EMDR
Hillary, Karen, Macy, Nicole and Dan are EMDRIA trained in EMDR. If you are interested in services utilizing EMDR please contact us to talk further about your needs and how to get you started. EMDR is a total treatment approach. We recommend full therapy and utilizing EMDR within that therapeutic process and not as a stand alone service. We have found many of our traumas are inter-linked and a “one time event” may be connected to previous events experienced. If you are currently in therapy, and your therapist has recommended EMDR in addition to the regular therapy provided, we can work closely with your regular therapist to determine the appropriateness of EMDR. It may or may not be appropriate to continue with your current therapist while engaging in EMDR sessions. This decision can be made with your regular therapist and the EMDR therapist. Exploring EMDR intensives may be an option if you are working with another therapist.
What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of trauma. EMDR is a set of standardized protocols that incorporates elements from different treatment approaches.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR therapy is an integrative psychotherapy and uses a technique called bilateral stimulation to repeatedly activate opposite sides of the brain. Therapists often use eye movements to facilitate the bilateral stimulation. These eye movements mimic the period of sleep referred to as rapid eye movement or REM sleep, and this portion of sleep is frequently considered to be the time when the mind processes the recent events in the person’s life.
EMDR seems to help the brain reprocess the trapped memories in such a way that normal information processing is resumed. Therapists often use EMDR to help clients uncover and process beliefs that developed as the result of relational traumas or childhood abuse and/or neglect. For a more detailed explanation please visit EMDR Institute, Inc.
What does EMDR help?
EMDR had been originally established as helpful for PTSD, although it’s been proven useful for treatment in the following conditions:
- Panic Attacks
- Complicated Grief
- Dissociative Orders
- Disturbing Memories
- Phobias
- Pain Disorders
- Performance Anxiety
- Addictions
- Stress Reduction
- Sexual and/or Physical Abuse
- Body Dysmorphic Disorders
- Personality Disorders
None of the above symptoms or experiences fit you?
Do you experience distressing emotions that appear to you, and perhaps to others, to be excessive given the current situation? Do you tend to be highly reactive to certain triggers? Is there one or more dysfunctional belief that you believe about yourself that on an intellectual level you know is not true?
If so, you may still be a good candidate for EMDR therapy.
How many sessions will I need of EMDR?
Many people ask us how many EMDR sessions are needed and we cannot provide a concrete answer to this. Every person is different and every trauma is different. If a trauma is linked to other traumatic events (most are) the EMDR may take more sessions than originally expected. It is not unusual for someone to come to us for one specific event and realize the connectedness of many more events. EMDR intensives are ideal to complete an event in the shortest time possible and it may depend on your system’s ability to navigate the traumatic event. These are decisions you can make with your therapist as you progress in EMDR.
EMDR Intensive Therapy
EMDR Intensives are a combination of basic therapy sessions and EMDR sessions which last 2 hours or more. Intensives are an option for those who are interested in completing EMDR in a shorter time period. Through EMDR intensives a person can reach a place of less reactivity, healing, and stability faster than the traditional one hour a week therapy session. If you are interested in exploring EMDR Intensives talk to your EMDR therapist and s/he can give you more information. Insurances do not yet pay for EMDR intensives. Self pay sessions of EMDR are billed at $125 an hour and $155 for 80 minutes. If you are using insurance, we may be able to bill the first 60-90 minutes of your intensive to insurance and this is dependent on your insurance.