EMDR Therapy: What It Is and How It Works

Key takeaways

• EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?

• School Trauma

What is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?

When trauma is experienced, either by an overwhelming event, maybe a car accident or by being repeatedly subjected to distress, our bodies undergo certain physical responses.

These symptoms may present as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, sweating, hypervigilance, or shutdown. The body is using what is an adaptive response to a threat.

When we experience a physical injury, our bodies work to repair the tissue and heal itself. The same is true for a traumatic experience. While it is normal to experience heightened physical and emotional symptoms as a result of a traumatic event or prolonged stress, if these feelings persist for a longer period of time, it can stunt our ability to heal, cope or trust others. Your mind is working to cope, but if the stress becomes too much to handle, it causes emotional trauma, which prevents your mind from healing on its own ( EMDR Institute, Inc. ).

What is Emotional Trauma? PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), anxiety, panic, and other psychological conditions can cause you to experience chronic stress, leaving you vulnerable to emotional triggers. For example, if you were involved in a car accident, you may feel increased anxiety or fear at just the thought of getting inside a vehicle. Or if you’ve experienced child abuse or domestic abuse, you may have difficultly establishing personal relationships with others or find yourself using substances or behaviors to help numb feelings of loneliness, vulnerability, or anxiety.

What is EMDR Therapy? EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an effective psychotherapy treatment that’s used to help individuals living with anxiety, PTSD, or other forms of trauma. EMDR was developed in 1987 by Dr. Francine Shapiro and is appropriate for patients of all ages ( Psycom ). It was also the first evidence-based treatment to help returning Vietnam veterans cope with the trauma associated with their tours of duty.

How Does EMDR Work to Treat Trauma? EMDR seems to replicate the benefits that occur with REM sleep and helps the brain to process the traumatic memory in a new way. Bilateral stimulation (e.g. lights, sounds, or the therapist’s fingers) are paired with a particular memory. The therapist uses short sets to facilitate processing and the client is asked to report back on the experience after each set. The experiences generally include changes in thoughts, images, and feelings. EMDR allows the client to experience the trauma as a past, distant event, not a present one.

Another School Trauma

How is that another school trauma becomes a surreal part of our awareness? A school in Pittsburgh, of which I am familiar when I lived there was the scene of another senseless crime scene today. More adolescent teens will have to bear the brunt of witnessing their classmates get hurt, more crisis counselors will be called on to debrief and conduct grief counseling for those who were heroes or who were hurt and the nation will continue to wonder and ask what is happening to our society. We will meet in groups and ask questions that are not easily answered. Adolescent groups of children will also wonder how their childhood fled so quickly. How did things change so quickly?

When to reach out

If symptoms are affecting relationships, work, school, sleep, or daily routines, professional support can help you sort through what is happening and choose a realistic next step.

MHCS provides therapy and mental health support for individuals, couples, families, teens, and adults.