What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is a structured form of psychotherapy that uses bi-lateral stimulation to reprocess past adverse or traumatic experiences and desensitize their impact. EMDR allows one to form adaptive processing and let go of maladaptive symptoms.

How does EMDR work?

Essentially, our brains regularly process different events, experiences, information. We keep what we need and let go the information that we don’t. However, when we go through adverse or traumatic events these experiences can dysregulate the natural processing system. As a result, our brains maladaptively store the experience since it was unable to be properly processed. This can cause triggers that impact our daily life because they are reminders of the past events (e.g., fight/flight/freeze responses). However, by through utilizing bi-lateral stimulation, you are able to access your brains processing systems and effectively reprocess the past adverse situations, letting go of what’s not useful. This then desensitizes the impact of past adverse experiences in the present.

Who could benefit from EMDR?

EMDR is beneficial to children & adults who need support processing past traumatic or adverse experiences. It has shown to be helpful with the following diagnoses: anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, PTSD, OCD, mood disorders, chronic pain, adjustment disorders, and depression.

*DID or dissociative disorders may require adjustments for effective treatment.

EMDR Research here.