EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapy designed to help people process and heal from traumatic or distressing experiences. EMDR is widely used to treat trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and other stress-related issues.
I have seen EMDR help so many people who felt like they were going to have to live with their PTSD forever. For many people, their trauma is fully resolved during EMDR and they no longer have to constantly manage their PTSD symptoms. For other people, I have seen EMDR act as a “map” or “guide” so that we can find the problematic areas faster utilizing EMDR and then do talk therapy to help resolve the issues.
In EMDR therapy, a person briefly focuses on a distressing memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation (which does not hurt physically), such as guided eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds. This stimulation activates both sides of the brain and helps the mind reprocess memories that have become “stuck.” This can be done online or in person with a certified EMDR therapist.
As mentioned above, EMDR does not hurt. You are either looking a light going back and forth, listening to an audio tone or another method of your choosing. Many people come in thinking they will be shocked with electricity or something similar, which is NOT THE CASE.
Traumatic experiences can sometimes remain unprocessed in the brain. When this happens, reminders of the event can trigger strong emotional or physical reactions long after the experience is over. EMDR helps the brain reorganize these memories so they can be stored as something that happened in the past rather than something that continues to feel present and overwhelming.
A Common Misunderstanding About EMDR
One of the most common misunderstandings about EMDR is the belief that it only takes eight sessions. This idea comes from two things:
1: EMDR is often described as having eight phases. These phases outline the steps of the therapy process, but they do not mean that the therapy only takes eight sessions. In reality, the timeline can vary widely from person to person.
2: Much of the research is done on 8 sessions, but it also done on “simple trauma” and not “complex trauma”. Complex trauma is when someone has had layers of trauma in their life.
Please give us a call/text if you are interested in doing EMDR at Long Beach Therapy (562-310-9741).