EMDR – Eye movement desensitisation & reprocessing.
A form of therapy that uses eye movement to process and release specific traumatic experiences. This helps to desensitise the system so symptoms and reactions that had come about as a result of the experience can be unlearnt or simply disappear.
Experiences remain stuck in the mind with repeated repercussions because they have not been fully processed. By this we mean understood, ‘filed away’. An unprocessed experience hangs around the mind, it’s easily activated and recalled as if in real time. Which causes mental, emotional and physical disturbances. EMDR is a fast, simple, highly efficient tool for helping to release trauma by reprocessing difficult experiences.
We could generalise these unprocessed traumatic experiences as PTSD – Post traumatic stress disorder.
Please know that trauma is any experience when a person perceived themselves to be helpless. So it doesn’t have to be a big incident, like an earthquake, accident, death. It can be something as seemingly uneventful as a scowl from a parent, or a bird swooping close by someones head and causing a surprise. Children getting bullied at school. We never disregard any incident as the possible root of ‘trauma’
If trauma hasn’t been released, here are some of the symptoms people can experience. This is where EMDR can really help.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Nightmares
- Sleep problems,
- Intrusive thoughts
- Sense of threat
- Anger, guilt, shame
- Self destructive behaviours
- Negative self image
- Self medicating/substance abuse
- Excessive blame
- Dissociation
- Unexplained illnesses
EMDR is a specific therapy for processing trauma. It helps to release the symptoms of a memory that’s caught in limbo.
A practitioner will always spend time with the client gathering details such as history.
What’s the process?
When we have the information that is needed and an assessment made, EMDR is one of the tools that can be used for trauma release.
It looks so simple
it is simple.
Our eyes follow a moving object in front, usually the practitioners fingers. This happens while the client is accessing certain memories, associated sensations relative to the issue. The practitioners fingers are moving from side to side, or in some other directions and the client follows this, keeping their head still.
As the eyes track and trace, the feelings and information being remembered alters. Having good rapport with our clients is so important as we need them to be as open as possible. This allows for the ease of share the changes happening moment to moment.
The eyes are a window into our subconscious mind. We see inside as well as outside. We have to move our eyes to access stored information. So if we move our eyes in a way conducted to alter the ability to access, recall, and remember, it causes an interrupt in neurology.
To process a life experience that caused stress means to file it away.
Gaining new understandings, learnings, or simply the awareness that everything is ok now.
With this the mind can dissolve any emotional attachments allowing the owner of the mind to be peaceful once more.
This results in the body relaxing as the mind is clearer and knows it’s ok. This means healing and repairing can happen, on every level.
Physical expressions of trauma release can show up in such a way as better sleep. Healing from certain ailments or conditions as the immune system reengages fully.
An awareness of ‘self’ improves. This leads on to the progression of changes mentally and emotionally. People become self confident, have more self esteem and self worth.
EMDR for trauma release is simple and safe. Even children can receive this work. Follow this link to a site that has chunked down the how’s so parents can work with their children. The mind is always wanting an upgrade, for the better. So this means we either change for the better or nothing happens.
As you know when we’re at ease, and comfortable within ourselves we take up more of the opportunities that are available to us. So we comfortably try new things, we’re open to meet more people. Pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone, leaning into challenges with anticipation and excitement rather than fear or worry.
We evolve and thrive in all areas of life.
Everyone deserves to have the opportunity to experience life from a place of joy, anticipation, wellness.
It is possible, there are many of us out here to lend a hand. Message me to organise a free chat.
You deserve it
🦋
