How does EMDR therapy work?
EMDR therapy can work for some issues, such as a specific anxiety or phobia, in just one session. More often, it takes place over a series of sessions based upon an eight phase system which has been tried and tested. Initial sessions enable the therapist to gather information about a client, the problem and its origins. Next, the client is encouraged to visualize a peaceful place or loving adult and just experience being there or feeling loved by the real or imagined person. This is done with the purpose of enabling the client to tolerate the trauma reprocessing in the sessions with an increased degree of safety. The client may be asked to write a list of issues or traumas to be dealt with as part of the preparation phase of EMDR therapy.
The first EMDR session is based upon the issue or trauma that the therapist and client have discussed and agreed to start on. The client is introduced to the eye movements and has been taught a stop signal in case the client wants to stop at anytime. The preparation steps allow the client to become aware of the process and to feel comfortable before starting EMDR therapy. The EMDR process requires clients to focus on four main aspects of the trauma. 1.) a visual image which is the most disturbing part of the trauma, 2.) the negative thought that they have about themselves in relation to the trauma, 3.) the emotions associated with the memory and 4.) the location of the disturbance in their body.
Vancouver EMDR Therapy PLLC
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