EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapeutic approach developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro. It is primarily used to treat individuals who have experienced traumatic events, but it can also be effective in addressing a wide range of psychological issues and disorders.
EMDR is highly effective in treating trauma-related disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It helps individuals process traumatic experiences and reduce the distress associated with them.
EMDR often produces faster results compared to traditional talk therapy. By targeting and reprocessing traumatic memories, it can lead to significant improvements in symptoms and overall well-being in a relatively short amount of time.
EMDR helps individuals learn how to better manage and regulate their emotions. It can help reduce the intensity of negative emotions and increase positive emotional experiences, leading to enhanced emotional resilience. Through the process of EMDR, maladaptive beliefs, and negative self-perceptions can be identified, challenged, and replaced with healthier and more positive thought patterns. This can lead to increased self-esteem and improved self-confidence. EMDR promotes self-reflection and self-awareness. As individuals process their experiences, they gain deeper insights into themselves, their behaviors, and their reactions. This heightened self-awareness can facilitate personal growth and development. EMDR can help individuals resolve past traumas that may have impacted their relationships. By releasing emotional blocks and improving self-perception, individuals often report positive changes in their interpersonal connections and increased capacity for intimacy and trust.
There are eight phases to EMDR Therapy.
Phase 1:
in EMDR, also known as the History Taking, involves establishing a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship between the client and the therapist. During Phase 1, the therapist gathers information about the client’s history, symptoms, and current concerns.
The therapist collects information about the client’s trauma history, symptoms, and any other relevant factors. This assessment helps the therapist understand the client’s unique needs and determines if EMDR is an appropriate treatment option. Based on the assessment, the therapist collaborates with the client to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. The plan outlines the specific issues to be targeted, sets treatment goals, and evaluates readiness for the reprocessing phase.
The duration of Phase 1 can vary depending on the client’s needs and readiness to move forward. It sets the foundation for the subsequent phases of EMDR therapy, which involve targeting specific memories and engaging in the reprocessing of traumatic experiences. Building trust between the client and therapist is crucial for the safety and effectiveness of EMDR.
Phase 2:
Preparation: The therapist educates the client about EMDR, providing details about the theory, procedures, and potential outcomes. The therapist provides psychoeducation about how trauma affects the brain and body, explains the principles and procedures of EMDR, and addresses any questions or concerns the client may have. This helps the client understand the treatment process and fosters a sense of empowerment. The therapist helps the client develop coping skills to manage distressing emotions and introduces relaxation techniques to promote relaxation during EMDR sessions. If necessary, the therapist may teach the client grounding and stabilization techniques to ensure their overall emotional stability during the EMDR process. These techniques help manage any distress that may arise during therapy sessions.
Phase 3:
in EMDR is the assessment phase. In this phase, the therapist and client work together to identify and assess the target memory that will be processed in the upcoming reprocessing phases.
The therapist will first ask the client to identify a specific memory that they would like to work on. Once the memory has been identified, the therapist will help the client to identify the following components of the memory:
Image: A mental image of the event or a specific aspect of the event.
Negative cognition (NC): A negative belief about oneself or the world that is associated with the memory.
Positive cognition (PC): A more adaptive belief about oneself or the world that the client would like to replace the NC with.
Emotion: The primary emotion that the client feels when they think about the memory.
Subjective units of disturbance (SUD): A rating of the intensity of the client’s emotional distress associated with the memory, on a scale of 0 to 10.
Body sensation: Any physical sensations that the client feels in their body when they think about the memory.
The therapist will also assess the client’s validity of cognition (VOC), which is a rating of how strongly the client believes the NC. The VOC is rated on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 being “completely false” and 7 being “completely true.”
Once the therapist and client have assessed the target memory, they are ready to move on to the reprocessing phases of EMDR. The assessment phase is an important step in EMDR therapy, as it helps to ensure that the target memory is properly identified and assessed before reprocessing begins.
Phase 4:
Desensitization: The desensitization phase involves reprocessing the target memories or experiences using bilateral stimulation. The therapist guides the client to bring up the targeted material and engage in the bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, taps, or sounds. This process helps reprocess the traumatic or distressing memories and reduce their emotional impact.
Phase 5:
Installation: In this phase, the therapist works with the client to strengthen positive beliefs, emotions, and sensations related to the target memory. The client is guided to identify and integrate positive resources to enhance resilience and post-treatment well-being.
Phase 6:
Body Scan: The body scan phase involves assessing the client’s body sensations for any residual disturbance associated with the target memory. The therapist helps the client notice and process any remaining physical reactions related to the targeted material.
Phase 7:
Closure: Closure is integral to each EMDR session and is designed to ensure the client’s emotional stability post-session. The therapist helps the client achieve a state of calmness before ending the session, using techniques to ground and stabilize the client.
Phase 8:
Reevaluation: During the last phase, the therapist reviews the progress made throughout the treatment and determines if any additional targets or processing are needed. The overall treatment plan is assessed, and future therapy goals are discussed.
Keep in mind that this is a general overview of the 8 phases, and each phase has more in-depth processes and techniques associated with it. Exploring EMDR research studies, professional guidelines, and expert resources will provide a more comprehensive understanding of each phase and its implementation in therapy.
For more information please visit
https://www.emdr.com/francine-shapiro-ph-d/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3122545/
Summary
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapeutic approach that helps people process traumatic experiences and reduce the distress associated with them. It is an eight-phase treatment that involves:
1. History Taking: Establishing a safe and trusting relationship with the therapist. Gather information such as history, symptoms, and presenting concerns.
2. Preparation: Educating the client about EMDR and teaching coping and regulation skills
3. Assessment: Identifying and assessing the target memory that will be processed.
4. Desensitization: Reprocessing the target memory using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, taps, or sounds.
5. Installation: Strengthening positive beliefs, emotions, and sensations related to the target memory.
6. Body Scan: Assessing body sensations for any residual disturbance associated with the target memory.
7. Closure: Ensuring the client’s emotional stability before ending the session.
8. Reevaluation: Reviewing the progress made and determining if any additional targets or processing are needed.
EMDR can be highly effective in treating trauma-related disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can also be effective in addressing a wide range of other psychological issues, such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
EMDR is a complex therapy that should be administered by a trained and qualified EMDR therapist.