Brown understands that EMDR may evoke strong emotions, and knows it’s common for her clients to experience crying during treatment. It is essential to remember that these are completely normal feelings.
EMDR therapy involves being guided by your healthcare provider through the process of recalling memories of traumas through reprocessing; bilateral stimulation techniques like eye movements and tapping may aid this process.
Sensory Stimulation
EMDR therapy has proven itself as an effective means of treating trauma, particularly among those living with complex PTSD. Therefore, its popularity among people seeking relief for anxiety and depression is increasing rapidly. Yet many have questions regarding its implementation; specifically what EMDR involves and its bilateral stimulation features which may include eye movements, sounds or vibrating buzzers.
Bilateral Stimulation is an integral component of EMDR therapy that involves stimulating both sides of the brain or body in an alternating pattern. Visual EMDR allows patients to follow a therapist’s hand or light bar across their vision; auditory EMDR lets listeners hear tones alternate between one ear and the other through headphones; tactile EMDR uses devices which pulse on clients’ arms/hands or tap on knees at regular intervals – these methods of stimulation all offer similar therapeutic results.
As a result of alternating stimulation, the mind is desensitized to traumatic memories and then processed as normal memories that don’t trigger adverse responses in the brain. This process allows a person to work through past trauma so they can move on with life more comfortably in the future and feel less emotionally overwhelmed.
Although EMDR has proven effective at treating various psychological disorders such as PTSD and anxiety, its use isn’t without controversy or misconceptions. Some researchers consider its eye movements unnecessary for success while others argue they’re integral.
Virtual EMDR was developed as a solution to help mediate between client and therapist while making therapy more efficient by decreasing physical contact. This is accomplished by allowing users to control stimuli intensity levels themselves while providing an interface for clients to assess their level of discomfort during each self-directed light session. Based on this feedback, light patterns are adjusted accordingly.
Brain Stimulation
EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation to help clients access and process memories of traumas, anxieties or negative beliefs. It has proven itself an invaluable therapy for treating those living with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). By inhibiting the amygdala (the brain’s fear center) and lowering physiological arousal associated with these memories, EMDR can inhibit amygdala activity while decreasing physiological arousal associated with them – further altering brain structure by increasing grey matter density in certain areas.
In sessions, clients share memories of distressful experiences while experiencing bilateral stimulation – either visual or tactile stimuli designed to calm and balance their minds so that recall and processing memories becomes simpler. Examples of bilateral stimulation used during EMDR sessions could include tapping the patient’s legs or shoulders in programed sequences, flashing lights in rhythmic fashion or vibrating handheld devices in specific patterns. Tappers, buzzers or pulsers are devices used for bilateral stimulation that allow both therapists and clients to customize the intensity and rhythm of stimulation. Furthermore, these devices can be used both in-office and remotely ensuring consistent bilateral stimulation experiences.
Other forms of EMDR bilateral stimulation use auditory stimuli to engage both sides of the brain. A healthcare provider might suggest listening to alternate tones or music on headphones from time to time, or some EMDR devices include vibratory pulses that encourage reprocessing painful memories.
At first, healthcare providers may limit bilateral stimulation. This allows the client to maintain dual focus on both stimuli and the positive beliefs they want to establish as their coping mechanism.
After each EMDR therapy session, the therapist will review its results and determine if further sessions are necessary. They will work closely with their client to set goals and devise an action plan to move forward; additionally they may discuss any symptoms still present and suggest ways to manage them; with continued memory reprocessing these should begin to diminish until eventually they disappear completely or as close to it as possible.
Relaxation
EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an established trauma treatment, also used for anxiety, stress and depression. The process involves recalling a traumatic memory and using bilateral stimulation such as tapping fingers, moving eyes back and forth or experiencing vibration to help the brain make an adaptive appraisal of the event that caused trauma.
While visiting a certified EMDR therapist is always ideal, there are also apps which offer relaxation techniques using bilateral music and visualization that may help. Here and here are two such apps.
Pain Relief
Many patients with chronic pain report that conventional psychological treatments (cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance commitment therapy, mindfulness therapy biofeedback and hypnosis) have high drop-out rates, limited retention of treatment effects and minimal impact on physical symptoms. EMDR psychotherapy – known for effectively relieving posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms – was discovered to also provide relief for physical pain symptoms.
As its name implies, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) has been widely proven effective at decreasing traumatic memories as well as associated distressing emotions such as anxiety. Research also shows that EMDR therapy can relieve other psychological conditions including substance abuse, specific phobias and anxiety associated with pain.
Though EMDR has been shown to be effective, its exact mechanisms remain unknown. One theory suggests that bilateral stimulation triggers a healing response in your brain similar to what happens when you expose yourself to painful experiences that allows mind and body to work together to heal trauma(1,2).
EMDR typically comprises eight sessions guided by an experienced therapist. It begins when clients share with their therapist any traumatic events in their lives, positive or negative beliefs they hold about themselves, as well as physical sensations they experience.
A healthcare provider typically moves their finger from side to side in front of a client’s eyes, as the client follows each movement with their eyes. They may also tap on either arm or thigh alternately to stimulate touch on both sides, or use sound with speakers on either side playing tones that cause your ears to move from side to side.
Brown notes that some clients may be resistant to talking about past traumas, making EMDR difficult for them to use. When this occurs, counselors can try other approaches with clients in order to open up emotional channels before applying EMDR treatment.
Stabilization Phase in EMDR therapy refers to the initial step where therapists help clients cope with any intense emotions or thoughts that surface during an EMDR session, for instance a client might suddenly start sobbing about the death of their son even though it has been 10 years. To assist, NAW (Notice, Acknowle, Welcome) techniques may be implemented by their therapist to address such situations.
