You don’t have to be in a combat situation to experience trauma. It is much more common than you may think. Trauma comes in many forms, including the death of a loved one or a serious injury. More than 70 percent of the population will have a traumatic experience at some point in their lives. The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in reducing trauma symptoms has been well documented but it is not the only type of psychological treatment available. Let’s take a look at another counseling option: EMDR.

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) is a structured approach that is usually completed in 6-15 sessions of 60 minutes or more. EMDR has the following eight phases of treatment:

1)    History: The client provides background information and establishes treatment goals with the therapist.

2)    Preparation: The therapist will set treatment expectations and help develop appropriate coping tools. 

3)    Assessment: Specific memories are identified as the target of reprocessing. The therapist will help the client identify both negative thoughts about how the trauma has made them feel, as well as positive thoughts that they would like to believe moving forward.

4)    Desensitization: This is the meat of the treatment. The negative memory is recalled and bilateral stimulation occurs. The client also reports on corresponding thoughts and feelings.

5)    Installation: Positive thoughts are reinforced that will replace negative beliefs.

6)    Body scan: The client is asked to report on how they feel physically as a result of re-experiencing the negative event and corresponding thoughts.

7)    Closure: This occurs at the end of every session. It examines how the client feels as a result of going through desensitization and installation and provides them with tools to cope until the next session. It provides feelings of confidence and safety in the process.

8)    Reevaluation: This last phase is when the therapist and client will review progress and adjust goals for present and future sessions.

The two main components of EMDR are the recall of traumatic memories and engaging in guided bilateral stimulation (stimuli presented to both sides of the body) while recalling the painful events. Guided eye movement is the most traditional form of bilateral stimulation but, in recent years, other forms of stimulation have been used, including sounds and tactile prompts (e.g., tapping).

It is a bit mysterious how bilateral stimulation helps people recover from trauma but it appears to allow the person to recall negative events without an aversive amount of arousal, therefore better helping them to confront painful memories. Also, it seems working memory is being occupied by sensory stimulation and that makes the recall of traumatic events less painful. Whatever the case, it enables one to more thoroughly confront the trauma. Think of it as performing exposure with a sensory buffer.

Although this may seem like an unusual treatment approach, it has yielded positive results. Almost all research has acknowledged the efficacy of EMDR in the treatment of trauma.

•   The main advantage of EMDR is that you undergo therapy without having to endure the full impact of the negative emotions associated with a traumatic event. Because bilateral sensory stimulation appears to act as a buffer, the client undertaking EMDR may see the same benefits without experiencing as much negative emotional arousal.

•   With EMDR, you should be seeing significant improvement within the first few months. If not, you may want to consider another type of therapy.

Is EMDR Right for You?

If you feel like you are not coping well with a traumatic event, have been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or are experiencing something highly distressing, EMDR may be right for you. It is particularly helpful for those people who find themselves frequently flooded with emotions that they feel they cannot control. Additionally, EMDR has shown promise in treating other problems. Specifically, it has exhibited positive outcomes in treating depression and chronic pain, as well as some forms of anxiety.

At Therapy Unlocked, we recognize the difficulty of addressing sensitive topics, such as those involved with trauma and stressful life events. We strive to make counseling a comfortable and effective experience. We have seasoned therapists trained in EMDR waiting to serve you. If you are interested in EMDR—or other types of counseling—please call us at 512-993-2995 or schedule an appointment online.