There are a wide variety of approaches to therapy for the treatment of common psychological conditions such as anxiety, but sometimes conventional approaches might leave you feeling stuck with your symptoms. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a different kind of therapy process that may be able to help.
Often, mental health therapy techniques utilize a top-down approach, meaning the therapist focuses on the mind first. Although the methods used to achieve this goal can be effective for some, everyone is unique, and sometimes, alternative forms of therapy can be more effective.
What is EMDR Therapy?
Unlike conventional methods of therapy like CBT and DBT, Somatic Attachment-Focused EMDR is a bottom-up approach, meaning it focuses on the impacts of anxiety (or other negative emotions) in the body first, eventually changing thoughts in mind. This can be very effective compared to other approaches because of how our brain works.
“Somatic” Physical Symptoms
While the memory center lies in our brain, the impacts of traumatic experiences and stress can be held in various parts of our body. When we recall a troubling memory, we often feel it in various parts of our body (such as our stomach, chest, or gut).
Additionally, we often experience “somatic” (physical) symptoms as a result of anxiety, such as when we feel the effects of anxiety in our body like head or stomach aches, hot or cold sensations, digestion problems, chest pain, or a general ill feeling.
If you suffer from obsessive thoughts, anxiety, significant stress, or traumatic experiences, EMDR could be an effective method of getting you back to the serenity and comfort you seek.
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
During the EMDR process, the therapist may ask you to recall a memory and notice any sensations, tension, emotions, or images. The therapist will begin the reprocessing phase by utilizing Bilateral Stimulation. This involves the therapist leading the eye movements or the client leading the tapping of the legs or arms.
The therapist will guide you through the whole process and continue to check in with you regarding your level of distress. If you feel stuck or the level of discomfort becomes too high, your therapist can recommend resources to help you.
Evidence-Based Research
EMDR is evidence-based, meaning research has shown positive results that the EMDR process rapidly reduces negative emotions associated with disturbing mental images and somatic symptoms in the body. If you cannot identify a particular distressing memory, EMDR can still be used. Even imagining hypothetical distressing situations and applying EMDR can be enough to yield relief from distress. In turn, this allows you to face the world with decreased anxiety, trauma responses, or obsessions.
