EMDR Is Not Just For PTSD Or Trauma

When it comes to treating trauma or PTSD, EMDR is the gold standard. 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing(EMDR) is one of the most effective ways to help someone heal from traumatic events or memories. Most people, at first glance, believe that EMDR is much more complicated than it actually is. Or, they don't know that therapies besides "talk therapy," actually exist.

One of the best things about EMDR is that it doesn't just help someone heal from trauma or PTSD symptoms. In fact, EMDR is highly effective for anxiety, depression, and so much more.

What Are The Basics Of EMDR?

EMDR is a type of therapy that uses bilateral stimulation(eye movement) as painful memories or limiting beliefs are addressed. Using specific eye movement exercises and tapping, the client is asked to think back to these negative moments to process them in a healthier way.

Why Is EMDR Effective?

Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require a lot of focus on painful memories or limiting beliefs. Spending too much time on negative aspects of your life can sometimes make you feel emotionally drained.

EMDR not only saves you from this emotional experience but ultimately ends up saving you time, as well. It doesn't focus on the past so much as it does on getting you unstuck from the past.

You can look at EMDR as a way of reframing your mindset. You aren't focusing so much on what happened but on how you can change your perception of it. In this way, it can help people with any negative issues in their life. Here are just a few ways that EMDR can help beyond trauma or PTSD.

What EMDR Can Help With

EMDR For Anxiety

Sometimes, we experience anxiety from a negative experience or sensory input. For instance, maybe you were in a car accident and the sound of metal hitting metal has remained in your head. Now, anytime you hear metal against anything, no matter how large the sound is, it causes your brain to freak out and causes you to feel very anxious.

EMDR helps ease anxiety symptoms by reframing the things that are triggering you. Whether that be sounds, smells, or certain situations - EMDR helps to break these negative cycles.

When we are feeling anxious, we are excessively worrying about something happens. We may think, "Something bad is going to happen when I go out of my house today, so I'll just cancel my plans." You can't attribute this thought to something concrete, but it still remains. EMDR not only helps you to discover why you are anxious about leaving your house but can help reprocess this into a positive spin.

EMDR For Depression And Confidence

Depression is an awful mood disorder to deal with. It can make you think things like, "I don't matter to anyone, " "This will never get better," or, "Everything is my fault."

EMDR helps to reframe these thoughts. It helps clients to counteract these thoughts by replacing them with positive ones. EMDR teaches that things can get better, it just takes time. That not everything is your fault, you can't control every outcome or situation.

By replacing the negative aspects of our life with something positive, EMDR is a powerful tool that has lasting results for many of my clients. If you are hesitant about EMDR, I completely understand. Therapy alone can be a scary thought for most people(although I promise it isn't.) If you are ready to learn more about EMDR Therapy and if it is right for you, I invite you to read more about it on my site. I also offer EMDR Intensive as an option for clients as well.