Naomi Berry, MC, LPC

What Is EMDR Therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a therapeutic model that uses the brain’s adaptive information processing system to heal emotional wounds. Drawing from the premise that our brains are naturally hard-wired for healing (just like our bodies), EMDR therapy relies on the systems within the brain that want to keep us in a state of well-being. 

Founded in 1987 by Francine Shapiro, this modality seeks to decrease the negative associations with painful memories and experiences. Shapiro recognized that rapid eye movement seemed to desensitize the strong reactions she was having to traumatic memories. And when she began experimenting with her method, she found that eye movement had the same calming effect on others. 

Since Shaprio’s first studies were published in 1989, there has been substantial research done on the effects of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and the modality has become widely accepted in the field of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Though it was initially only considered a highly effective treatment for war veterans, research has since expanded to prove EMDR’s success in treating a wide range of issues. 

Today, the American Psychiatric Association considers EMDR as an effective treatment for various kinds of trauma, including childhood neglect and abuse, as well as depression and anxiety. EMDR can also target acute (as opposed to recurrent) distress, such as medical trauma, divorce/relationship issues and phobias. 

You can find further information about what EMDR therapy is in the following video:

How Does EMDR Therapy Work?

Just as there is no need to tell the body to heal a scrape or cut, our brains don’t need to be directed towards healing mental and emotional wounds. However, if, say, a splinter enters a physical wound, then we may need to intervene to remove that obstacle in order to facilitate the body’s natural healing ability. Similarly, when a traumatic or distressing event takes place, our brain’s natural healing process becomes disrupted and often stuck in one place. At that point, we need to intervene and redirect the brain’s processing mechanisms in order to bring that experience to an adaptive place. 

EMDR can help a client to identify where their brain is stuck and allow them to tap into their own information processing system in order to release the painful or traumatic experience that is causing problems in their daily life. And because EMDR therapy does not require the client to talk through or relive the painful or traumatic experience in order to reprocess it, this method is often considered gentler than other forms of psychotherapy. 

It’s important to note that when a traumatic situation is actively taking place, the brain is not in thinking mode but rather in survival mode. EMDR allows clients to observe traumatic experiences with the thinking brain active so that they can better identify and desensitize the emotional and physical sensations they may experience during EMDR therapy sessions. 

Using visual or auditory cues, an EMDR therapist will work with the client to target an image or emotion associated with the traumatic experience and guide the brain in reprocessing it with repetitive sounds or movements. By clearing the neural pathways where a memory or sensation has become stuck, clients using EMDR can successfully reprocess past events so that they can move forward in life and not feel so distressed or disturbed by adverse experiences. 

How I Use EMDR In My Practice

As with every therapeutic model I incorporate into my practice, I approach Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing sessions from a curious, open, and nonjudgmental place. Working collaboratively with all of my clients, I aim to understand what is disturbing them in the present moment and how that disturbance may relate to past pains and trauma. 

I recognize that while EMDR cannot change the past, this therapy helps individuals to internalize more positive beliefs about themselves and the world around them. As a result, my clients adopt a healthier view of themselves and their experiences and a more realistic perspective so that they are no longer held back by the past. 

Because EMDR often involves processing blockages and negative self-beliefs, I typically incorporate Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy into my sessions with clients to help them trust the many internal parts of their system that are attempting to convey essential information. And similar to IFS, EMDR taps into a client’s innate ability to heal themselves. 

Since becoming certified through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) in 2016, I have observed this modality’s ability to allow my clients to successfully regain balance in their lives and overcome acute incidents of stress. Because EMDR therapy is about reprocessing—and not reliving—painful experiences, it’s a powerful tool for helping clients to balance their past and present. 

Traumatic and painful experiences can often leave us feeling wounded and imbalanced, but with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, we can reach a place of calm and acceptance. Thanks to EMDR therapy, no longer do we have to feel held back by past pains.  

You Can Make Peace With Your Past To Live More Fully In the Present

If you’re struggling to heal from a traumatic or adverse experience, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can help you develop a new healing relationship with painful memories. To learn more about how I can help, please contact me or call (480) 427-3553.