EMDR Therapy
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a well-researched, evidence-based form of trauma treatment that was developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in 1987. EMDR therapy employs bilateral stimulation to activate both the right and left hemispheres of the brain, allowing the brain to fully process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional charge. This can be done by having the client use hand-held buzzers, listen to auditory pulses via headphones, or follow the movement of the therapist’s fingers with their eyes.
One theory about the effectiveness of EMDR therapy comes from research done on REM sleep (1). During REM sleep, the eyes move back and forth and up and down repeatedly, and these eye movements help the brain integrate the memories of the day into long-term memory storage. Yet when a traumatic experience happens, the nervous system becomes too overwhelmed to properly integrate the memory of what happened. Disturbing emotions and sensory fragments from the experience remain, making it feel like it’s still happening at present.
The goal of EMDR therapy is to fully reprocess traumatic memories and move them into the brain’s long-term memory storage. This is done by identifying a target memory and then using bilateral stimulation to work through it. As you engage in this process, you will use a 0-10 scale known as SUDS (Subjective Units of Disturbance) to assess the level of disturbance your traumatic memory causes.
In the end, the work of EMDR therapy continues until the level of disturbances goes down significantly and the traumatic memory no longer holds an emotional charge. The goal is for you to embody positive cognitions such as: “I am supported. I am strong and resilient. I am empowered and free to make my own choices.” This way, you can gain the confidence to move through life freely and without feeling controlled by intrusive thoughts and intense responses to triggering events
How Effective Is EMDR Therapy?
Numerous studies point to the efficacy of EMDR therapy in helping clients process and resolve trauma. In general, most studies have found that clients with trauma and PTSD experience symptom resolution after just three-to-six EMDR sessions. Because of its success, EMDR therapy is now recognized as a first-line form of trauma counseling by the American Psychiatric Association, World Health Organization, and Department of Defense (2).
Part of what makes EMDR therapy so effective is its ability to dive below the surface of conscious awareness and heal trauma at its source. Traditional talk therapy, while helpful, cannot get to the root cause of traumatic disturbances or access the deeper layers where memories are stored. EMDR therapy works directly with traumatic memories and seeks to change the way they are stored in the brain, which helps reduce and eliminate distressing symptoms.
In my practice, I use EMDR therapy to help adults—and occasionally teens—recover from trauma and put the pain of the past behind them. I utilize EMDR therapy to treat both Big T trauma, which generally stems from one-time events (sexual assault, car accidents, etc.), and complex PTSD, which is often the result of ongoing distress (neglect, bullying, emotional abuse, growing up with alcoholic parents, etc.). I’ve seen the approach work wonders in the lives of my clients and I’m confident that it can work wonders in yours, too.
How do I Incorporate EMDR?
Clients either come to me specifically for EMDR therapy or I incorporate it into treatment depending on their presenting issues. At the beginning of therapy, I like to equip clients with skills and resources that they can use to stay grounded in the body as they process traumatic memories.
After all, the body is the storehouse of trauma, so it’s essential for any effective trauma treatment to incorporate a somatic, body-centered approach. My goal is to provide you with the bodily resources that were missing at the time of the original trauma, whether this means safe places in your current life or memories of supportive people. Once the necessary resources are in place, we’ll focus on specific “targets” or memories that still cause discomfort or nervous system arousal. That’s when we’ll begin the process of bilateral stimulation, working on reducing your distress through the use of tapping, side-to-side eye movements, and other exercises that engage both sides of the brain.
In addition to providing EMDR therapy, I am able to collaborate with medication providers as well as any other practitioners working with you. On occasion I may even suggest bringing a partner, parent, or family member to EMDR therapy sessions if you’re comfortable with it.
My Background With EMDR Therapy
I was trained in EMDR therapy in 2001 with Molly Gierash in Boulder, Colorado and became Level 1 & 2 Certified in 2012. Since then, I’ve been in ongoing EMDR consultation groups with well-established, long-time therapists who specialize in a somatic approach to counseling.
My interest, education and therapeutic training is based in somatic psychotherapy. Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked in biotechnology for 15 years and studied biochemistry and neuroscience. In my initial psychotherapy training, I was introduced to the subject of trauma and the triune brain, which sparked a lifelong interest in learning about trauma.
I initially trained with Pat Ogden, PhD, who was an Hakomi therapist before branching out on her own to develop Hakomi Integrated Somatics (which became Sensorimotor Psychotherapy). In my practice today, I integrate EMDR therapy with Hakomi therapy and an Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach. I am certified in IFS-informed EMDR therapy with the Syzygy Institute, as I believe that a combination of IFS and EMDR therapy is the best way to help clients heal the emotional wounds of trauma.
Let Me Help You Recover From Trauma And Return To A Resourced State
If you want to put the emotional aftermath of trauma behind you and feel safer and more comfortable in your own skin, I encourage you to pursue EMDR therapy with me. To get started, you can call (303) 507-6310 or use the contact form.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5681964/
https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/
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