EMDR Therapy
It happened in the past, why should it matter now?
The mind, like the body, has a natural ability to heal itself, but sometimes when you experience a traumatizing event or you are repeatedly subjected to distress, your natural coping mechanisms can become overloaded. This can result in those negative experiences remaining frozen or “unprocessed” in your brain. Even when memories themselves are foggy or forgotten, feelings such as anxiety, panic, anger or despair can continue to be triggered. Consequently, your ability to live in and learn from the present can become inhibited.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from traumatic events and other distressing life experiences. A structured therapy, EMDR encourages the client to briefly focus on a past traumatic experience, while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movement), which results in a reduction of the intensity of negative emotions associated with the memory in question.
Unlike other therapeutic modalities, EMDR does not require clients to discuss distressing issues in depth. EMDR can be brief focused treatment or part of a longer psychotherapy treatment plan. For many clients, this form of psychotherapy has proven effective in fewer sessions than other approaches and for some people, positive effects have been seen after one session of EMDR.
Who can benefit from EMDR?
In addition to its use for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, EMDR has been successfully used to treat :
- Anxiety & panic attacks
- Phobias
- Grief & loss
- Depression & bipolar disorders
- Dissociative disorders
- Personality disorders
- Chronic pain
- Substance abuse & addiction
- Eating disorders
- Violence or domestic abuse
- Performance anxiety
- PTSD & other trauma or stress
- Sexual assault
- Sleep disturbances
- Chronic medical issues
“The past affects the present even without our being aware of it.”
~ Francine Shapiro, Psychologist & Developer of EMDR
Connect with a Registered Clinical Counsellor
Call:
250-858-4804
Email:
Hours:
Flexible & By Appointment. Available for in-person & virtual sessions.
Location:
Victoria, BC, Canada
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