| EMDR Uses a Person's Eye Movements to | | | | feelings to get desensitized. They loose |
| "Rewire" the BrainNew techniques gaining | | | | their intensity.The theory why this works - |
| respect among therapists can easily reduce or | | | | this alternate-bilateral stimulation engages |
| eliminate painful emotions, altogether. These | | | | the right hemisphere of the brain, as well as |
| methods (known as Power Therapies) bring | | | | the left hemisphere. Without engaging the |
| relief from fears and traumas, like phobias, | | | | right brain as well, the trauma is not |
| depression, grief, rape, natural disasters, | | | | processed. Only mental health professionals |
| crime, childhood sexual abuse, and post | | | | are trained in EMDR, and sessions are |
| traumatic stress. They've proven themselves | | | | conducted within a therapeutic setting.My |
| to be effective whether the pain is physical | | | | Typical EMDR Treatment SessionWhen working |
| or emotional.Power Therapies usually produce | | | | with a client, I allow one hour fifteen |
| marked results in three to eight sessions. | | | | minutes for an EMDR session. While the person |
| And the results are usually permanent. So | | | | relaxes, the sounds play in the background. |
| people don't need to wait for years to | | | | As in hypnosis, the client goes into a light |
| eliminate intrusive thoughts or memories. | | | | trance.I start by strengthening positive |
| Respected scientific studies prove the | | | | feelings, and feelings of times when they |
| benefits are real and long-lasting.Each of | | | | felt strong, confident, peaceful, and proud |
| the Power Therapies reduces negative emotions | | | | of something they'd done successfully. I |
| by redirecting neural pathways in the brain. | | | | intensify these feelings using imagery and |
| Although each method differs in its approach, | | | | Eye Movements.The alternating sounds let the |
| Power Therapies work by interrupting old | | | | person close their eyes, and go more deeply |
| habits (reflexes) that developed from painful | | | | into their experience. More importantly, they |
| incidents. During treatment, a person focuses | | | | can move through the problem much faster than |
| their mind on the pain or problem - which is | | | | with traditional therapies. I guide them with |
| desensitized. As that happens, a new belief | | | | my voice into the traumatic or painful |
| about the self emerges, and the new belief | | | | experience to be desensitized. The topic was |
| (along with the feelings of well-being) are | | | | previously decided upon between us. Any |
| strengthened and built upon.A person need not | | | | specific event leads inevitably to what's |
| have any confidence in how these techniques | | | | connected to it; and that, too, gets |
| work for them to be effective on their pain. | | | | addressed.I ask the person to name the |
| It also doesn't matter whether the trauma | | | | emotion they're feeling, as they see |
| results from something that happened | | | | themselves in this event. Then they rate the |
| recently, or from long ago. The precise cause | | | | amount of charge they feel about it (on a |
| of the distress needn't be known. These | | | | scale of one to ten; ten being the highest). |
| treatments work by triggering brain functions | | | | That's their starting point (usually six or |
| below conscious awareness.EMDR Works Below | | | | higher). I have them place their hand on the |
| the Level of Consciousness - Deep in the | | | | part of their body where that fear/emotion is |
| BrainStudies suggest that memories too | | | | held, and ask them to visualize any pictures |
| painful to deal with consciously are | | | | related to the emotion.The person continues |
| processed while the person is asleep. During | | | | the reverie, as connected experiences and |
| the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep | | | | images come up. As we process these images or |
| the eyes move the same way as they do during | | | | emotions felt in the body (with the Eye |
| EMDR treatments.Intense fears are "learned" | | | | Movements and the alternating sound) they |
| at the cortical level of the brain, which is | | | | report the intensity of the feeling going |
| inaccessible to talk-it-out therapies. | | | | down, to a one or two. Intense feelings are |
| Activities that interrupt and replace those | | | | no longer attached to the event.When this |
| negative emotions and reflexes, allow less | | | | happens, I ask, "What belief do you have |
| painful responses to take their place.EMDR | | | | about yourself now as you look back at that |
| treatment involves back-and-forth eye | | | | event?" A common example is to go from the |
| movements, alternating sounds, and/or | | | | belief that, "I'm helpless," to, "Whatever |
| vibrations that stimulate the brain to | | | | happens I can/will handle it."I end by |
| resolve disturbing emotions. It was developed | | | | intensifying and "Future Pacing" the good |
| in the late 1980s by Francine Shapiro, to | | | | feeling that goes with "whatever happens I |
| help patients deal with disasters and post | | | | will handle it." I have them see and feel |
| traumatic stress reactions. It was thoroughly | | | | themselves (using imagery and suggestion) |
| researched with Viet Nam veterans, and shown | | | | going through the day and into the future |
| to be 80% more effective in processing trauma | | | | with this feeling fully activated in their |
| than other therapies. But EMDR works just as | | | | body. This exercise implants tangible imagery |
| well with less dramatic, hurtful events, or | | | | into the person's mind, so it affects their |
| self-limiting beliefs that cause low | | | | daily activities.At the beginning of the next |
| self-esteem.Language is a left brain | | | | session I have them check inside their body, |
| function, and emotions are held in the right | | | | to see if there are any remaining feelings |
| brain. This has been shown with SPECT Scans | | | | surrounding the incident we have |
| developed by Daniel G. Amen, M.D. ( Dr. Amen | | | | desensitized. If not, we go on to the next |
| specializes in working with Attention Deficit | | | | incident (or memory) to be desensitized.The |
| Disorder (ADD) and measures activity in the | | | | Essence of Counseling is to Combine Methods |
| brain with this imaging scan. Looking at the | | | | that Best Serve the ClientThe client-centered |
| brain with this instrument, the patient is | | | | approach I use brings in a variety of |
| asked to recall an unresolved trauma. When | | | | therapeutic methods. The Power Therapies are |
| this happens the right hemisphere of the | | | | powerful and varied (also read about EFT, |
| brain lights up in the image (it gets | | | | Emotional Freedom Techniques, which I teach |
| heated).This information was discovered about | | | | to all my clients ( person has unique |
| the same time that the mind-body therapies | | | | emotional needs, so a range of treatments, |
| were developed. Focusing on where the feeling | | | | like hypnosis or coaching, may all combine to |
| is held in the body, while having alternate | | | | support their emotional growth. The beauty of |
| bi-lateral stimulation (as in eye movements, | | | | Power Therapies lies in their ability to |
| alternating sound, etc.) causes strong | | | | alleviate lifelong problems so rapidly. |