Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
March 7, 2024
EMDR therapy has become more popular in the last few years but what is it? How does it work? Is it something that is right for me? Can this form of therapy be done virtually?
What is EMDR therapy?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, or EMDR, is a therapeutic intervention that is being talked about more frequently as a treatment intervention specifically for treating PTSD. The idea behind EMDR is that when a traumatic event takes place it is an abnormal situation and as such our brains and bodies do not know how to process it. As a result, there are a variety of symptoms that individuals can experience following a traumatic event. How each person deals with trauma can change drastically as any response to an abnormal event is a normal response. One reaction to trauma may be what is referred to as flashbacks. Flashbacks can show up as dreams, feeling triggered throughout the day, or consistent thoughts about the event that play out in your mind. The reason for this is that the traumatic event is not being processed the way that a traditional memory from an event would be processed as there is a block within our minds. EMDR aims to complete the reprocessing of the traumatic event and as a result, aims to reduce the PTSD symptoms that were associated with the event (Laliotis, et al., 2021). Our brains have the capability to process the events, but it is being stored in a different memory network that we may not have access to. With EMDR the goal is to break down the barrier to allow the event to be effectively processed. Through EMDR the goal is to process the past distressing memories and implement adaptive memories in place (Hudays, et al, 2022). Through this process, the traumatic memory will be stored neurologically similarly to that of a traditional memory.
How does it work?
When you come into counselling looking to do EMDR therapy to address traumatic events, first the counsellor will start by ensuring that EMDR therapy is the best therapeutic intervention for you. Then you will review the events that are negatively impacting you or the situations that are causing you distress. Next, you will move to ensure that you have the resources and tools to navigate any distressing feelings that might be coming up. Then you will move through the events that were previously noted in the form of reprocessing. This is done through bilateral simulation, in the form of eye movement, self-tapping, or auditory processes. Following this processing, a positive installation is done in connection to the event. The EMDR process is repeated through the multiple events that were brought up to be addressed. This article offers a general understanding of what coming in for EMDR counselling includes and does not go into detail regarding all the stages and processes of EMDR therapy. Please keep in mind this description is general and can look slightly different depending on the clinician that you are working with.
How do I know if EMDR is the right fit for me?
This is a challenging question to answer on a broad scale, as it depends on the individual seeking EMDR, as well as the level of training that the specific clinician has. The goal of EMDR is to complete the reprocessing of traumatic events and assist people who are experiencing flashbacks or being retraumatized by traumatic memories. Some people do not want to talk about traumatic events that have happened to them and EMDR offers another approach to reprocessing traumatic events without talking things through in the same way that you would expect from talk therapy. Some individuals have great success with EMDR therapeutic interventions over traditional talk therapy, while others do not find EMDR as helpful.
Can this form of therapy be conducted virtually?
Absolutely! EMDR can be conducted over video platforms, where the bilateral stimulation can be done both through eye movement and in the form of physical tapping.
Check out our counsellors who are able to offer EMDR services: Here
https://virtualconnect.ca/counsellor/danika-heinrichs
/https://virtualconnect.ca/counsellor/carolinetarkowski
/https://virtualconnect.ca/counsellor/stephanie-mcalister/
References:
Hudays, A., Gallagher, R., Hazazi, A., Arishi, A., & Bahari, G. (2022). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing versus Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16836-. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416836
Laliotis, D., Luber, M., Oren, U., Shapiro, E., Ichii, M., Hase, M., La Rosa, L., Alter-Reid, K., & Tortes St. Jammes, J. (2021). What Is EMDR Therapy? Past, Present, and Future Directions. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 15(4), 186–201. https://doi.org/10.1891/EMDR-D-21-00029
