One of the most common reasons people reach out to a therapist is their persistent desire to move past a traumatic experience. Mental health services have evolved in the past few decades and as such, there are now so many applications that stand to help individuals find relief. 

Take, for example, EMDR therapy for healing from trauma. If you’ve not yet heard of this mental health treatment method, keep reading. We’ll cover what EMDR is, how it works, and the conditions it can be applied to.

What is EMDR?

EMDR is an abbreviation for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which is a mental health therapy type used in the treatment of several conditions.

EMDR therapy involves having the patient perform a specific series of eye movements while, at the same time, processing a traumatic memory. The goal of this type of treatment is to help patients experience relief or heal from the effects of a difficult experience they’ve undergone. 

Part of what sets EMDR therapy apart from other treatment applications is the lack of detail required when patients revisit a traumatic memory. EMDR doesn’t force patients to discuss traumas in great detail, thus sparing them some of the stress or possible hesitation that may populate when having to share these experiences with their providers. 

Instead, this type of therapy relies more on the patient working toward changing the way they think, feel, and react to distressing experiences. In essence, patients work toward natural healing by developing safe, effective new pathways to follow when their minds are faced with an unpleasant memory or frightening reaction to the environment.

History of EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy is relatively new compared to the myriad of other therapy methods that have had some form of their practice remain in use for up to a century. EMDR was likely hypothesized earlier, but the first clinical trials were recorded in 1989. However, in its short existence, dozens of clinical trials have taken place and as the therapy process developed following each trial, the working procedure used today has been shown to be effective. 

Therapeutic Uses

Implementing EMDR therapy as a treatment utilizes the Adaptive Information Processing model, or AIP for short. This theory explores how the brain stores memories, differentiating between the way normal memories are stored compared to the way the brain stores trauma. 

For example, a normal memory will be recorded and stored in the brain with no difficulty in most cases. In addition, the brain forms a sort of “catalog” for similar memories, and essentially links them together to create a strong memory trail a person can follow subconsciously in order to cement a memory into his or her mental record.

However, when an event that later forms a traumatic memory occurs, the brain’s networking capabilities may fail, creating a disconnection between the experience and the memory of it. This is part of what causes the feeling of a situation being unreal or dreamlike when remembering a traumatic event.

This type of memory storage aims to protect the rest of the person from the stress and damage the situation may cause. Unfortunately, the disconnection between the person and the event leaves the brain unable to heal from the event, which can result in the inability to move past it.

Which Conditions Can EMDR Therapy Treat?

EMDR therapy can be applied to an array of treatment plans. Therapists may introduce the option to a client and depending on how the patient responds to the first few sessions, this form of therapy may be implemented as a permanent care option.

Some disorders EMDR therapy has been shown to benefit include the following:

  • Anxiety: Anxiety disorders include panic disorders, phobias, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety.
  • Depression: Depression may include Major depressive disorder, illness-induced depression, and other persistent forms of depression.
  • Dissociative Disorders: These disorders include derealization disorder, depersonalization episodes, DID, and amnesia.
  • Eating Disorders: Binge-eating, Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia, and other food or weight-related disorders may be appropriate focuses for EMDR therapy.
  • OCD: Some forms of obsessive-compulsive disorders include classic OCD, hoarding, and body dysmorphia.
  • Personality Disorders: Some personality disorders include avoidant personality disorder, Borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder.
  • Trauma: Trauma may induce disorders like PTSD, adjustment disorder, or acute stress disorder.

Each person’s trauma is unique and as such, the steps they take to overcome the damage done are going to be unique as well. If you’re interested in learning more about trauma relief options like EMDR therapy, contact us DK Therapy at your earliest convenience.