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What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is a way to reprocess, at the neurophysiological level, our negative emotions (fears, anxiety, sadness), which became locked in our nervous system and stored in memory networks as trauma. This can be seen by reactive patterns of emotions, behaviors, thoughts, and negative self-beliefs that continue to persist despite the person's best efforts to make it stop.

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Objective of EMDR

To complete the information processing, thereby allowing the person to achieve a more healthy and balanced response. This will enable one to move from "survive" to "thrive" as they move to an improved state of emotional and physical health.
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The mind and body are not separate; they work together or are stuck together.  As one heals the mind, the body heals. As one heals the body, the mind opens and shifts.

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Can it be used with children?

"Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a psychotherapy treatment that is effective for resolving emotional difficulties caused by disturbing, difficult or frightening life experiences. When children are traumatized, have upsetting experiences or repeated failures, they lose a sense of control over their lives. This can result in symptoms of anxiety, depression, irritability, anger, guilt, and/or behavioral problems. Events such as accidents, abuse, violence, death, and natural disasters are traumatic, but we do not always recognize the ways they affect and influence a child's everyday life. Even common upsetting childhood events, such as divorce, school problems, peer difficulties, failures, and family problems, can deeply affect a child's sense of security, self-esteem, and development."

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"When an upsetting, scary or painful experience happens, sometimes the memory of the experience stays "stuck" or "frozen" in the mind and body. The experience may return in a distressing and intrusive way and the child may cope by avoiding everything associated with the upsetting experience. For example, a child who has experienced a bad bicycle accident may have repeated nightmares, be fearful of trying new things, and avoid things that are associated with a bicycle." (2009 EMDRIA brochure)

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What is an EMDR Session Like?

EMDR is part of an integrated treatment approach and is often used together with other therapeutic treatments such as play therapy, behavior therapy, and family therapy.

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Can EMDR Help All Children and Adults?

EMDR can be used with children, adolescents, and adults of all ages. Since we are all made of cells, tissues, neurons, and the ability to process experiences through our sensory inputs, all beings can benefit from EMDR therapy. For some individuals, it will require more preparatory work to get to the place that one is ready for EMDR. Since all Be The Change Global Wellness practitioners are at the highest trained integrated skillset level and practice, all levels of disturbance can be healed and transformed.

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How Does EMDR Work?

"In 1987, psychologist Francine Shapiro, Ph. D. made the chance observation that, under certain conditions, eye movements can reduce the intensity of negative, disturbing thoughts. Since her initial discovery, there have been more controlled research studies investigating EMDR than any other trauma therapy. Reviewers around the world agree that EMDR is effective in the treatment of traumatic events.”  (2009 EMDRIA brochure)

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Since then, research and neurobiology have found that the way our mind-body works is by taking in sensory information.  The left and right hemispheres of the brain during normal processing will integrate that information and store it as adaptive or as learned information such as one does if going to a job training.