What Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?

Before we talk about the specifics around EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) therapy, it’s important to acknowledge the role trauma can play in our lives and how it can also impact the mind and body.

When we experience a traumatic event, it not only affects us on a psychological level but on a physiological level as well. Especially if the trauma isn’t properly addressed and processed. What we don’t heal will ultimately stay held up in our body and we will witness the trauma manifesting in a variety of ways. For example, unprocessed trauma could show up in the way of digestive issues, poor sleep patterns or insomnia, and abrupt shifts in mood such as outbursts of anger and irritability.

Also, it’s important to take a moment to acknowledge that trauma isn’t exclusive to catastrophic events. If something causes emotional distress, it can be considered a trauma. So just because something may not feel impactful or distressing by one person, it doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be for another individual.

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What is EMDR Therapy?

When trauma isn’t properly processed and addressed, we are much more likely to experience re-traumatization and feel as if we’re living through the same traumatic experience over and over again. EMDR is powerful because it allows traumatic memories to be reprocessed and for healing to take place in the mind and body. It’s important to note that EMDR is an evidence-based treatment for trauma that has been shown to alleviate emotional distress caused by a traumatic event.

EMDR uses BLS or "bi-lateral stimulation" through prompts like audio tones and eye movements.

The basics of EMDR — how it works

An EMDR-trained therapist will use a variety of evidence-based tactics to guide a client through the memory of a specific traumatic event while at the same time stimulating both sides of your brain through tapping left to right or using hand movements for your your eyes to follow left to right (this is BLS). Stimulating both sides of your brain through BLS helps process and discharge the trauma from your mind, body and nervous system. Doing this allows positive emotions, thoughts, and feelings to be felt instead of the trauma. EMDR allows a person to experience a just memory of the trauma without the same intensity and reaction as before.

This may sound as if it could be overwhelming or even daunting, but the process cannot make trauma worse or re-traumatize you. An EMDR-trained therapist can guide a client through it all, step-by-step, with support as needed. EMDR is different from traditional talk therapy—it involves some verbal processing and involves some body movement.

When is EMDR therapy helpful?

So now that we’ve provided a brief introduction to EMDR therapy, you might be wondering when EMDR may be useful in the therapeutic process. And like so many things in life, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to healing and processing trauma. But, if you’re navigating trauma in any capacity, EMDR may be helpful and worth exploring with a trusted and trained EMDR therapist. Additionally, there are other reasons why someone may pursue or benefit from EMDR therapy. Here are a few signals that EMDR could be worth integrating into your healing toolkit:

  • Anxiety and/or frequent panic attacks

  • Depression

  • Disordered eating

  • Substance abuse

  • Harmful relational patterns

  • And much more…

If you’re interested in learning more about our EMDR services, you can do so here.

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Meet our EMDR-Trained Therapists (serving CA residents only)

At Highland Park Holistic Psychotherapy, we have a talented team of trauma-informed clinicians. A few of them have received specialized training recognized by EMDRIA (the EMDR International Association) in order to provide EMDR treatment to clients who may benefit from it. If you’d like to see our list of EMDR-trained therapists, you can view it right here.

Connect with an EMDR-trained therapist in Los Angeles

In order for a therapist to offer EMDR therapy in Los Angeles, a therapist must complete rigorous training to become trained. It’s important to work with a therapist who is trained to use EMDR therapy with their clients.

At Highland Park Holistic Therapy, we are lucky to have four incredible EMDR-trained therapists. If you’re interested in exploring EMDR further, schedule a free consultation and start your path to healing.

Jenny Walters