EMDR
Often people try EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) because traditional therapies haven’t been useful in helping them overcome their symptoms. With EMDR we’re able to identify and work toward changing limiting beliefs that are keeping you stuck.
WHAT IS EMDR?
EMDR is an exceptionally effective therapy approach used to overcome a wide range of emotional symptoms including anxiety, depression, trauma, abuse, phobias, OCD, childhood abuse, and low self-esteem. The therapy incorporates many of the successful aspects of a range of therapeutic approaches that help individuals make the last changes they desire.
HOW DOES EMDR WORK?
When stressful experiences happen, they get stored in the body and brain. When we get very upset or overwhelmed, the brain and nervous system have difficulty processing the experience as it would normally. As a result, the negative thoughts and feelings get trapped in our nervous system. Since the brain is unable to process the emotions, feelings, and experiences, we suppress them into our unconscious. While we may not recognise the impact the situation or event has had, it still lives in our nervous system and over time, it can manifest in uncomfortable and meddling ways.
EMDR does two things. First, it unlocks the negative memories and emotions stored in the nervous system. Second, it helps the brain to process the experience successfully.
DOES EMDR REALLY WORK?
Substantial research has proven EMDR effectively decreases or eliminates the symptoms of a range of issues including, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Due to its success, this therapy is recognised by many organisations, including the World Health Organisation, Australian Psychological Society, Phoenix Australia – Centre for Post-traumatic Mental Health, American Psychiatric Association and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. It is also recognised by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence as one of two empirically supported treatments of choice for adult PTSD. Research has shown that this therapy can be an efficient and rapid treatment.
Given its worldwide recognition as an effective treatment of trauma, you can easily see how EMDR would be effective in working through the “everyday” memories that are the reason people have low self-esteem, feelings of powerlessness, feeling worried, and the other many issues individuals come in for therapy.
To date, over 100,000 clinicians throughout the world use the therapy. Millions of people have been treated successfully over the past 25 years.
It is a useful treatment for a wide range of issues including
- Trauma,
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),
- Phobias and fear
- Panic disorders,
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder,
- Generalised anxiety disorder,
- Crime survivors,
- Emergency response workers,
- Excessive grief,
- Depression
- Sexual assault survivors,
- Victims of natural and manmade disasters,
- People with performance anxiety,
- People with somatic problems (pain, gastrointestinal problems, etc)
(Information from EMDR Institute)
Below video by The EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) is a brief representation of how EMDR has helped clients cope with various emotional difficulties.