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Breaking Free: Understanding EMDR Therapy and How It Can Help You Heal

  • Writer: Erica Edenfield
    Erica Edenfield
  • Aug 8
  • 3 min read

Are you haunted by difficult memories or past experiences that continue to impact your present life? Do feelings of anxiety, fear, or being "stuck" feel overwhelming? If so, you're not alone. Many individuals carry the weight of unresolved trauma. At Alicia Engelhardt Counseling, LLC, I offer a powerful and effective therapy called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) that can help you process these experiences and move towards healing.


What is EMDR Therapy?


EMDR is a well-researched and widely recognized psychotherapy approach designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories.


It was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s and has since helped millions of people overcome the effects of various traumatic experiences, including:

  • Accidents

  • Abuse (emotional, physical, sexual)

  • Neglect

  • Combat trauma

  • Natural disasters

  • Loss and grief

  • Disturbing life events


EMDR therapy works by helping your brain reprocess traumatic memories that may be "stuck" or unprocessed. When a traumatic event occurs, it can overwhelm our natural coping mechanisms, and the memory can be stored in the brain in a way that continues to trigger negative emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations. EMDR facilitates the accessing and processing of these memories, allowing the brain to naturally heal and integrate the experience in a healthier way.


How Does EMDR Work?


While the exact neurobiological mechanisms of EMDR are still being researched, it is believed to work by mimicking the rapid eye movements that occur during REM sleep, a stage of sleep where the brain processes information. During an EMDR session, you will focus on a specific traumatic memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation (BLS).


This can involve:

  • Eye movements: Following the therapist's finger back and forth across your field of vision.

  • Tapping: The therapist gently taps on your hands or knees alternately.

  • Auditory tones: Listening to alternating sounds through headphones.


This bilateral stimulation appears to activate both sides of the brain, which helps to facilitate the processing of the traumatic memory. It allows the memory to become less emotionally charged and integrated with more positive and adaptive beliefs.


What to Expect in an EMDR Session at Alicia Engelhardt Counseling, LLC:


Your first few sessions will involve a thorough assessment to determine if EMDR is the right approach for you. We will discuss your history, identify specific traumatic memories or distressing events you want to target, and develop a treatment plan together. It's important to build a sense of safety and trust before beginning the reprocessing phase of EMDR.


A typical EMDR reprocessing session follows these eight phases:


  1. History-taking: Gathering information about your background and the issues you want to address.

  2. Preparation: Your therapist will explain the EMDR process in detail, answer your questions, and help you establish coping mechanisms for any potential distress that may arise.

  3. Assessment: Identifying the specific target memory, the negative belief associated with it, the positive belief you'd like to have, and the emotions and body sensations that come up when you focus on the memory.

  4. Desensitization: This is the core of the reprocessing phase. You will focus on the target memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation. After each set of BLS, you will be asked to notice what comes up for you – thoughts, feelings, images, or body sensations. This process continues until the distress associated with the memory significantly reduces.

  5. Installation: Strengthening the positive belief you identified earlier and ensuring it feels more real and connected to the memory.

  6. Body Scan: Focusing on your body to identify and process any remaining physical sensations related to the memory.

  7. Closure: Bringing the session to a close in a safe and grounding way. Your therapist will ensure you feel stable and will discuss coping strategies for between sessions if needed.

  8. Re-evaluation: In subsequent sessions, we will assess the progress made with the target memory and determine if further processing is needed.


Is EMDR Right for Me?


If you are experiencing ongoing distress from past events, EMDR therapy offered at Alicia Engelhardt Counseling, LLC may be a powerful tool for healing and growth.


It can be particularly helpful for individuals struggling with:

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • Anxiety disorders

  • Depression

  • Phobias

  • Low self-esteem

  • Difficult childhood experiences


Take the First Step Towards Healing Today


You don't have to be held captive by the past. EMDR therapy offers a pathway to process difficult experiences and create a more peaceful and fulfilling present. If you're curious to learn more about how EMDR can help you heal, please reach out to Alicia Engelhardt Counseling, LLC. I'm here to answer your questions and help you determine if EMDR therapy is the right step on your healing journey. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. I look forward to supporting you as you break free and embrace a brighter future.

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