EMDR: How It Can Help You Get Your Life Back

Do you get stuck in hurtful memories from your past?

EMDR: How It Can Help You Get Your Life Back:Something from years ago may still affect how you feel, think, and act today. You may not be sleeping, be short-tempered all the time, or have trouble with relationships. If any of this describes you, you’re not alone. A lot of people walk around on a daily basis with hurt from the past. But what if you could do something to help your brain heal from those hurtful memories?

That’s where EMDR comes in. EMDR is short for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s a therapy that helps people heal from trauma, anxiety, and other emotional issues. It helps your brain handle painful memories better. This way, those memories won’t control your life anymore.

We will cover what EMDR is, how it works, and how it can help you move forward—free from the burdens of the past.

What is EMDR? EMDR is a form of therapy that was developed to help people heal from trauma. Trauma can occur in many situations, not just during major events like wars or disasters. It can also result from things that happened during childhood, bullying, a terrible breakup, or the loss of someone you love.

When we go through something traumatic, sometimes our brain fails to register the memory correctly. Instead of storing it away as a memory of something that occurred in the past, the memory gets “stuck” in the nervous system. This can cause physical and emotional responses years later. You might catch yourself suddenly feeling afraid, sad, or angry without any idea why. This is because your body and brain are reacting as if the event were happening right now.

EMDR allows your brain to replay the memories so that they no longer activate the negative responses and feelings. You will be able to view the memory with a sense of calm, rather than becoming distraught.

How Does EMDR Work?

EMDR employs bilateral stimulation, meaning that both hemispheres of the brain are activated simultaneously. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways, including:

• Shifting your eyes from side to side (like watching tennis)

• Sounds alternate between your right and left ears

• Feeling taps on your right and left hands

This procedure enables your brain to “unlock” the stuck memory and process it in a healthier way.

EMDR therapy takes eight steps to heal you. Let’s discuss them step by step.

1. History Taking

Your therapist will ask you about what happened in the past and help determine what is troubling you. They will question you about the memories, thoughts and feelings that are disrupting your life.

2. Preparation

The therapist will teach you coping mechanisms before you dive into painful memories. You will be taught relaxation techniques when recalling hard things. This stage of the process leaves you feeling secure and in control.

3. Assessment

You and your therapist will decide which memory you will work on. You will also decide on the negative beliefs that go along with it. For instance, if as a child you were teased, you may believe, “I’m not good enough.” Your therapist will aid you in changing that belief to something more positive, such as, “I am strong and worthy.”

4. Desensitization

This is where the actual healing happens. While you focus on the traumatic memory, you’ll follow the therapist’s finger, listen to sounds, or get light taps on your hands. This back-and-forth movement helps your brain reprocess the memory in a way that causes it to lose its emotional charge. Over time, the memory will be less upsetting, and your body will no longer react to it in the same way.

5. Installation

After the memory no longer feels quite so upsetting, you’ll practice affirming the healthy belief about yourself. So, if you began with “I’m not good enough,” your therapist will assist you in completely believing “I am strong, confident, and capable.”

6. Body Scan

Your therapist will have you notice what your body is experiencing while you recall the memory. If there is still tension, they will have you process it through. What they’re trying to do is to ensure that both mind and body are at ease with the memory.

7. Closure

At the conclusion of each session, your therapist will bring you back to a relaxed and calm state. You will also learn how to look after yourself in between sessions.

8. Reevaluation

After these sessions, you will be asked how you’re doing and what else needs to be addressed during your follow-up sessions.

Who Can Be Helped with EMDR?

EMDR was originally created to cure individuals with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), though it can also heal numerous other problems. Some of the more common problems EMDR can heal include:

• Anxiety and panic attacks – EMDR calms your brain and teaches it to react differently to stress.

• Depression – It’s able to deconstruct the negative thought patterns that make you feel stuck.

• Phobias and fears – If you have an ongoing fear, EMDR can be utilized in order to change the way that your brain responds to it.

• Sadness and loss – The loss of a loved one may be too difficult to handle, but EMDR can lighten the emotional load.

• Childhood trauma – Trauma in childhood will affect your adult life, yet EMDR will heal the wounds.

• OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) – EMDR can reduce the anxiety and compulsions of OCD.

• Low self-esteem – If you hold negative thoughts about yourself, EMDR will assist in replacing them with positive thoughts.

Why Is EMDR So Effective?

EMDR isn’t the same as standard talk therapy. Rather than simply discussing your issues, it actually makes your brain rewrite itself. It enables you to process memories in such a manner that they become like something that happened in the past, rather than something that continues to haunt you.

The good news? You don’t need to go into a lot of detail about what occurred. Some individuals struggle to discuss their trauma, and EMDR allows your brain to heal without needing to relive each detail.

What to Expect After EMDR Therapy

Most individuals notice a difference after several sessions. You may experience the following:

• Less weighed down by the past

•Less fearful or anxious 

• More self-assured of your feelings 

• You finally have closure. Emotions can be more extreme at first after a session, but that is okay. It is like your brain is doing its “clean-up work.” They settle down after a while, and you will begin to feel better. 

You Deserve to Heal

If you’ve been holding on to pain from the past; you don’t need to hold on to it for the rest of your life. EMDR is an extremely powerful tool that can help you overcome the old injuries and take back your life. Just think about waking up without that weight on your chest. Just think about being confident, calm, and in control of your emotions. That’s what EMDR can do for you. Healing is possible, and you deserve it. If you are looking to heal from past trauma or emotional wounds, try seeking out a therapist trained in EMDR and certified by EMDRIA. It could be the key to taking back your life.

Pathways Counseling Services is a Top Rated therapy and counseling practice in Scottsdale, Arizona, year-after-year. We can help you and your family find support for your mental health and wellbeing . Find a happier and healthier life through effective mental health care. 

Remember, there is help and support available to you. Pathways Counseling Services is here for you. You can reach us by phone at 480-235-1682 or  send us a message.