If you’re struggling with mental health issues, you understand how devastating it can be. Mental health affects every aspect of your life, so when something isn’t right, it can be hard to cope. Thankfully, research has identified and developed many effective forms of trauma therapy to help people recover from traumatic events. One such treatment is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). In this blog post, our team at Mindful Wellness Counseling will delve into EMDR and discuss how it works, its history and development, its mental health applications, and the process of EMDR therapy. Learn more and contact us for EMDR therapy for anxiety or other mental health issues.
What Is EMDR?
EMDR is a type of psychotherapy used to help people suffering from psychological trauma, anxiety, depression, phobias, PTSD, or other mental health problems originating from traumatic experiences. The therapy technique involves the patient thinking about a troubling event while tracking the therapist’s fingers, lights, or sounds with their eyes. This encourages desensitization and reprocessing of the distressing memories associated with that event.
History and Development
EMDR was developed in 1987 by Dr. Francine Shapiro after she realized that eye movements helped to reduce her own anxiety. Since then, it has been studied and researched extensively, with over 30 controlled studies providing evidence of its effectiveness.
Mental Health Applications
EMDR can be used to treat a number of mental health issues such as panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, and depression. It is best known for its ability to help clients reduce their emotional distress associated with traumatic events.
The Process of EMDR Therapy
EMDR sessions typically involve the therapist guiding the patient through the traumatic memory, asking them to think about it, while being instructed to focus on eye movements. This “dual attention” is thought to cause a shift in the neural pathways associated with the traumatic event. The therapist works to reduce negative emotions and help the patient become more aware of positive feelings. With EMDR, clients can process and reframe the memory in a way that leads to improved functioning.
EMDR is an evidence-based form of therapy proven effective in treating trauma and other mental health issues. The technique may be intimidating at first, but it has helped so many individuals get their lives back on track and manage their emotional distress in a healthy way. If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or PTSD, reach out to our team at Mindful Wellness Counseling for EMDR therapy and start your journey toward recovery. We offer a wide range of mental health services, including family therapy, therapy for both adults and teens, trauma therapy, and more.
