EMDR
Do you feel stuck in the past? Maybe you’d like to be more present but something is holding you back. Memories of traumatic events can feel like shackles. There are things you want to do and people you want to see, but then you remember the terrible thing that happened and find yourself frozen. You might also notice new feelings, such as depression and anxiety, limiting you from feeling connected to your true self and your closest relationships. There is hope. EMDR is an effective therapy treatment to help you heal from trauma.
Time won’t fly, it’s like I’m paralyzed by it. I’d like to be my old self again, but I’m still trying to find it. - Taylor Swift
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and is primarily used for the treatment of trauma. EMDR theorizes that our memories contain the basis of our core beliefs (what we believe is true about ourselves and the world around us). When an adverse event or trauma occurs, we store beliefs in our memories that are meant to help us navigate future events.
For example, an individual may feel very unsafe driving a car after a collision. Since the accident, that individual may have stored a belief that they are inherently unsafe while driving a car. This may prevent the person getting into another accident, but it also unfortunately stops the person from driving at all. The memory is not allowing them to move forward with their life because the limiting belief is holding them back.
EMDR is a structured approach that allows clients to return to painful memories in a contained, calm space. This therapy will help you to let go of the limiting beliefs that are no longer serving you. It will also allow you to process memories in a way that alleviates the accompanying symptoms, such as flashbacks, startle responses, rumination, and physical distress. EMDR is an aid to building insight, perspective, and skills to show up fully in the present and write the next chapter of your life.
How does EMDR support healing from trauma?