EMDR Therapy and Benefits
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a method of therapy that stimulates your brain to desensitize and reprocess memories. Consider your brain is a computer that subconsciously scans memories all day long, generating a response from the brain. This process accounts for 90% of our daily behaviors, forming behavioral patterns and predictable responses from the brain in certain environments. Sometimes, our memories are “scanned” incorrectly and when new memories are made that are similar, can create a negative response in the brain as a form of self-defense for physical or mental health. This is commonly seen in the form of anxiety, depression, increased stress, and undesirable behaviors, emotions, and thoughts for no apparent reason (including issues like ulcers, stomach pains).
EMDR helps reorganize your brain’s responses by mimicking REM sleep to reprocess memories and emotions in real time. This can reduce and eliminate the undesired behaviors and thoughts that they are attached to.
What happens in an EMDR Session?
EMDR is different from other therapies as you are asked to hold a memory and a body feeling together while holding vibrating paddles in each hand. The paddles bilaterally stimulate, accessing your brain’s memory and emotional systems. In EMDR, you let what happens happen- your brain and body process your past memories and come to their own conclusions and repair. EMDR is also able to rewire your memory system adaptively so that desired behaviors and positive cognitions of self are automatic.
EMDR also provides:
- Memory desensitization
- Installation of resources (behavior modification through growing of adaptive neurons)
- Safe space (relaxation and mindfulness techniques)
- Future template (Installation of desired future responses)
- Phobia protocol (For all kinds of phobias)
- Distress tolerance skills (Light scan meditation, vaulting, spiral breathing, and more)
“One indicator of an obstructed memory network is when the person is able retrieve only negative experiences when other, positive experiences have also occurred”
Learn More at PsychiatryAdvisor.com
Who Benefits from EMDR Therapy?
To be human is to personalize experiences, turning positive memories into memories of fault. Because of this, most people can benefit from EMDR as every person in life encounters toxic stress and incorrect memory and emotional storage. EMDR is also successful for people experiencing PTSD, developmental trauma, stress, anxiety, depression, substance use issues, phobias, OCD, self-esteem issues, motivational issues, somatic and physical issues, and other mental health responses.
Managing Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Mental Depression, and Trauma
Anxiety is a behavior connected to memory files that enact a negative cognition. Humans then base their worldview on the negative cognition causing the person to feel maladaptive, increasing or creating their anxiety. EMDR reorganizes those files where they belong causing one to feel adaptive, which reduces or sometimes eliminates anxiety. EMDR also is great for relaxation techniques to help strengthen the vagus nerve helping with parasympathetic operation (operation of the natural brain).
In the same way that EMDR helps with anxiety and the storage of your memories and emotions, EMDR can also help individuals manage bipolar disorder and mental depression.
EMDR successfully helps individuals experiencing:
- Single Episode PTSD
- Chronic PTSD
- Developmental PTSD
- Acute Stress Disorder
- Complex Trauma
- Dissociative Disorders*
- Stomach issues
- Ulcers
- And many other somatic complaints and conditions associated with PTSD and Toxic Stress
*Please note, Brady does not work with clients experiencing Dissociative Disorders.
What is Polyvagal Theory and Somatic Techniques?
Somatic techniques are based on polyvagal theory which states that our vagus nerve is the control signal for the operation of our brain and body. The vagus nerve attaches both sympathetic (defensive) and parasympathetic (natural) parts of the brain and it is also attached to our five senses. The nerve then runs down our spine and is attached to our stomach and seat. The vagus nerve is the first part of the brain and body to interpret the environment so that it can make a decision on where to send the signal in the brain.
If this nerve feels threatened based on your past memories, experiences, genetics, or the situation at hand it will send that response to your sympathetic (defensive) brain where you are only capable of defensive chemical fueled reactions and thoughts. When this nerve feels safe, it sends the signal to the parasympathetic brain (natural) where we produce oxytocin that eliminates fear and lubricates our brain to build connection and enables us to act in our desired way while maintaining our desired thoughts and critical thinking abilities.
Often this nerve can become sensitive based on your past storage of memories, genetics, and emotions, falsely sending you into your sympathetic (defensive) system when there is no real danger. This causes you to enact old undesired defensive mechanisms and mental health responses. Somatic techniques help identify these needs, strengthen your vagus nerve, and release old stored memories and emotions so that you can operate in the part of your brain designed for critical thinking and connection.
EMDR FAQ