Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective treatment for healing severe emotional pain. It includes pain caused by any traumatic event or condition related to fear. EDMR has been used for panic, trauma, anxiety, PTSD, and more. It helps people heal from the emotional pain that comes from traumatic experiences. This new treatment is helpful when an emotional wound is unable to heal.
EMDR can clear any hurdles that prevent healing. This will help to initiate healing. The EMDR treatment comprises the patient sharing their traumatic experience with the therapist. The therapist will then guide them in focusing and moving their eyes in a specific way that reprocesses the experience. EMDR Research Foundation validate EMDR by more than 30 control studies. It was first created to treat trauma, but nowadays, it has developed into an amazing tool in the mental health field. EDMR give hope to many people looking for an effective solution to get rid of anxiety.
What is EMDR Treatment?
EDMR is first created by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It is a psychotherapy technique of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) initially used to ease the pain brought on by painful memories or traumatic events. Over the years, it has been modified and used in the treatment of many mental health conditions, such as phobias, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks, fear, stress, grief and loss, stress at work, trauma experienced as a child, Sexual abuse, physical abuse, Natural disasters, violent crimes, problems in relationships, divorce, addictions, compulsions/OCD, artistic blockages, athletic performance, goal-setting, and life transitions.
1. Eight-Phase Approach
EMDR therapy comprises eight phases, each with a distinct function in the therapeutic process. It includes:
- History-Taking and Treatment Planning: After learning about the client’s past, the therapist determines the target areas for treatment.
- Therapeutic Alliance and Preparations: The therapist outlines the EMDR procedure and does all necessary preparations to control the client’s emotional pain, including coping mechanisms.
- Assessment: The therapist will determine which target memories or experiences are responsible for upsetting the client.
- Desensitization: This is the central stage of EDMR in which the therapist makes the client focus on upsetting memories while receiving bilateral stimulation through directed eye movements. It helps the processing of the less emotionally charged memories.
- Installation: In this phase, the negative beliefs linked to the targeted memories are replaced by positive beliefs that promote self-esteem.
2. Bilateral Stimulation
Bilateral stimulation is a fundamental component of EMDR. In this procedure, guided eye movements, auditory tones, or tactile stimulation are all used. It is thought that by stimulating the back-and-forth brain,
traumatic memories can be reprocessed and become less intense.
3. Modifications for Anxiety and Other Problems
EMDR was initially created to treat trauma, but over time, therapists discovered that it helps treat a wider variety of mental health issues. When used to treat anxiety, EMDR helps many people reprocess the memories and thoughts that are causing them to feel anxious.
4. Client-Centered and Individualized
EMDR therapy is client-centred, meaning each patient’s needs are considered when designing a treatment plan. The client and the therapist work together to address the memories or experiences causing the client’s distress.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a treatment that helps people process traumatic memories and events that cause emotional disorders like anxiety, phobias, and PTSD. The American Psychiatric Association and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies both support EMDR therapy. It is a systematic eight-phase approach with bilateral stimulation that helps focus and reprocess the brain and desensitize traumatic memories. Here is how EMDR works:
1. Taking History and Planning Treatment
The therapist had a detailed conversation and learned about the client’s past. It helps to pinpoint particular upsetting memories or experiences. The client and the therapist work together to develop the treatment objectives and goals.
2. Preparation
The therapist teaches the client coping mechanisms to deal with emotional distress and makes sure that goes over the EMDR procedure with them. They establish a strong therapeutic relationship that promotes trust and safety.
3. Assessment
The therapist determines the target memories or experiences that cause the client’s emotional problems resulting from these traumatic memories or events. The therapist tells the client to assign a number to each target memory, showing the distress level.
4. Desensitization
Bilateral stimulation can help to reprocess the traumatic memory and make it less distressed. This process requires the client to concentrate on a target memory and focus on the therapist’s moving finger, tactile cues, or sounds.
5. Installation
Positive beliefs replace negative ones to encourage healthier emotional thoughts and ideas. Now, the previously upsetting memory is linked to positive beliefs.
6. Body Scan
The therapist ensures that all the targeted memory’s physiological and emotional processing are done. Any remaining physical stress or pain connected to the targeted memory is found and managed.
7. Closure
The session is near the end; it is time to decide whether the client is stable emotionally. Even in the following session, the client is encouraged to practice self-care and coping mechanisms.
8. Reevaluation
The client’s emotional status is checked in later sessions, and any problems, if they exist, are checked.
9. Mechanisms of Action
Bilateral stimulation is achieved through auditory tones, guided eye movements, or tactile stimulation (tapping). Theories show that bilateral stimulation may improve communication between the brain’s hemispheres and help the brain to reprocess memories by simulating the natural processing during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. Reprocessing of traumatic memories from a more adaptive perspective, even though the precise mechanisms underlying EMDR are not entirely understood.
10. Neurobiological Changes
According to some research, EMDR may cause changes in the brain’s neurophysiology, including how memories are accessed and stored.
It’s critical to remember that EMDR is an organized, empirically supported therapy whose efficacy has been shown in studies.
How Does EMDR Work for Anxiety?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy can help treat anxiety through processing and reframing upsetting memories and experiences that cause anxious thoughts and feelings.
1. Identifying Target Memories
During the early stages of EMDR, the therapist works with the patient to find traumatic memories or events that cause anxiety.
2. Recognizing Adverse Beliefs
Then, the therapist helps the client investigate and understand the unfavourable ideas (“I am not safe” or “I am not in control”) connected to the recognized memories.
3. Diminished Sensitivity
The client engages in bilateral stimulation during the desensitization stage of EMDR. The client focused on recognizing target memory with
auditory tones, guided eye movements, or tactile sensations (forms of stimulation). Bilateral stimulation can help the person access and reprocess the upsetting memory in a less distressing way.
4. Rethinking Adverse Thoughts
The therapist helps the patient reprocess the unfavourable beliefs linked to the target memory as desensitization occurs. If the negative belief is “I am not safe,” it is replaced by the positive belief “, I am safe right now.” Good ideas are connected to upsetting memories.
5. Positive Belief Installation
The installation process aids in developing a more positive emotional response to the formerly upsetting memory. The negative beliefs will be
swap out for positive ones.
6. Handling Physical Sensations
EMDR also include a body scan phase in which any remaining physical strain or pain related to the traumatic memory is found and treated.
7. Integration and Closure
The therapist helps the client install the positive beliefs into their overall self-concept and ensures the processing is finished.
8. Tracking Progress
In the last sessions, the status is checked, any unresolved problems are dealt with, and new target memories are identified if necessary.
Benefits of EMDR for Anxiety
1. Taking Care of the Causes:
EMDR helps to address the underlying causes of anxiety through the treatment of particular memories or experiences that exacerbate anxious thoughts and feelings.
2. Restructuring cognition:
The therapy helps clients learn to change their cognitive patterns and
replace negative beliefs with positive and adapted ideas.
3. Reduce Emotional Reactivity:
EMDR helps people become less emotionally reactive to triggers that may cause anxiety by desensitization and reprocessing upsetting memories or events.
4. Comprehensive Method:
EMDR adopts a comprehensive strategy that treats cognitive as well as the physiological causes of anxiety.
The Theories of EMDR for Anxiety
Many theories and studies have backed up the effectiveness of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy.
1. Model of adaptive information processing (AIP)
Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model was developed by Francine Shapiro, who created EMDR. According to this theory, traumatic events can overwhelm the brain’s natural processing mechanisms, causing adverse feelings, thoughts, and physical sensations to linger. Bilateral stimulation simulates the brain’s processing during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. This will help with the integration and reprocessing of traumatic memories or experiences.
2. Memory Reconsolidation Theory
This theory states that a memory is temporarily labile and modifiable upon retrieval before it is permanently stored. Bilateral stimulation disrupts the neural networks linked to upsetting memories or events, allowing memory reconsolidation with healthy, more useful information.
3. Dual Attention Hypothesis
This theory suggests that processing traumatic memories is aided by dual attention. The client focuses on both the distressing memory and bilateral external stimulation. Dual attention uses working memory and prevents cognitive avoidance. It helps to direct interaction with the traumatic memory or event.
4. Neurobiological Alterations
According to certain research, EMDR may cause the brain to undergo neurobiological alterations. It may cause changes in brain areas linked to memory processing and emotional control. These changes in brain activity and connectivity could be part of EMDR therapy, which makes it work.
5. Bilateral Stimulation and Hemispheric Integration
Bilateral stimulation used in EMDR facilitates hemispheric communication.
This integration helps reprocess traumatic memories or events, making it more flexible to explain the event.
6. Reduction of Emotional Reactivity
EMDR helps lessen emotional reactivity. Therapy aims to change the emotional charge connected to upsetting memories with positive or good thoughts and beliefs. So, traumatic memories have less impact, and people will react less when they remember or think about that memory or event.
7. Cognitive Restructuring
EMDR can change negative beliefs connected to traumatic memories. These are questioned and changed to facilitate cognitive restructuring.
Due to the positive beliefs introduced to them during therapy, people learn a more adaptive perspective on themselves and their experiences.
Clinical evidence shows the usefulness of EMDR, even though these theories offer frameworks for understanding the possible mechanisms of action. Studies have shown promising results on many mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
How will I know if EMDR is the Right Treatment for My Anxiety?
Speak with a Certified Mental Health Professional:
Make an appointment with a psychologist, therapist, or other certified mental health professional. Speak to them, and they will evaluate your symptoms, history, and other concerns.
Talk About Your Objectives:
Talk to the therapist and be open about your issues and treatment goals. It is helpful to communicate your individual needs and customize treatment. EMDR is useful for a variety of conditions, including anxiety and trauma.
Assessment & Evaluation:
The therapist will carry out an assessment to see whether EMDR is a good fit for your situation. They will ask you things like your past mental health history, present symptoms, and the type of traumatic events you have had in the past.
Be Honest:
Be open and honest about how comfortable you are with the therapeutic process. This will help your therapist understand how they can help you by teaching coping mechanisms. If you have any concerns learning how EMDR operates.
Examine Your Options:
Your therapist may discuss alternate treatment modalities and their advantages. They will help you and your partner determine whether EMDR suits your preferences and goals.
Considering Trauma:
EMDR may be especially helpful if you have had traumatic memories or experiences. However, The therapist will determine whether you are emotionally ready for the process and need further support.
