I’ve been delivering EMDR therapy for around 15 years. It’s something I’m very passionate about because I’ve seen it have amazing results. In my experience, it works particularly well for clients who have recurrent problems that seem to keep bouncing back. They may have tried lots of other therapies or had multiple episodes of therapy that have only been partially successful. In these situations, EMDR therapy has helped us get to the heart of things in a way other talking therapies haven’t. To be clear, I’m not criticising other modalities. There’s just something special about EMDR therapy.
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a psychological therapy. It’s sometimes called a talking therapy, although there are parts of it that involve very little talking! It was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987, so it’s been around for almost 40 years. In the last 5-8 years, I’ve noticed a significant increase in its popularity among clients and therapists alike.
EMDR therapy is recommended for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
There’s also a growing evidence base for EMDR in the treatment of other clinical problems like anxiety disorders, depression and phobias. I’ve found it helpful for people who have low self-esteem or chronic difficulties with unhelpful beliefs about themselves. Overall, EMDR therapy is a useful tool when working with problems where a past event is causing current distress. The past event might be something from 30 years ago or it might be something that happened last month.
How Does It Work?
EMDR therapy is often referred to as a ‘bottom-up approach’. This means it works with the root cause of a problem in order to have an impact on current difficulties. It involves working with difficult memories or experiences associated with that root cause. EMDR therapy focuses on reprocessing and rewiring these difficult memories and experiences, which in turn leads to an improvement in current symptoms.
EMDR is based on a model called adaptive information processing (AIP). This theory proposes we all have the innate ability to work through difficult experiences because the brain has its own natural healing power. AIP is the system within which we usually do this.
Imagine I have had a difficult interaction with someone that was upsetting at the time and left me feeling quite rubbish about myself. It would be my brain’s AIP system that processes this for me. I’ll think about the interaction. I might decide to sleep on it or talk about it with someone else. My brain will link it to other similar experiences, sifting out what’s useful and what’s not, to arrive at a healthy, adaptive conclusion about the event. That’s how AIP works.
But sometimes the AIP process gets blocked, and our brain doesn’t make sense of events in a way that is healthy and adaptive. In this situation, difficult memories can become stuck in our minds, and we might re-experience them in the form of mental images, thoughts, feelings and physical responses. We might also develop unhelpful ways of thinking about the event. This might involve viewing ourselves or the world in a negative way. This can then affect how we show up or interact with the world in the future.
EMDR therapy uses a mechanism called bilateral stimulation to work though these unprocessed memories. Bilateral stimulation refers to sensory stimuli, such as eye movement, sounds, or tapping, that activate both sides of the brain. Essentially, by having you focus on something distressing while also paying attention to the stimulus activating alternating sides of the body, the brain is able to fully process the difficult memory.
Is There More to It?
Yes, EMDR therapy is a phase-based treatment. It starts with a thorough history taking to ensure your therapist has a good understanding of the problem, how it developed, and any other difficult experiences.
There’s also a preparation phase where you’ll work with your therapist to identify coping strategies or ‘resources’ designed to help you remain in what’s known as your ‘window of tolerance’. In this state, your arousal levels are regulated so emotions can be activated without becoming so overwhelming that trauma processing stops. Phases three to seven involve activating difficult memories, processing them, installing new helpful information, and working with the body to make sure the problem is fully resolved.
EMDR therapy is also a collaborative therapy. This means decisions and treatment plans are agreed between the therapist and the client. Some clients need more preparation and stabilisation than others. EMDR therapy can be used on its own as a main intervention, but it can also be part of a bigger therapy plan.
Anything Else I Should Know?
It’s important you find an EMDR therapist who is properly accredited and receiving effective supervision. It’s a very powerful therapy, and working with trauma is tough, so it’s vital your therapist is getting the right support and guidance so they can do the best job they can for you.
Find Out More
If you’re interested in EMDR Therapy or would like to learn more about how I can help you heal and recover from trauma, please get in touch. I also share lots of tips and advice via Instagram.
For therapists interested in this modality, I’m an EMDR Consultant and Training Facilitator as well as a qualified, trauma informed Clinical Supervisor with experience supporting individuals, groups and trainees. My supervision style is relaxed, supportive and focussed on providing a safe space to learn and share knowledge. Learn more about my services here and please get in touch to discuss working with me.
Further Reading/Watching/Listening
I speak in detail, about EMDR on Laura's podcast Hold the Mother with Laura Hans - What Is EMDR Therapy?
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