What is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?
EMDR therapy is a trauma-focused treatment using bilateral stimulation to help the brain process stuck memories and emotions.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy. This therapy technique involves bilateral stimulation (BLS) or activating both sides of the body while processing a distressing or traumatic memory. The most traditional form of BLS in EMDR is eye movements but other forms of stimulation such as tactile stimulation using pulsars, vibration, or alternating tapping on the knees are also effective.
BLS is a primary and effective component of EMDR as it activates both sides of the brain which allows for the processing of memories and emotions that are currently “stuck” (not processed).
Why Does the Brain Get Stuck?
Following traumatic or distressing experiences, it is common for the brain to become stuck. It gets caught in certain thoughts or memories that replay repeatedly in the mind leaving the brain unable to process the event in an integrated or holistic way.
When an event happens in the present, you may respond not based on the present moment, but on reactions your brain got stuck on following the past distressing experience.
How Does BLS Help?
BLS is believed to help process and resolve stuck memories. Thinking about a distressing memory while BLS is occurring allows your brain to more effectively process the memory and access parts of the experience that you may have been avoiding.
Essentially, EMDR allows the brain to process information in a new and more effective way. It decreases unhelpful feelings and reactions associated with traumatic memories.
A Bit of History
EMDR was developed to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. Dr. Shapiro developed the treatment after noticing that eye movements appeared to decrease the negative emotions associated with distressing memories.
She then researched the effectiveness of EMDR and created a standardized treatment procedure. By the mid-1990s following many controlled trials, the effectiveness of EMDR was established within the mental health field. EMDR is most frequently used to treat PTSD, but is also used to treat other conditions such as anxiety.
Can EMDR Have Negative Effects?
The most common negative effect of EMDR is experiencing upsetting thoughts and feelings during or between therapy sessions. This tends to happen with any type of trauma processing therapy as it is natural to avoid memories and feelings associated with trauma and therapy brings these to the surface.
However, distressing thoughts and feelings decrease as you continue to process the traumatic experience.
Does EMDR Work?
Yes. Numerous research studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of EMDR. It is important to note that EMDR works with conditions related to distressing or traumatic experiences.
If you have a mental health condition that is not related to a distressing experience, EMDR is likely not the best form of treatment. Please talk with your therapist about effective treatment options for your personal circumstances. Also, while there is much evidence that EMDR works, why EMDR works is theoretical and currently cannot be fully explained.
EMDR for PTSD
As mentioned above, EMDR was initially developed to treat PTSD. PTSD is a mental health condition that develops after a traumatic event (an event that severely threatens your sense of safety) and involves symptoms such as intrusive thoughts and memories, avoiding situations that remind you of the traumatic event, hypervigilance, and flashbacks.
In general, EMDR involves:
Gathering information about past events
Education about what treatment involves
Learning coping skills to manage emotions
Identifying specific themes/memories to process
Activation and reprocessing of the memory (focusing on images, thoughts, feelings, and body sensations) with bilateral stimulation (BLS)
This article by the EMDR Institute, which was founded by Dr. Shapiro, provides a general overview of EMDR. To learn more about EMDR, please contact us at CBT Denver.