2017 – EMDR Therapy – Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing
On
e alternative to the traditional talk therapy, that Phoenix is able to offer, is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). EMDR is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are often the result of disturbing life experiences. It is a natural technique that can assist a client to unblock traumatic experiences that have not been adequately processed and stored in the memory network in the brain. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.
During treatment, the therapist/counsellor asks the client to revisit the traumatic moment/s, in the safety of the therapy setting, and recall the feelings and thoughts that accompanied them. EMDR assists in the release of these experiences that are trapped in the nervous system and memory networks, by repeatedly activating opposite sides of the brain using bilateral stimulation, tactile stimulation, or right/left eye movement. The aim of EMDR is to process negative memories, by the client, while they track the movement of the therapist’s fingers. These memories gradually lose their intensity as negative images, the block is removed, and healing resumes.
Studies have shown that clients who have undertaken EMDR therapy can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. These studies show that EMDR has been highly effective in treating clients who suffer/suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or have undergone extremely traumatic event/s. These include crime victims those who have witnessed or been victims, of disaster, natural ones such as floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes as well as those inflicted by humans such as childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, murder, and physical assault. There have also been studies that have seen improvement in those who suffer from phobias, anxiety attacks, depression, constant worry, low self-esteem, illness, injury, and panic disorders to name a few.
ANNA ANTOINE-COOPER SENIOR COUNSELLOR PSYCHOLOGIST