EMDR...What the Heck Is It?

Just because you feel fear, doesn’t mean there is a real tiger in the room.

Constant fear can be exhausting and debilitating. It's those times we know rationally it's ok to relax - it's safe - yet our thoughts and emotions tell us otherwise. It's as if the fire alarm is ringing constantly in our brains!  Can you relate?

You may tire of attempting to think your way out of this irrational fear or worse, perceive your inability to do so as something being wrong with you. I'm here to tell you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you!

Often, when something terrible happens to us, that experience gets locked in our nervous system with the original image, sounds, thoughts, feelings, etc. Because it's frozen, we become triggered whenever a reminder shows up. This can be the basis for physical discomfort and overwhelming negative emotions that we can't seem to control.

These are really the emotions connected with the old experience that is being triggered – not the current experience. Wild huh? And this is why we can often talk to our therapists about our obvious triggers and plan a different response. Then, when faced with that trigger, the plan goes out the window because our nervous system takes over and we can no longer retrieve our plan. People beat themselves up over their inability to respond differently and I’m telling you, it’s not your fault!

The eye movements used in EMDR seem to unlock the nervous system so that our brain can process the experience, learn from it, and heal. In other words, when we experience reminders of the prior event, we no longer feel triggered. Rather, we respond in an adaptive way!

EMDR used to focus primarily on the treatment of single incident traumas. Now, it's broadened and matured to a sophisticated approach that promotes accelerated healing from emotional distress (anxiety, fears, unrelenting grief, guilt, shame, etc.). Sooooo neat!

Ok, so here’s a mini description of what makes it so rad. EMDR is based on the premise that specific experiences from the past continue to affect people in the present. Obvious maybe...but not all treatments help the brain really truly heal from the past. Through the processing of these prior experiences, life changing transformation occurs!

Let me break it down: People gain the ability to learn what was useful from their past experiences, integrate more positive beliefs about themselves, and generally experience increased feelings of peace and psychological well-being.

You may wonder if EMDR can work just as well with online therapy. And my answer is a resounding yes!

Any questions about or experiences with EMDR? Comment below!