques to simulate the bilateral stimulation that is a core component of EMDR therapy.