Understanding EMDR Therapy: How It Helps the Brain Heal from Traumaby Fallon Panetta, MS, MHC-LP What is EMDR Therapy?Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, commonly known as EMDR, is an evidence based therapy designed to help individuals process and heal from distressing or traumatic experiences. When something overwhelming happens, the brain may not fully process the experience. Instead of being stored as a past memory, it can feel like it is still happening in the present. This can show up as intrusive thoughts, emotional distress, anxiety, or physical reactions. EMDR helps the brain reprocess these experiences so they no longer feel as intense or disruptive. The goal is not to erase memories, but to reduce the emotional charge connected to them so individuals can move forward with greater ease. How Trauma Affects the BrainThe brain is designed to process experiences naturally. Most daily events are stored in a way that allows us to reflect on them without becoming overwhelmed. However, when an experience is too intense, the brain’s processing system can become disrupted. This is especially common in situations involving fear, helplessness, or significant stress. Instead of being stored as a completed memory, the experience can become “stuck” in the nervous system. This can lead to: • Heightened anxiety • Emotional reactivity • Avoidance behaviors • Difficulty concentrating • Physical symptoms such as tension or restlessness The brain continues to respond as though the threat is still present, even when it is not. How EMDR Therapy WorksEMDR therapy helps the brain return to its natural ability to process and organize experiences. During EMDR sessions, the therapist guides the client to briefly focus on a distressing memory while also engaging in bilateral stimulation. This may include guided eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones. This process supports communication between different parts of the brain, allowing the memory to be reprocessed in a way that reduces its emotional intensity. Over time, individuals often notice that: • The memory feels more distant • Emotional reactions decrease • Negative beliefs shift • The body feels calmer when recalling the experience The experience becomes something that happened in the past, rather than something that continues to feel present.  What EMDR Can Help WithWhile EMDR is widely known for treating trauma and PTSD, it can also support a range of emotional and psychological concerns. These may include: • Anxiety • Panic symptoms • Grief and loss • Negative self beliefs • Life transitions • Stress related experiences EMDR can be helpful for both major life events and smaller experiences that have had a lasting emotional impact. What to Expect in an EMDR SessionEMDR therapy is structured and collaborative. It moves at a pace that feels safe and manageable for each individual. The process typically includes: Building safety and understanding The therapist helps you develop coping strategies and ensures you feel grounded before beginning deeper work. Building Safety and UnderstandingThe therapist helps you develop coping strategies and ensures you feel grounded before beginning deeper work. Identifying TargetsYou and your therapist identify specific memories, thoughts, or experiences to focus on. ReprocessingThrough guided sets of bilateral stimulation, the brain begins to process the experience in a new way. IntegrationAs the emotional intensity decreases, more adaptive thoughts and beliefs begin to take shape. Sessions are not about reliving trauma in detail, but rather allowing the brain to process it in a supported and contained way. Common Misconceptions About EMDR"I will have to talk about everything in detail."EMDR does not require extensive verbal processing. The focus is on how the brain processes the experience internally. "It will be overwhelming."Therapy is paced carefully. A strong emphasis is placed on emotional safety and stabilization. "It is only for severe trauma."EMDR can help with a wide range of experiences, including everyday stressors that continue to impact well being. The Benefits of EMDR TherapyMany individuals find EMDR to be a powerful and efficient approach to healing. Some of the benefits may include: • Reduced emotional distress • Improved ability to regulate emotions • Greater sense of control • Increased self awareness • Relief from intrusive thoughts • Improved overall well being As the brain processes past experiences, individuals often feel more present, grounded, and connected in their daily lives.  Is EMDR Right for You?EMDR is not a one size fits all approach, but it can be highly effective for individuals who feel stuck in patterns related to past experiences. If you notice that certain memories, emotions, or triggers continue to impact your daily life, EMDR may be worth exploring. Working with a trained therapist can help determine whether this approach aligns with your needs and goals. A Final ThoughtHealing does not mean forgetting what happened. It means changing how those experiences live within you. EMDR therapy supports the brain in doing what it was always designed to do — process, adapt, and move forward. With the right support, it is possible to shift from feeling overwhelmed by the past to feeling more grounded in the present. Interested in Learning More?If you are curious about EMDR therapy or would like to explore whether it may be a good fit for you, our practice is here to help.
We provide a supportive and compassionate space where healing can happen at your own pace. How to Get the Most from EMDR Therapyby Cindy Zabinski, LMHC, LCMHC, CRC, ACS, EMDRIA Certified Therapist & Approved Consultant Our practice receives many calls from people interested in EMDR therapy, and most have not tried EMDR before. They call with many questions, including: “How does it work?”, “How many sessions will it take?”, and “How do I know if it is going to help me?". Many people are interested in jumping in with both feet and want to heal from their trauma as quickly as possible. While it is difficult to predict how long EMDR therapy will take, as everyone's process is different, there are some steps that can assist with entering EMDR therapy as efficiently as possible. The second phase of EMDR, Preparation, involves a number of tasks, including rapport building, grounding tools, and stabilization. (For more details about the 8 Phases of EMDR, see our previous Blog Post, "What is EMDR and How Does it Work?") There are ways to begin working on this prior to beginning EMDR therapy, if they feel safe and comfortable enough for you. They can also be worked on with the help of a talk therapist, should you already be working with one. I write this post with the hope that it provides some assistance to people who are interested in starting EMDR therapy and want to get the most out of it. Many of the below topics can help to move more quickly through the preparation process. Although I cannot predict the number of EMDR sessions it will take for someone to heal from their trauma, I do believe that attending to the following items will help to accelerate the process!  How to Find an EMDR TherapistFirst, focus on finding a therapist who was properly trained in EMDR by an EMDRIA (EMDR International Association) approved provider. A therapist who is EMDRIA Certified has gone through thorough training and consultation to be able to practice EMDR effectively. Feel free to ask the therapist what kind of training they completed and whether they are certified by EMDRIA. To assist in locating an EMDRIA trained provider, you can use the EMDRIA Find a Therapist tool: https://www.emdria.org/find-an-emdr-therapist/ EMDR is covered by health insurance similarly to other therapy services. You can ask the provider if they are in-network with your health insurance or how they can work with you to use out-of-network benefits. EMDR can also be covered by automobile no-fault insurance if the trauma that occurred was related to an automobile accident as long as mental health benefits are included in your claim. As with the process of therapy in general, make sure that you feel comfortable enough and safe enough with the therapist you have chosen. If their style or demeanor is off-putting to you, it could interfere with your therapy experience and interfere with your work. Although EMDR does not require you to share every detail of your past traumas to the therapist, it is important to feel that you can be honest and open with the clinician. Make sure that the therapist you have chosen offers therapy in the style that you are interested in, in person in an office or online. EMDR can be effective by either method, so it is up to the client which they prefer and which is accessible to them. There are some providers who offer EMDR Intensives, which can include longer EMDR sessions over the course of several days. Understand your Role as ObserverEMDR is focused on assisting your brain in engaging in the natural healing process that it is designed to do. Rather than trying to force cognitive reframes or challenge thoughts, in EMDR Therapy we allow the healing process to occur by supporting it. Because of this, the client is meant to observe, without judgment, what is coming up for them. This can include some of the following: thoughts (such as idea about yourself or the world), images (memories of the event or another event), feelings (surges of emotions), and body sensations (physical perception). When explaining this role of observer to clients, I often use the analogy of riding on a train and watching the scenery pass by. Sometimes the train travels quickly and the images seem to fly by, and at other times the train slows down and more time is allowed for noticing what is coming up. Rather than overthinking the speed of the train, the client notices what passes by without judgment. One of the most common questions I hear from clients at the end of the first few sessions of EMDR is “Am I doing it right?”. There is no right or wrong way as a client to do EMDR. Everything that comes up is part of the process. Having trust in the clinician, as discussed above, will allow them to guide you as needed through the EMDR process.  Allowing VulnerabilityAn essential part of EMDR is allowing oneself to be vulnerable in exploring and processing emotions. It requires vulnerability with yourself, in allowing emotions to ebb and flow throughout the session, and the therapist, to allow yourself to process in their presence. Vulnerability can be really difficult for trauma survivors, especially those who have compartmentalized their trauma and feelings for years in order to function. Here are some suggestions for exercises that can help you to explore vulnerability: 3 Ways to Increase VulnerabilityKeep an Emotion Log Check in with yourself non-judgmentally periodically throughout the day and ask yourself how you are feeling. As you build on this skill and are able to readily identify your emotions, ask yourself where you feel that emotion in your body. You can keep a log/journal of this to reflect back on and build this into a regular practice. Learn More about Vulnerability Brené Brown has an excellent TedTalk "The Power of Vulnerability", which can help you to expand your knowledge about vulnerability and give reason to embrace it. Check out the video linked here. Connect in a Vulnerable Way If you have a person in your life who you feel safe and comfortable enough with, practice increasing your vulnerability with them. Share with them a feeling you had that day. It doesn't have to be painful emotions or related to your trauma. It can be about your happiness that someone at work was nice to you today. Notice the response that you get from them. Positive reinforcement of vulnerability occurs when we receive validation and empathy from those that we share ourselves with. Build Grounding SkillsSince the main focus of EMDR is to reprocess traumatic memories, it is likely to bring up many feelings along the way. Grounding skills are very helpful when you may feel that your feelings are overwhelming or unsafe. Between sessions, should thoughts of your EMDR work pop up in your head, you can use your grounding skills to return your focus on the present moment. Here are some of my favorites: Use your Senses Focus on one of your 5 senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) and place all of your attention there. There is no need to describe or judge what you are experiencing - just experience it. This can work especially well when you have something that you enjoy, like the taste of a fresh cup of coffee or the smell of a flower. Focus on your Feet Your feet connected to the ground beneath you is as present-moment as you can get. Notice the connection of your feet to the ground. Notice the way in which the ground holds your feet up. This tool can be used anytime that the ground is accessible to your feet, whether you are wearing sneakers at the gym, barefoot at the beach, or wearing dress shoes at the office. Safe and Calm Enough Place Bring up an image of a place that feels safe and calm enough for you. Perhaps it is a place you have been before, or it is a place you think of but have never traveled. Notice everything about it - what you see, smell, taste, feel, and hear. Notice how you feel as you think of this place. Notice how you feel in your body as you think of this place. Breathing Exercises There are many excellent breathing exercises that are taught in therapy. One of my go-to’s is to count the breath as you breathe in deeply through your nose (think: “In 1”) and out through your mouth (think: “Out 1”). Repeat this up to a number of your choosing, or until you feel grounded! Create a Container EMDR does not require homework between sessions (yay!). However, sometimes thoughts of EMDR work pop up between sessions due to a reminder that can come up in your daily life. Having a theoretical container in your mind to store all of your EMDR work gives you a tool to help you between sessions should a thought or feeling related to your EMDR work come to mind between sessions. Practice visualizing your container, designing it however you wish, and feel free to add as many security measures as you would like to keep it closed.  Remember, the above items are not mandatory to complete before starting to work with an EMDR therapist. Your EMDR therapist will likely review all of the above with you as you start working together. EMDR is an amazing therapy to engage in. It is different from other therapies, and for that reason can be challenging to begin. I hope that these items may help you to prepare and feel more comfortable with EMDR as you embark on your journey. About the AuthorCindy Zabinski, LMHC, LCMHC, CRC, ACS, EMDRIA Approved Consultant is the founder and owner of Healing & Growth Counseling. She found her practice as a mental health counselor to evolve and change in amazing ways upon becoming trained in EMDR. Finding that many of our current day struggles stem from painful and traumatic experiences in our past, she believes that healing from them using EMDR can help to move forward in our present-day goals. Cindy is a Board member of the EMDR Long Island Network, a non-profit focused on furthering the presence of and availability of high-quality EMDR services on Long Island, as well as supporting EMDR clinicians in their work. Interested in learning more about the EMDR services at Healing & Growth Counseling? Check out our EMDR Therapy service page here. Interested in learning more about Cindy? Check out her bio here. Interested in scheduling an appointment for EMDR Therapy in New York? Call us at (516) 406-8991 or fill out our contact form here.
by Cindy Zabinski, LMHC, CRC, ACS, EMDRIA Approved ConsultantEMDR has received a great deal of recognition in the world of pop culture and social media, with celebrities endorsing it’s effectiveness and the way it has helped them make positive changes in their life. The way that it is often portrayed in movies and television shows do not show much more than the concept that eyes move back and forth in the process. When many new clients call regarding EMDR, they are unsure as to what the process will be like. Here, I will try to share more detail about the background of EMDR and the phases that occur when doing EMDR with an EMDR clinician. Part 1 - What is EMDR?EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing Therapy) was developed by Francine Shapiro in the 1990s. She began to develop the idea for EMDR on a walk one day outside in a park. She recognized, as she was walking, that the process of a walk helped immensely in clearing her head and helping her to think more clearly about her response to a current life concern. She noticed the bilateral movements that occurred in her body as she stepped left-right-left-right and looked from side to side at the nature around her. From this, she began to develop EMDR. EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model. The model goes like this: our brain is built and designed to naturally work towards resolution and healing. However, when there are past experiences that have negatively impacted this process (often classified as “Traumas” or “traumas”), that impacts the healing process of experiences moving forward. Here is an illustration: Have you ever, with 20/20 eyesight, tried on the glasses of a friend that has a strong prescription? Think of how clearly you see before putting on their glasses - this is the way in which our brain naturally heals and grows through experiences. When an experience negatively impacts this process, it is like putting on that friend’s glasses. Then, moving forward, we see the world and our experiences (and often ourself) in this distorted way. The process of EMDR is meant to help one to take off that distorted lens, so that the brain can resume the natural healing process that is meant to occur. I wish I could say that we are able to throw away those painful glasses and fully forget painful memories, but that is not entirely true. A person who has successfully gone through EMDR still remembers the past event, however it does not impact them in the same way emotionally. They may no longer recall details of the event or the event may appear “blurry” compared to prior to treatment. EMDR focuses on a three-pronged approach, meaning that the clinician and client will first focus on reprocessing past events, going back to the “touchstone event”, the event that started the distorted lens in the first place. The client and clinician will then move into processing present-day experiences that have been impacted by the negative lens, and finally focus on future use of the new healthy lens that has been developed. EMDR is considered “evidence-based” for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This means that, through many years and funding of research, the medical community has seen the positive and significant impact that it has for those diagnosed with PTSD. There has also been much research done for those who have struggled with negative/difficult/traumatic experiences and may have a different diagnosis or concern (for example, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, grief, substance use, eating disorders, performance anxiety). Part 2 - What are the Steps of EMDR?EMDR consists of 8 phases. One of the common misconceptions that I hear from new clients is that EMDR is 8 sessions long since there are 8 phases. This is not true. As an EMDR therapist, I often address more than one phase in each session and each phase may take more than one session to complete. The client’s comfort level is a big part of the decision making process regarding when a new phase is entered. Here I will discuss each of the phases to provide further clarity about the process: Phase I - History Gathering The first phase of EMDR is much like that of traditional psychotherapy/talk therapy. The clinician will work with you to gather information about your current concerns and history. The clinician may focus on creating a timeline of events, both positive and negative, that have occurred throughout your life. They may also ask about relationships with others throughout the course of your life. They will do this at a pace that feels comfortable and safe enough for you. During this phase, rapport is also focused on. It is important, before engaging in working through painful memories, to feel comfortable and safe enough with your clinician. Phase II - Preparation The second phase of EMDR is focused on preparing for the reprocessing of traumatic memories. Each client will spend a different amount of time in this phase, depending on their specific situation. The clinician, during this phase, will help you to build the tools needed to tolerate the movement of work that occurs during EMDR reprocessing. Stabilization may be focused on, if needed, to make sure that you remain feeling safe throughout the process. Coping and grounding skills will be taught and practiced. Bilateral stimulation will be explored and utilized starting in this phase. Bilateral stimulation can occur in the original method of eye movements, in which your clinician will assist you in moving your eyes back and forth using their hand, a light bar, or a tool via telehealth on your computer screen. It can also occur in a tactile manner, which can be by buzzers that are held in each hand, your clinician tapping on your knees, or self-tapping that will be taught by your clinician. A third method includes auditory bilateral stimulation, which would include wearing headphones in which music or beeps are played alternating in each ear. The preparation phase allows you and your clinician to create a “game plan” for the work moving forward. Spending some time doing this can help to expedite the work done in upcoming phases. It can help to prevent confusion and promote further feeling like you and your therapist are on a team together working on this. Phase III - Target Assessment In the third phase of EMDR, the clinician will work with the client to identify the events and experiences that are likely impacting the present-day concerns, or that have formed the negative “lens” through which the client currently views the world. It may be difficult to choose one event. The clinician will most likely use the history gathering phase as a tool to assist with choosing an initial target. In considering EMDR as a “bottom-up approach”, the goal is to find the “touchstone event” or earliest event that caused the start of the negative belief that exists today, to reprocess in Phase IV. For some clients, it is ideal to start with this event as the target assessment. For others, if starting with that memory feels overwhelming, other targets may be a better option to begin the process of EMDR. Your clinician will guide you through a Target Assessment by asking you several questions to depict the memory, the negative belief that it brings up for you, the feelings it brings up within you, and the positive or neutral goal belief you would prefer to believe. This Target Assessment will be used by you and your therapist as you enter Phase IV. Phase IV - Reprocessing The fourth phase of EMDR is the phase that is typically represented in movies and on TV. In this phase, there is often silence between the client and clinician, as silent reprocessing of the event is done while the clinician assists with bilateral stimulation. During this phase, the clinician will assist the client in bringing up the target that was outlined in the target assessment. They will then allow the client’s brain to work towards healing silently as they lead the client in bilateral stimulation. The clinician will pause bilateral stimulation periodically to check in with the client. The purpose of this check-in is to make sure that the process is moving forward and that the client is safe and present. In EMDR, we never want the client to feel as if they are back in the past experiencing their memory. We want to make sure that they are in the present looking at the memory, as if it is a movie playing on a screen in front of them, with the ability to press pause and play as needed. Reprocessing can occur at different paces. The theory behind this phase is that the clinician is meant to stay “out of the way” to allow the brain to utilize the preparation and present-day knowledge that the client has to “digest” the memory in a different, healthier way. Sometimes, reprocessing occurs quickly, with the client noticing images, thoughts, feelings, and body sensations occurring at fast rates. Other times, it can slow down or even feel like it is on a loop. The clinician is there to assist in those moments with a variety of tools. One of the most common questions I am asked by clients during their first session of Phase IV is “Am I doing it right?”. It is important to keep in mind that the process of healing is different for everyone. By allowing thoughts, feelings, and body sensations to flow and come up as they do, the process is occurring. Phase V - Installation The fifth phase of EMDR occurs after reprocessing of a target image is complete. Likely, the negative belief that was identified in the target assessment no longer feels connected to that image, however a neutral or positive belief will feel true. The clinician will assist the client in installing this positive belief using bilateral stimulation. If you are reading this blog prior to experiencing EMDR, you may think that the second sentence of the previous paragraph is crazy or impossible. Many clients have laughed at me when I explain this phase prior to them completing Phase IV for a target image. If you don’t believe it, I am not going to try to convince you here. Give it a try, and then get back to me ;-) Phase VI - Body Scan The sixth phase of EMDR occurs after reprocessing of a target is done and installation of a more neutral or positive rational belief is installed. Because our emotions are held within the body, the process of scanning the body is necessary to see if there is any leftover “stuff” that did not come up or out in Phase IV or V. Sometimes our feelings occur as body sensations, such as a jabbing pain in your side or a slight throbbing in your leg. Rather than leave these feelings unrecognized and unprocessed, the clinician will assist, using bilateral stimulation, to work through these feelings as body sensations. Once the body scan is complete, Phase VII can occur. Phase VII - Closure The seventh phase of EMDR occurs either: A) after Phase VI is complete, otherwise known as a complete session; or B) at the end of session time before Phase VI is complete, otherwise known as an incomplete session. The clinician will check in with you to see how you are feeling, and assist you in using your grounding skills to be fully present in the room prior to ending the session. Sometimes, especially in the case of incomplete sessions, the clinician will help you to “leave the work at the office” through use of a Container Exercise. Phase VIII - Re-Evaluation The final phase of EMDR occurs at the session following a complete session. In this Phase, the clinician will bring up the target image that was worked on to check in regarding feelings and the positive/neutral belief that was installed in Phase V. If it is seen that there remains something to work through, then Phase IV will be re-entered in session. If not, then the target is considered complete and the clinician and client will move forward in their work, such as choosing a new target to work through. EMDR is a powerful and effective therapy. I hope that the above information is helpful in answering your questions about EMDR and it's process. I fear that some people may avoid trying EMDR because it is different from traditional therapy. My goal is to provide insight that may help others decide if further exploring EMDR is right for them! Read more about EMDR as one of the services provided at Healing & Growth Counseling by clicking here. AuthorCindy Zabinski, LMHC, CRC, ACS, is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist and an EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Upon being trained in EMDR in 2016 she fell in love with EMDR as a treatment modality, finding that it helps clients to overcome past traumas and change negative self beliefs quickly and effectively. She was Certified in EMDR in July 2017 and focuses her clinical practice on using EMDR to help people overcome past trauma and find peace in their present. She focuses as an EMDRIA Approved Consultant in helping trained clinicians become proficient in using EMDR with their clients. Cindy is the owner and founder of Healing & Growth Counseling, a group practice that focuses on providing trauma-informed counseling to clients across the state of New York, both in person and online. Read more about Cindy here.
|
Categories
|
RSS Feed
Healing & Growth Counseling
4770 Sunrise Highway, Suite 102
Massapequa Park, NY 11762
(516) 406-8991
4770 Sunrise Highway, Suite 102
Massapequa Park, NY 11762
(516) 406-8991