Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is an evidence based modality used to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and other distressing events. Using rapid eye movement and auditory stimulation, EMDR helps bring forward clusters of trauma stored throughout the body and allows those sensations to be integrated into the rest of the body.
How does EMDR affect the brain?
EMDR aligns with the brain’s natural propensity to heal, allowing the mind and body to harness its own innate ability to heal. Stressful events are encoded through a series of different sensory inputs. Images, somatic sensations, and other physiological characteristics associated with the event remain lodged throughout the body. EMDR helps bring forward the event so that it can be thoroughly integrated into other areas of the brain and nervous system.
Stress responses are part of our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts. When distress from a disturbing event remains, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create an overwhelming feeling of being back in that moment, or of being “frozen in time.” EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories, and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.
