EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing or EMDR is a psychotherapy that helps people recover from the trauma and emotional distress that difficult life experiences cause.
EMDR can be used in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, depression and panic disorders and can be effective for anyone whose difficulties are rooted in an upsetting or traumatic life experience. It is recognised by both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
The stress response is part of our natural fight, flight, or freeze instinct but if distress from a disturbing event remains, the memory is not adequately processed and upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions re-emerge in the present, often with the same level of physical and emotional intensity. EMDR focuses not only on past disturbing memories and related events but also on current situations that cause distress, and to developing the skills and attitudes needed for positive future actions. It is made up of eight phases which are broken up into history taking, preparation, assessment, desensitisation, installation, body scan, closure, and evaluation.
During EMDR therapy an initial assessment of the impact of the trauma is made and then clients are asked to recall the traumatic event whilst they also move their eyes from side-to-side, guided by the movement of their therapists fingers. It’s not necessary to talk in detail about the traumatic events as the focus is on the eye movements. This bilateral stimulation is related to Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep functions and helps the client process their memories.
EMDR is thought to be effective because recalling distressing events is often less emotionally upsetting when attention is diverted. In successful EMDR therapy, the meaning of painful traumatic events is transformed on an emotional level. Memories are not forgotten, but clients are able to recognise them as being ‘old memories’ that do not evoke the same level of distress.
We are based at Ponteland, or near the Metrocentre, or Hexham but always online - Why not contact us now for a free consultation and to see how we can help you....click here for more details or call 07770 811352.
