Trauma (EMDR)
Some forms of trauma have long-lasting after-effects.
Being attacked, abused (sexually or emotionally), left to survive a difficult situation, or re-experiencing an event you can’t seem to get over are the effects of trauma. Trauma can impact you both emotionally and physically.
You may consistently relive the negative experience via flashbacks or nightmares, and everyday encounters may trigger those feelings.
Other signs of trauma include feeling scared – even when things are safe, lacking the ability to shake the feeling of sadness and a sense of hopelessness, or not having the motivation or ability to engage in your life.
You may have difficulties sleeping or are constantly on edge and alert.
These symptoms are the after-effects of trauma, commonly known as post-traumatic stress (sometimes referred to as PTSD).
EMDR is a proven method for treating the effects of trauma.
Although there are many forms of therapy for trauma, one of the most effective treatments is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), psychotherapy designed to help you process and heal from traumatic memories.
With EMDR, I can give you the task of focusing your gaze on a moving object, such as a light, while you talk about the story of the trauma. The eye movement creates an effect known as “bilateral stimulation,” which activates the ocular nerves and muscles to help tap into traumatic material from the brain to deal with the trauma.
The pace of EMDR is also quite different in session. EMDR therapists (like me!) take time to pay attention to your emotional experience and stress level to feel less overwhelmed. This procedure is important because EMDR is known for “getting to the root” of the problem quickly so that you can begin to see results early in treatment.
EMDR helps process intense traumatic life events.
Initially, therapists used EMDR to treat military personnel exposed to combat and showed signs of PTSD. However, this therapeutic approach helps those exposed to other types of trauma.
EMDR helps victims of violence and those who have experienced sexual abuse, assault, or rape.
Individuals who experienced the death of a loved one or pet, were in a life-threatening accident, have serious health issues, witnessed or experienced domestic abuse, or had a near-death experience are also subject to the effects of trauma. EMDR has proven to be effective in all these situations.
Childhood abuse or neglect can have lasting effects that remain even in adulthood. EMDR helps those individuals gain relief from past experiences.
How can EMDR help with my trauma?
When we experience a traumatic event, our minds try to protect us by avoiding similar situations. This protective mechanism can emerge through painful reminders, re-experiencing through nightmares and flashbacks, and feeling fearful or tense in otherwise safe situations.
Over time, these experiences become “normal” as the brain begins to believe this is the best way to keep the body alive.
The process of EMDR allows your brain a chance to understand, reprocess, and change those old patterns. As you learn to engage with difficult emotions and become desensitized to the more profound pain, the brain and body learn to disengage or “turn off” the survival strategies that cause posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Once the traumatic memories are appropriately processed, people gain a great deal of freedom. The brain learns to let down those defenses and move forward from being “stuck” in the past. This is why EMDR is an effective treatment for PTSD and other issues that emerge after traumatic life events.
If you are ready and interested in signing up for your first session, contact me today!
What does EMDR therapy look like with me?
You don’t have to let your pain and fears continue to overwhelm you. I can help you find the healing and restoration you deserve.
Each session is entirely confidential and specifically designed to meet your goals. During the first meeting, I will ask you questions about your story to get a sense of what might be contributing to the problem.
This conversation also gives us a chance to get to know each other a bit better and answer any questions you might have before moving forward with therapy.
Then, we will start EMDR therapy.
EMDR is different from other therapies.
We will follow an eight-phase, research-based process to help you reach your goals as effectively as possible
Phase 1: History and Treatment Planning – We gather details from your story and set targets for treatment.
Phase 2: Preparation – We focus on developing trust and teamwork as you learn the theory of EMDR, how it works, and what to expect during and after treatment.
Phase 3: Assessment – We analyze and measure each treatment target safely, controlled, and thoroughly.
Phase 4: Desensitization – This phase focuses on your emotions and sensations through desensitization.
Phase 5: Installation – This phase is all about replacing unhealthy, distorted, and painful thoughts and experiences with positive, helpful ones.
Phase 6: Body Scan – In this phase, we will train you to notice and address the physiological reactions to trauma, such as tension or a racing heart.
Phase 7: Closure – We design each session to help you leave feeling better than when you came in, and so we work hard to wrap things up with closure.
Phase 8: Reevaluation – At the beginning of subsequent sessions, we evaluate your progress and well-being to ensure that the treatment is effective.
To learn more about these eight phases, check out the EMDR International Association’s website descriptions.
As you make progress in therapy for trauma, you will learn to…
…relax and sleep well; find freedom from painful memories; use coping strategies that work; understand yourself on a deeper level; put the past behind you, honor the present; break free from unhealthy patterns, and be mindful and self-aware.
Don’t let past trauma rule your life.
If you or a loved one has experienced something traumatic and would like help moving forward, consider giving EMDR a try.
You deserve to live a life that is happy, healthy, and worry-free.
I provide EMDR services for people from all over San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland because I love helping others move past the past.
Together, I believe we can get you there. If you are ready to sign up for your first session or would like to learn more, contact me today.