EMDR: What Is It, and Could It Help Me?
Written By: Emma Cook, LICSW
How Do We Heal From Trauma?
As we move through life experiencing joys and hardships, many of us also encounter traumatic experiences. These traumatic experiences can greatly impact our mental health going forward. A harmful shift in mental health can permeate every area of our lives: our relationships, our work, our physical health, our financial well-being, and more. It can feel particularly complicated to bounce back from a traumatic experience. This is because trauma disrupts the brain’s information-processing system. When we endure a traumatic event, the experience is often highly emotional, which creates an emotionally charged memory network separate from typical memory networks. In this blog, an EMDR Therapist in Washington, DC discusses EMDR for trauma, the process, and the benefits. Read on to learn more.
Emotionally-Charged Memory Network
Picture one of those old embarrassing memories that randomly pop into your mind when you least expect it. For example, you attempted to join a game on the playground, and you were left out. It is likely that when you pulled up that memory, you cringed or felt your body respond to the memory physically. You may have learned that asking to join leads to rejection, so you should stop asking and wait to be invited.
Once this emotionally charged network is created, when we collect similar memories, these reinforce what we learned about from the first experience.
Responses Learned from the First Experience
Now, picture other times you have felt left out socially, even in adulthood. Maybe you tried to join the conversation at work about happy hour plans (despite your belief that you should wait to be included), and your co-workers ignored you. Likely, your body responds similarly to these associated memories. Subsequently, you believe even more strongly that you should’ve stayed out of the conversation and never tried in the first place.
Traumatic Memories Can be Difficult to Process
Traumatic memories that are stuck are often difficult to process because accessing these memories feels emotionally, and physically disturbing. So instead, we push them away and try to ignore them so we don’t keep reliving them. While compartmentalization can work in the short term, we can’t keep up with this coping skill without eventually feeling the impact. Our brains become overwhelmed, and exhausted by constantly trying to run from painful memories. We can feel, and appear stressed, angry, depressed, and overall joyless.
How Do We Begin to Heal From Trauma?
So how do we begin to heal from our traumas? Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a modality of therapy that allows us to access the brain’s innate information-processing system. Have you ever noticed that when you get a scrape, it eventually stops bleeding, begins to scab over, and over time disappears altogether? Our body is built to repair itself, including our brain. Our brain has a natural healing mechanism that works to help us adapt to life. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, sounds, and tactile sensations) to help activate this system, and integrate isolated traumatic memories into our adaptive memory networks.
REM Sleep
Think of the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) cycle during sleep. When we are in REM sleep, our eyes move back and forth rapidly while our brain processes the information we take in throughout the day. During this process, our brain sorts through, and categorizes our experiences correctly so that we can wake up the next day and act accordingly. EMDR mimics this process by using side-to-side eye movements, or other types of bilateral stimulation, to access the same functions in the brain. We can gain access to memories that have gotten stuck and ‘reprocess’ them so that our brains can integrate the necessary information. In short, EMDR allows us to heal from previous traumatic experiences.
Who is EMDR for?
EMDR was originally used for veterans and victims of sexual abuse. Most people’s understanding of trauma is called ‘big T’ trauma. Those big life events are easily recognizable as upsetting. Think of exposure to war, natural disasters, violence, death, and abuse. These ‘big T’ traumas are often shocking, unexpected, and highly upsetting. However, there are so many other types of ‘little t’ traumas that go unacknowledged and are often dismissed as ‘no big deal.’ Think of bullying, microaggressions, emotional abandonment, job loss, and rejection by a friend group. These experiences can have just as large an impact on our mental health as ‘big T’ traumas. The bottom line is - if it feels like it is still distressing to you today, it is worth trying to heal it.
An Evidence-Based Practice for Trauma Healing
EMDR is an evidence-based practice for healing all sorts of traumatic experiences. But, it’s worth noting that people have also successfully managed their anxiety, depression, and phobia symptoms through EMDR. You don’t have to have a huge trauma history to target distressing feelings that arise. This means that if you’ve always had a huge fear of spiders that you want to resolve, EMDR could help. Or if you find that every time you have to give a presentation at work, you panic and feel like you can’t breathe, EMDR could help.
Maybe you have a history of feeling anxious and guilty whenever your boss critiques your work, and you spend hours or days ruminating on those thoughts and feelings. These ‘stuck points’ are perfect issues to address in EMDR. Some folks have been in talk therapy for many years, and find that the addition of EMDR helps them to move on from areas where they have been emotionally stunted for years.
What is the difference between talk therapy and EMDR?
Many of us are most familiar with traditional ‘talk therapy.’ It is easy to envision a client sitting on a comfy couch, relaying their problems to a therapist who offers guidance, and feedback. Talk therapy is transformative for many people, including people who have been through extensive trauma. If the therapy space is a calm, safe environment, clients can dig into difficult experiences and feelings. However, sometimes inner turmoil can feel extremely unsafe, and talk therapy isn’t enough to do the deep healing work to resolve the disruption trauma creates in the nervous system.
EMDR Therapy looks a bit different from traditional talk therapy. While you may still get to sit on a comfy couch with a comforting therapist, your work will be mostly internal, with your therapist acting as a guide. Your therapist will lead you through a series of ‘sets’ of bilateral stimulation while you bring up traumatic memories in your brain. This bilateral stimulation allows your brain to look at these painful memories while reducing the emotional, and physical distress you typically experience when thinking of the memory.
The biggest difference between talk therapy, and EMDR Therapy is that you won’t rely on verbal processing alone to work through trauma. Your therapist will check in to ensure your brain is moving through the memory, and not getting stuck. However, your therapist isn’t there to discuss every nitty gritty detail you have experienced. It is a huge relief for many clients not to talk through every granular moment of their trauma and history.
What Can I Expect When Starting EMDR?
EMDR is broken up into eight structured phases. Your therapist will ensure that you move through these phases in the correct order and at a pace that ensures you can address your specific needs. These phases include:
1) History & Treatment Planning: In this phase, your therapist will ask questions to understand your individual history and how your specific traumas impacted you. You will complete various questionnaires to help your therapist understand what you need to address. Together, you will create a map of traumatic experiences you have had throughout your lifetime. You and your therapist use this tool to work through your trauma in a structured manner.
2) Preparation: Your therapist will help you learn, and practice coping skills during preparation. These will include relaxation techniques, grounding skills, and emotion regulation tools to help you manage your emotions during processing. Your therapist will also begin introducing, and testing different types of bilateral stimulation to determine which type works best for you. These may include eye movements, tapping, and sounds. Practicing bilateral stimulation during preparation will help you feel comfortable and familiar with the process before beginning the reprocessing work.
3) Assessment: Once your therapist has given you all the tools to prepare you for reprocessing, you will select your first ‘target’ or traumatic memory to address together. Your therapist will ask you a series of questions to guide your processing of the specific memory.
4) Desensitization: You will focus on the selected memory while using bilateral stimulation. By using bilateral stimulation, you will be able to process the memory differently and begin to reduce the emotional charge associated with the memory. During desensitization, your brain will integrate the previously isolated memory into the existing memory network.
5) Installation: During installation, your therapist will guide you through pairing a positive belief or resource alongside your memory to strengthen your resilience. This could be as simple as switching from the belief of “I’m not in control” to “I can ask for help.” This will be done while still using bilateral stimulation.
6) Body Scan: Your therapist will help you check for any ‘residue’ or sensations in the body when you hold the memory in your mind. If residue arises, your therapist will guide you through bilateral stimulation until you can scan your body and find no associated sensations.
7) Closure: Toward the end of each session, your therapist will allot time to ensure you are grounded. You will have time to debrief and discuss your needs between sessions.
8) Reevaluation: At the start of every new session, your therapist will check in with you about progress, and help you process your memories until you have worked through your traumatic experiences.
Can EMDR Work in an Online Therapy Setting?
EMDR is effective both in-person and online! Your therapist can guide you through the process either way. When EMDR is done virtually, some extra considerations will be discussed. Because you will not be in the same isolated, calm environment created by your therapist, you will likely discuss how to maintain a grounded, safe, and private space while connected virtually. Choose a quiet location with minimal distractions. You will also need a reliable computer with headphones that work with the bilateral stimulation your therapist will provide. All of this will be set up and tested before ever beginning the reprocessing steps.
Some folks find it more grounding to be in person with their therapist while completing EMDR. Having someone physically present in the room with you can help you through difficult emotions, especially during periods of dissociation. It can sometimes feel like the memories you pull up feel real, like they are happening to you again in real time. In this case, your therapist will use their presence to calm, and ground you. While this can be done both virtually, and in person, you may find that you have a preference.
In-Person EMDR
In person, you will likely have the chance to use ‘tappers.’ Tappers are a tool that allows you to receive tactile stimulation (a buzzing sensation) held in each hand. This particular tool is not typically available virtually. You will likely use visual, auditory, or both when processing virtually. When using visual stimulation, you may come across a few different techniques. Your therapist may use their fingers. You may follow a light bar or a ball that moves across your screen. All of these methods are effective. You and your therapist will select what works best for you, depending on your specific needs, preferences, or desires. In short, EMDR is an effective modality virtually, as well as in person, and TSG therapists are trained to work in both settings.
How to Begin EMDR Treatment at The Sterling Group
You may already know that you would like to try EMDR Therapy. Maybe you’ve done it before, and it has been helpful. Maybe you have a friend who has done it and told you how transformative it was. Or maybe you’ve read this and resonated with some of the experiences described. Even if you are still on the fence and don’t know if EMDR is right for you, meeting with a therapist can help evaluate your needs.
Are You Ready to Start EMDR? Reach Out to the Sterling Group in Washington, DC
The Sterling Group boasts two therapists on our team who are fully trained in EMDR. Linsi Grose, LICSW, LCSW, offers both in-person and virtual appointments for EMDR clients. Emma Cook, LICSW, offers all virtual appointments for EMDR. They had the pleasure of attending their intensive training together and considering how this healing modality could best serve the unique challenges young adults in the DMV area are facing.
You will have the option of setting up a phone consultation or an initial intake session. During the phone consultation, Linsi or Emma would be happy to address any questions and concerns about starting EMDR. Once you’ve moved forward with an intake appointment, Linsi or Emma will closely examine your specific needs and determine if EMDR is the right fit for you. The Sterling Group is excited to join you as you begin your EMDR journey!
Schedule a consultation with us using our contact form.
Meet with one of our trauma therapists.
Handle transitions in your life with more ease!
Other Services at The Sterling Group
At our Washington DC-based therapy practice, we know that trauma doesn’t usually show up in your life as one, single thing. Usually, there are other issues that need to be addressed, and we can help with that. That’s why we offer a multitude of services to support you. Our individual services include therapy for relationship challenges, therapy for developing identities and self-esteem, depression treatment, therapy for stress & anxiety, as well as executive function support. We also offer couples therapy for those that are looking to grow in their relationships. We would love to chat with you today about the ways we can support your growth at our counseling practice serving the Washington, DC area!
