EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is a gold standard treatment that enables people to process and heal from symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of traumatic or disturbing life experiences. This may include physical or sexual abuse, being in a family violence situation, being in a terrible car accident or even surviving battle or a natural disaster. However, EMDR can also be used to process other experiences such as a painful breakup, infidelity, childhood or workplace bullying or a painful moment of rejection.

EMDR is recognised and endorsed by the following:

• World Health Organisation
• The Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Health
• American Psychiatric Association
• Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defence

EMDR therapy is an eight-phase treatment model starting with gathering your history, assessment and treatment planning.  Within the first phases of EMDR, it is of utmost importance that you have a sense of safety and a degree of trust in your therapist. Hence the therapeutic relationship is quite important to this process.

Part of what you and your therapist will work towards is establishing what is called a target. This target may be what feels most stuck for you related to the distressing event. For example, if you were in a car accident, perhaps the target would be the moment of impact.  Once a target is chosen, you and your therapist will explore what emotions, what physical symptoms you notice (such as tightness in your chest or increased heart rate) and what beliefs you hold as a result of this experience. Some beliefs that often get processed during an EMDR session include:

• I am unsafe
• I am weak
• I can’t trust myself
• I am worthless
• I am unlovable
• I am in danger
• I cannot show my emotions

Once the target, emotions, physical symptoms and beliefs are explored, EMDR utilises bilateral stimulation, usually left to right eye movements, to help process the event emotionally, physically and mentally.  Full processing may occur after only one session, whereas other people may require multiple sessions.  Once these emotions, beliefs and body signals have shifted, we will work together to install more positive and adaptive beliefs such as:

• I am safe now
• I am strong
• I can learn to trust myself
• I am worthy
• I am loveable
• It’s ok to share my emotions

Although results can vary, improvements reported after EMDR in our clinical practice include:

• No further nightmares
• No further flashbacks or intrusive memories
• Less anxiety and shame
• Feeling you are no longer reliving the event
• Feeling the memory is “further away” and in the past now
• Having more self-compassion
• Holding different beliefs about yourself in context of the event

It is important to understand that you can’t do EMDR wrong.  There is nothing specific your therapist needs to hear from you. There is no pressure to “ace” your EMDR session. You and your therapist simply notice what surfaces, honour that and continue the work together.  It is important to be honest with your therapist the whole way through so that you can get the best results possible.

While research has shown that EMDR can resolve the impact of traumatic or distressing events quicker than talk therapy, sometimes a combination of psychotherapy and EMDR is necessary.  This means you may engage in longer term psychotherapy and EMDR will be used as a tool along the way.  This is especially true if there is a history of complex trauma (repeated exposure to traumatic events such as ongoing childhood abuse).

It is also worth noting that after a desensitisation session, your therapist will always recommend “taking it easy” afterwards, if possible. This means engaging in some gentle self-care such as resting, doing an activity that brings joy or having a walk in the sunshine.

EMDR may not be deemed appropriate for you or perhaps not appropriate at the time.  You and your therapist can discuss this together.  If you are still being exposed to the trauma (such as a domestic violent relationship) or if you have a tendency to dissociate (disconnect from your body mentally and emotionally), it may be recommended that you engage in psychotherapy for a while first to help prepare you for effective EMDR or to help you regain some sense of safety. In EMDR, your therapist is there for you each step of the way.