What is EMDR?
EMDR helps facilitate the brains natural healing process. Sometimes when we have bad experiences, they do not get properly processed by the brain and get stuck in our nervous system and neurology, making us believe the past is in the present. EMDR helps those negative beliefs get “unstuck”
EMDR is an extensively researched, evidence-based psychotherapy, originally developed in 1987, designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic or upsetting memories.
Common Questions About EMDR:
What qualifies me for EMDR?
EMDR is for any client that has a negative self-belief or a thought that your mind knows is not true, but your heart has trouble believing. It was originally used for clients with PTSD, such as war veterans and survivors of sexual assault or abuse, but it is found to help others with depression, anxiety, difficulty with relationships, impulsive behaviors, or any thoughts of behaviors that cause the client distress and interfere with your quality of life.
What age is EMDR for?
EMDR is for all ages
For Adults: We focus on a structured approach to identify and process specific distressing memories, helping to reduce emotional intensity and shift negative self-beliefs to more positive, adaptive ones. We can still integrate traditional talk therapy and movement based on your preferences.
For Children: The process is adapted to be highly interactive and developmentally appropriate, often utilizing games, drawings, stories, dolls, and movement rather than relying solely on verbal processing. Children also tend to process with EMDR faster than adults because they have not yet developed the complex neuropathways an adult has. Parents/guardians will be involved in some phases of EMDR sessions, but the actual processing will be one-on-one.
For Teens: Adolescent EMDR sits at a bridge between child and adult protocols. It often balances the structure of adult-focused work with more flexible, creative, or collaborative frameworks to suit their developmental stage and therapeutic preferences. Like younger children, a teen will process with EMDR faster than an adult because they have not established as many neural networks.
What does an EMDR session look like?
EMDR is in 8 phases: History Taking/Treatment Planning, Preparation, Assessment, Desensitization, Installation, Body Scan, Closure, and Reevaluation.
You can look at as 3 parts, getting to know each other and identifying the memories and emotions causing you distress, processing the emotions and memories, and then reevaluating until the distress is minimized or eliminated and we meet your therapy goals.
The initial “getting to know you” and “getting to know your problems” phase can take as long we need and in many ways will continue throughout the therapeutic process.
The processing part will be integrated with traditional talk therapy, somatic/movement therapy, and for kids play therapy, all as needed for the clients needs and preferences. Precision, Delivered
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