When we experience trauma, the brain makes meaning of the event and our role in it.
EMDR is a trauma treatment method that targets the self-destructive beliefs we hold about ourselves and facilitates the ability to have a more compassionate understanding towards one’s self by emphasizing strengths, resilience, and ability.
A way to assess if EMDR may benefit you is when what you “know” about yourself conflicts with what you “feel or believe” about yourself. For example, a person can know that they are intelligent and be successful; simultaneously, they can feel like an impostor or run an internal dialogue that reiterates negative messages such as, “I am stupid” or” I’m such a phony”. Internal conflicts similar to this generate anxiety or stress and restrict our ability to relate with self and others.
Clients who have had EMDR therapy report that they feel as if a heavy burden has been lifted from their shoulders. As an EMDR certified provider, I have successfully used this therapeutic technique with clients who suffered from a variety of traumas.
Common Reasons for Seeking EMDR Therapy Include:
- PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
- Childhood Abuse and Painful Memories
- Sexual Assault/Abuse
- Depression
- Fear of Being Alone
- Feelings of Guilt and Shame
- Difficulty in Trusting Others
- Relationship Problems
- Fear, Phobias and Insecurities (ie., fear of public speaking, tight spaces, flying, etc.)
- Grief and Loss (death, divorce, loss of a house, etc.)
- Family Conflict
- Low Self-esteem/Self-worth