How does eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) work and how can it help?
The brain is really an amazing tool. EMDR stands for eye movement, desensitization, reprocessing. Basically, we do not process traumatic memories the way we process every day memories. Traumatic memories sort of get "stuck" and loop over and over again like an app running in the background of your phone using up all your battery power. Our bodies and our brains do not understand that these memories happened in the past, because they were never put into long term memory storage. Thus our nervous systems are. on constant high alert, and our brains keep pumping out all those chemicals to the body to prepare it to either run away, fight, or freeze.
By accessing both sides of the brain (like when your eyes move back and forth when you are dreaming), while you are awake and guided by a therapist, memories are accessed, and given the time in the present moment to be fully processed and put into long term memory storage where they belong. When the brain understands this, it takes away the power of these memories and no longer prepares our bodies and our nervous systems to a flight, fight, freeze response.
Hi there, I'm Heather Kaminski, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate and a Certified Trauma Professional. I am trained in EMDR, ACT, DBT, Grief Counseling, Religious Trauma, and hold a certification in NLP.