Understanding EMDR & the benefits
EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that works to help release the negative beliefs, emotions, and uncomfortable sensations stuck in the body associated with traumatic memories.
It was discovered by Dr. Francine Shapiro one day while running through the park. She noticed that certain eye movements were disrupting the distress she was feeling about difficult memories in her life.
Over the last few decades there has been a growing body of research indicating the efficacy of EMDR. One of the working models for why it is effective is that this type of left right activation of the brain seems to stimulate the brain in a similar way to REM (rapid movement) sleep but while you are awake and completely aware of what is going on.
When we experience an overwhelming or traumatic life event it disrupts our ability to adequately process the experience. These memories can become maladaptively stored in the brain and easily triggered later in life. You can think of this memory as a rock that got stuck in your brain. When this happens memories can become intrusive and experienced as flashbacks or even thinking of that memory can be enough to trigger the beliefs, emotions, and uncomfortable sensations you felt at the time it happened.
The example we typically like to share is let's imagine that you were in a car accident. It would be reasonable that at a later time you may notice anxiety when going to get back in the car to drive.
Aside from times of extreme dissociation where people lose awareness of place and time most people would be able to factually say that they know the car accident happened at an earlier time and is not over. But that isn’t the problem, isn’t it? Trauma has nothing to do with the logical part of our brain. The problem is that when you think about getting back in the car your entire body is screaming at you that it is not safe- even though factually you know the event is over. This is a fairly straightforward example and the associations or triggers may get a bit less obvious when we are talking about something like attachment trauma but the same principles apply.
So, in EMDR therapy you will work with your therapist to identify a present trigger. Meaning something that is currently bringing up anxiety for you, such as getting in the car. You then would identify the earliest and worst times you have experienced something similar. So if the idea of getting in the car triggers; a racing heart, fear, and feeling unsafe we would look for earlier memories in life that hold something similar. Once these memories are identified we have our traditional EMDR treatment plan.
Then, when it is appropriate you and your therapist would decide when you are going to start the BLS (bilateral simulation) also known as the reprocessing phase.
This is a protocol series of questions intended to activate different components of memory and begin the work of desensitization. So often what people can say after reprocessing is, “I know I was in a car accident and it was terrible when it happened AND I can feel calm in my body as I think of it now.” Reprocessing seems to help put a “time stamp” on traumatic events and help integrate what your logical mind knew all along so that it also now feels true in your body.
Just like any other form of therapy the earlier the trauma occurred and the frequency to which trauma was experienced will influence someone's readiness to engage in this part of treatment and how long it will take.
For more information visit the EMDR International Association’s website!
