For those who are not familiar with Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), this is a technique for treating trauma and a variety of other mental health disorders that has been show to be highly effective. EMDR was developed by Francine Shapiro who authored the first study on the technique in the late 1980's. The technique is grounded in the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model that states that sometimes when humans experience a trauma this experience is too overwhelming to be processed by our general experience and so it becomes stored in a separate neural network where it remains unless something in the person's environment triggers this separate memory. This model uses bilateral stimulation and important criteria to process this trauma to be integrated into the person's centralized self or memory. The most important criteria for clients to adhere to for processing is to simultaneously maintain contact with a safe emotional present moment awareness as well as the disturbing event in the past that the person is attempting to process. EMDR helps humans live more adaptive lives and has a powerful effect that many therapies may not produce in similar amounts of sessions. I highly encourage you to learn more about this therapy from me or other sources on the internet and I would be glad to help in your search. Call me to find out if what you are struggling with may be supported with this therapy or another approach that I can offer. 

I recommend that the first session for EMDR is 90 minutes so that there is enough time to experience the full benefits of a processing session in one session. Future sessions may also be 90 minutes depending on what is needed for the client. 

Remember that processing trauma starts with history taking and building inner resources that will be called upon during processing and to close sessions. Resourcing means identifying areas of strength in four categories: 1. A calm/safe place or sanctuary, 2. A protector, 3. a nurturer, and 4. a wise figure. Once these resources are identified they can be used in session or in future situations that you know you may need extra support to be your best self. I will help you create these resources in session and they will be yours forever. Most people use resources that are imaginary such as a loving Mama bear, a cave, a figure from a childhood cartoon, or a wise figure that you connect with from a movie. 

This is just a brief introduction to EMDR and I am looking forward to talking with you more about how is can help you live the life you want to live!

Click below for a video description of EMDR courtesy of EMDR International Association: https://www.emdria.org/

Learn about how EMDR therapy works, what it is like, and how widely it is recognized.