We have some cracking oh shit moments this week that you can tune into via the audio! But our topic of the week this week is....EMDR!
This is a form of trauma therapy that we have chosen to focus on because I just started it myself and wanted to share the knowledge with you all. I’ve had a lot of trauma throughout my life and has been working to clear it away as it has been manifesting in my body as a lot of pain. So I will keep you posted on my journey...but first, what is EMDR?
What is EMDR?
We found this awesome definition on emdr.com and love that it has both a definition for clinicians and also for lay people...AKA...us regular folk with no training whatsoever. So definitely check it out in more detail, but here are the basics.
"EMDR is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences."
What it does is allow you to explore deeply engrained memories or traumas in your subconscious brain via bi-lateral stimulation, which means stimulation that moves from one side to another. This is sometimes done using a buzzer in either hand, sometimes it’s following a therapist’s finger back and forth and there are many other ways as well.
EMDR challenges regular assumptions about the time it takes to heal.
It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. But unlike talk therapy, the insights clients gain in EMDR therapy result not so much from clinician interpretation, but from our own accelerated intellectual and emotional processes. This means that it’s not like we process everything out loud as we would in normal talk therapy. You can if you want to (Maddie certainly does) but for others it can actually happen in silence if that feels right for you.
EMDR heals the mind in the same way that the body heals itself from a wound.
If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.
Statistics
84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions
77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions
It’s important to remember that although this is seen as more of a short term therapy, more complex trauma will likely require a combination of therapies, longer sessions or just a longer time to heal. It will differ between individuals just as any other form of therapy would.
The cool thing is that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is now recognized as an effective form of treatment for trauma and other disturbing experiences by organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization and the Department of Defense (https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr)
My Experience
I actually used this previously in the time between my breakdown and going to university, and it really helped me. I didn't have the IBS symptoms that I have now but I do remember having these epiphanies about where my issues were coming from and then going back home and verbally processing everything with my family and I remember feeling so relieved.
I’m headed back to this form of therapy as I recently realized that I’m still storing a ton of past trauma in my body which keeps coming out as chronic pain and panic attacks. So effectively we are going to try to “clear out” some of this stored trauma via the process of EMDR...which continues after the session is finished. I’ll be doing this weekly and started last Monday. Because so much of mine is stored in my body, I’ve realized that a lot of my process after the session is going to include physiological symptoms so much self care is needed for me and the reminder that it’s short term uncomfortability, for long term gains.
For any of ya’ll who are also struggling with physical pain, one book we recommend is the book called “The Body keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk. This is a great place to start to understand the physical manifestations of trauma!
TOOLS
EMDR.com for more information on the process itself!
If you think this might be helpful for you, make sure to reach out to a certified therapist or your own therapist for a referral.
The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk