Why is EMDR So Effective for PTSD?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a fairly new and nontraditional form of psychotherapy. It focuses on treating individuals who have experienced traumatic or disturbing events.
The main ideology behind EMDR is that negative memories that are associated with the trauma become stuck in the brain. This is why traumatic events continue to impact us even after they occur. The memories can come back in the form of flashbacks and nightmares.
EMDR is used to help get those lingering negative thoughts and emotions unstuck. Let’s learn more about why EMDR is so effective for PTSD.
What EMDR Looks Like
During EMDR sessions, a therapist guides a client through different procedures to stimulate bilateral brain activity. This bilateral stimulation is done through a variety of different methods. The most common technique is to move the eyes from side to side, mimicking the REM sleep cycle when the mind processes memories.
The Eight-Phase Approach
EMDR has eight phases that are incorporated into the therapeutic process. These phases include:
History and information gathering
Preparation and education
Assessment
Desensitization and reprocessing
Installation
Body scan
Closure
Reevaluation
EMDR and PTSD
Many different conditions can benefit from EMDR. People who experience anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, grief, phobias, stress, and more can all see benefits from this form of therapy.
That being said, EMDR is an effective form of therapy for treating trauma and PTSD. This form of therapy helps individuals process their trauma. Other forms of therapy focus on changing the way a person thinks, feels, or responds to a specific experience. Unlike other forms of therapy, EMDR focuses on a person’s memories and changing how they’re stored in the brain. This process reduces or eliminates any corresponding signs and symptoms.
The Benefits of EMDR for PTSD
There are many benefits to this form of therapy. These are some of the advantages of EMDR for PTSD:
Highly Successful
EMDR is well-suited for individuals who have gone through a traumatic experience. There have been several studies that prove the high success rates of this form of therapy, especially for victims of trauma.
Quicker Results
While EMDR doesn’t work overnight, it does tend to show quicker results compared to other forms of therapy. This form of therapy works on your body, brain, and emotions at the same time. This means that there’s a faster turnaround time from understanding the problem to coming up with a resolution for it.
Less Homework
With other therapy options, there tends to be homework outside of the therapy sessions. The homework usually includes things like keeping track of signs and symptoms or journaling. With EMDR, the only homework is keeping track of anything that you may want to discuss during your next session.
Less Stressful
Another huge benefit of EMDR, especially for trauma, is that it’s a less painful and stressful form of therapy. Other forms of therapy will have the client talk through and relive their negative past experiences. Any trauma that is re-experienced during this form of therapy is often short-lived since the reprocessing will occur in conjunction with the recall. EMDR doesn’t require anyone to dive into more detail about their specific, traumatic event. Instead, it focuses less on reliving these negative events and more on processing and moving past them.
Next Steps
Your past experiences make you into the person you are today. But this doesn’t mean you have to keep letting your past into your present or future. It’s time to leave the past in the past and move forward in your life again. Don’t delay in getting the help you need and deserve. Reach out to learn more about how EMDR therapy can work for you and your overall goals for treatment.