Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR)
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a therapy that aims to resolve emotional disturbances from past stressful or traumatic life events. These unresolved experiences (and their memory) can continue to affect us, causing similar distressing emotions and physical sensations even after the original event has passed. For example, if someone was bullied as a child, they may feel anxious and intimidated in similar situations as an adult, leading to difficulties in standing up for themselves.
How does EMDR help?
EMDR helps one process distressing experiences using Bilateral Stimulation, which involves alternately stimulating the brain through eye movements, buzzers, or tappers. This process helps to access and reprocess the distressing memories until they become less emotionally charged.
How do eye movements help process these difficult memories?
Eye movements play a vital role in EMDR therapy by creating a sense of distance from the intense emotions associated with the memory. This distancing effect can bring about a feeling of calmness and allows the individual to access other related information, leading to a different understanding and perspective of the experience.
What outcome should clients expect from EMDR therapy?
With EMDR, clients can expect to feel more liberated from these emotionally charged memories and be able to access them without disturbance. Additionally, the negative self-judgements clients have about themselves will shift naturally into what is more helpful and aligned with creating a better future.
What kinds of trauma or stressful life events can be helped with EMDR?
EMDR can be beneficial for a wide range of traumatic experiences, including childhood rejections, neglect, violence, abuse, bullying, single traumatic events, war trauma, domestic violence, and other adverse life experiences.
How long does EMDR take?
The duration of EMDR therapy can vary significantly based on individual circumstances, ranging from a few sessions to a year or more of regular therapy. Factors such as the nature of the trauma, its impact, and the level of support available can influence the length of treatment.
Therapy practitioner
Dr Millia is a senior EMDR Europe-accredited Consultant who has used EMDR for her trauma clients for 20 years (since 2002). She is very experienced and well-known in the field of trauma.