How EMDR works
When you experience traumatic events, your body’s natural cognitive and neurological coping mechanisms can become overwhelmed. This results in the memory and associated emotions of the traumatic event being inadequately processed; or as explained by the EMDR Centre London
…the traumatic experiences are anchored in a blocked or inadequately integrated memory network in the brain. The memories of those events are stored as they were experienced at the time of the event, “frozen in time”, …
The aim of EMDR Therapy, is to properly process these traumatic memories and their associated emotions; thereby reducing their impact and helping you to reprocess your memories of the event and properly integrate them into the brain and body systems, by ‘influenceing the neural pathways in the brain…‘ through bilateral stimulation both brain hemispheres are activated and synchronised in relation to a traumatic event. Source: EMDR Centre London
With the use of external sensory stimuli, you are guided to assume an observing role of the traumatic events.
EMDR Therapy stimulates a re-evaluation of the distressing experience including bringing about a more positive outlook of one’s self and their ability to effectively manage life events. This is achieved through a set of standardised protocol with an eight-phase treatment process to address the past, present, and future aspects of a stored memory. This process includes:
- History and Treatment Planning
- Preparation
- Assessment
- Desenitisation
- Installation
- Body Scan
- Closure
- Re-evaluation
To find out more, call us on 07983 213 267 for a free initial telephone consultation.