Learning about therapy options can be confusing, but the good news is that there are many ways to help you feel better. It’s my job to choose the approach that I believe will be most effective, but it’s important to me that patients understand the techniques I use. One particularly effective treatment is called EMDR. Though relatively “new” in terms of psychotherapy, it has been around for more than 30 years.
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly effective form of therapy designed to remove barriers to mental health and wellbeing. It can address a broad range of issues, including PTSD, OCD, phobias, anxiety, depression, and pain.
How does it work?
Think of a time when you got a splinter in your finger. After a while, you need to remove it or your wound won’t heal. Our minds work the same way. We tend to either revisit past traumas over and over again or bury them deep inside. Over time, unhelpful mental processes can even reveal themselves as physical symptoms that add to our anxiety. This suffering can take a serious toll. EMDR can help remove these “splinters” so you can heal properly.
Will it help me?
In essence, EMDR helps you help yourself. Subtle physical reactions to emotional trauma indicate how much they are affecting us. Once you have desensitized yourself to the most damaging aspects of an experience or thought process, their significance fades.
EMDR is one of many therapies that can help address the root causes of emotional and physical distress. By discussing your particular concerns, I can determine the best way to help you feel better.