Why EMDR Is So Effective For Healing Deep Wounds

Have you ever experienced frustration from repeatedly doing something but still hoping for a different outcome? This can lead to feelings of powerlessness and a negative perspective on life. Many people have faced challenges and some suffer silently, perpetuating a cycle of trauma.

This cycle creates wounds which be rooted back in childhood and triggered by current stressors or could be from more recent events. Sometimes these aren’t felt as memories we recall in story form, but stored in the body as distressing emotions such as anxiety and depression.

EMDR Therapy’s unique approach is effective in helping to target, desensitize, and resolve old patterns which gives way to a new path forward.

EMDR Therapy has been around for over 30 years, but has recently become more popular as it is referenced in mainstream media, but what exactly is it?

I’m Brittany Mcbryde Williams, a trained EMDR therapist at Silver River Counseling and here’s a brief overview of EMDR therapy, how it works and why I use it to help my clients go deeper and find healing.

Let’s start off with some of the basics.

What Is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing which is a neurobiological approach to resolving past experiences which inform and inhibit future growth. EMDR aids in reprocessing challenging memories and reducing symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, panic, and various other mental health issues.

When doing some phases of EMDR therapy, I use bi-latural stimulation to create an environment where the brain is able to engage in its natural healing and more fluidly through memory networks.

Why is EMDR So Effective?

First, it creates a healing environment.

While all therapists aim to create a safe place to be vulnerable and share private thoughts and experiences, this isn’t always enough to help fully heal.

When you get a small cut your body naturally goes through its own process to heal without you really needing to do anything extra. But if you get a splinter in your cut, it might get infected and not be able to heal properly.

The splinter needs to be removed and then the body can go back to doing its natural healing. The brain is the same way. You are constantly processing and adapting information without having to consciously think about it, but when an event is traumatic or maladaptively stored in the brain, it’s like a splinter.

Bi-Lateral Stimulation helps create an environment where the splinter can be removed from the mind so the brain can resume its natural healing process.

Second, is the belief that people are adaptive.

EMDR Therapy believes that people are inherently adaptive and designed to heal. This is important because it means the therapist knows however you’re reacting or feeling makes sense. Instead of trying to make it go away, EMDR therapy can help integrate memories, emotions and experiences that have become maladaptive in the present and move them to a more adaptive state.

Here’s what I mean about maladaptive vs adaptive and why it’s important for you to know.

If you had a lisp when you were younger and your peers teased you, it would be an adaptive response to become quiet and not talk much to avoid further bullying or embarrassment.

However, this could eventually develop into high social anxiety or debilitating fear of public speaking that makes it challenging for you to do your job or connect with others.

Eventually this response becomes maladaptive and can create a lot of problems in the present. EMDR Therapy specifically focuses on desensitizing the memories so the information from the initial experience(s) that led to the present distress can be processed.

Therefore no longer creating ongoing disturbances.

So if you have experienced trauma or deep wounds and are struggling to find healing, EMDR Therapy could be an option for you. Reach out and schedule an appointment today.