What Is EMDR Therapy?
If you’ve ever felt like talking about trauma didn’t get you anywhere or change how you felt, then EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy may be right for you. Instead of having you recount what happened to you, which can often be very triggering and retraumatizing, EMDR rewires how your brain processes traumatic memories. This way, you can recall your experience without feeling anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed.
Through gentle eye movements, tapping exercises, and auditory cues, EMDR signals to your nervous system that it’s safe to process the pain of the past. It activates both sides of the brain and moves traumatic memories from the emotional side (right side) to the logical side (left side).
In other words, EMDR allows you to view your trauma from a more detached and objective perspective. It doesn’t erase the memory of what happened, but it “files away” the pain, making it easier to digest. In the long run, this can lead to a deeper sense of peace, greater confidence, and healthier ways of relating to others.
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How Effective Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is rooted in neuroscience and backed by a wealth of scientific research stretching back to its creation in 1987. Advanced medical imaging has demonstrated that brain activity calms down significantly after EMDR treatment (1). Other studies have shown that EMDR can reduce or eliminate PTSD symptoms in as little as three-to-six sessions (2).
Because of its efficacy, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Department of Defense (DoD) and World Health Organization (WHO) all consider EMDR a first-line treatment option for trauma. For many individuals, EMDR can provide relief more quickly than traditional talk therapy because it targets the underlying cause of how trauma is stored in the brain, rather than just the surface symptoms.
At Abundant Life Institute, many clients come to us for EMDR because they feel stuck. They’ve tried other kinds of therapy, but the memories, triggers, and anxieties just won’t go away. They want real healing, not just coping skills, and EMDR gives them hope that lasting change is possible.
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
The entire EMDR treatment process at Abundant Life is client-led. You get to control the pace of your sessions and we will always work within your comfort level. In the beginning, we’ll equip you with a wide range of skills and resources so that you feel calm and grounded throughout treatment.
When you’re ready, we will begin the EMDR stimulation exercises. You’ll identify a “target” memory and then concentrate on it while we use visual, audio, and tactile techniques to help your brain process your trauma. Doing this repeatedly can help you desensitize the pain your trauma caused, rewiring your nervous system’s response to the original event.
By the end of your time in EMDR therapy, our hope is that you will experience post-traumatic growth. This means that, instead of feeling stuck in the pain of the past, you can live your life with greater peace, more meaningful connections, and a deeper sense of confidence in who you are. What’s more, you can expect to walk away with real-life skills and resources for calming your nervous system when old memories try to hijack you.
Why Should I Choose EMDR Instead Of Other Approaches To Counseling?
Talk therapy can be very effective for a wide range of issues, but its ability to treat trauma is limited. That’s because talk therapy only engages the conscious mind, and trauma is stored in the subconscious. This explains why so many clients who have tried conventional therapy remain stuck despite years of treatment.
Additionally, EMDR provides a very holistic, body-centered approach to processing trauma. It addresses not only the mental and emotional aspects of trauma, but also the physical responses. As a result, EMDR allows for both deeper healing and quicker relief than other approaches. It takes the whole person into account—body, mind, heart, and soul.
For clients who want to accelerate the healing process even more, Abundant Life Institute is proud to offer EMDR intensive therapy. Each intensive is a seven-hour package, and you are welcome to do all seven hours in one day or divvy it up into multiple days. The intensive sessions work best for those who want to heal from trauma but struggle to find space in their schedule for weekly therapy.
Heal Your Mind, Body, And Spirit Through The Power Of EMDR Therapy
At Abundant Life Institute in Winder, Georgia, many of our therapists are basic-trained in EMDR through an EMDRIA-approved trainer. Our practice owner, Betsy Mejias, is an EMDR-certified consultant, offering consultations in EMDR for Abundant Life’s team.
We’ve witnessed the healing power of EMDR in our clients’ lives, and many of us have also experienced its healing power for ourselves, too. If you want to experience the same thing, we invite you to schedule a free, 20-minute phone consultation by using our contact page or calling us at (770) 246-2822.
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EMDR Therapy in Winder
46 S Broad St,
Winder, GA 30680