EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a research-based treatment used to address numerous issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), developmental trauma, overwhelming emotions, and complex grief. EMDR was developed in 1987 by Francine Shapiro who noticed that side-to-side eye movements effectively aided in processing emotions. Mario Pagani and fellow researchers confirmed her suspicions in his study by monitoring the neurobiological changes in the brain due to EMDR therapy (Pagani et al 2012). The principle is similar to what the body accomplishes during REM sleep. Bilateral stimulation (guided eye movements, tapping, or tones that activate both sides of the brain) is instrumental in helping the brain process overwhelming events and/or emotions in the prefrontal cortex instead of the lower brain.
When a person is triggered by a smell, sound, memory, sight, or felt sense, the brain responds to establish safety based on a person’s historical response to threats. This is an automatic reaction of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. This may look like an outburst of anger, running out of a room, zoning out, or being over-accommodating to others. The brain senses a threat, recalls a similar situation from the past, and signals the individual to do what has previously worked to get to safety. Because the event is stored in the part of the brain that relies on survival over logic, trying to stop the overreaction by talking, thinking, or reasoning does not fully resolve it. That is where EMDR has proven effective.
During EMDR bilateral stimulation changes where information is stored in the brain. EMDR therapy activates the body’s response to the event or emotion and relocates the memory in the prefrontal cortex where the event can be logically and rationally accessed. This removes the emotional charge from present triggers and allows the individual to respond to the present moment event rather than being overwhelmed by past trauma.
The treatment process includes eight phases. During the history taking, the client shares background information. In the preparation phase, the client learns about the process along with exercises for emotional regulation and containment. The assessment phase is where the client identifies the emotion and rates the level of distress the event or trauma is currently causing. The fourth phase of desensitization involves using the client’s preferred form of bilateral stimulation to reduce the emotional response to the trigger, memory, or event. Afterwards, in the installation phase, the client processes the present reality. Next during the body scan phase, the client revisits the event, memory, or sense to identify any remaining tension or charge to ensure the event is resolved. The closure phase is important in, ensuring the client feels safe and regulated. The final phase of re-evaluation is completed in the next session to assess for any further processing in between sessions or additional triggers that need to be processed.
If you experience emotional overwhelm or some form of trauma, EMDR may be a helpful treatment for you in overcoming triggers. If you would like to talk to a therapist for more information or to explore EMDR as a treatment option, please contact us at 615-377-1153 and ask to connect to one of our EMDR-trained therapists.
Resource:
For more information on EMDR therapy, click here to visit the EMDR International Association website. They include information on the history of EMDR, research, and common symptoms treated by EMDR.
To learn more, visit https://www.brentwoodcounseling.com/assessment or call us at (615) 377-1153.
Reference:
Pagani M, Di Lorenzo G, Verardo AR, Nicolais G, Monaco L, Lauretti G, Russo R, Niolu C, Ammaniti M, Fernandez I, Siracusano A. Neurobiological correlates of EMDR monitoring - An EEG study. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e45753. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045753
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