Severe illnesses, traumatic events, addictions, and substance abuse can have lasting, negative effects on the human psyche. While things like prescription medications, counseling, and other types of professional treatment can provide effective solutions for those in recovery, not every treatment method works the same for every person. And while it may not be the ideal solution for everyone, many people have found success using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a type of psychotherapy that combines eye movements and other forms of rhythmic stimulation to trigger the processing system in the brain. As a means of accessing and processing traumatic memories without spending dozens or hundreds of hours digging into a lifetime of psychological material, EMDR is often able to provide patients with rapid therapeutic relief by incorporating a variety of different treatment methods. Because EMDR is a type of certifiable mental health intervention, patients seeking the treatment should only use trained and licensed mental health clinicians who preferably have experience in the specialized practice.
How To Know If EMDR Is Right For You
Generally speaking, EMDR is an eight-phase treatment that includes several psychological treatment methods, one or more of which involve eye movement therapy. During eye movement therapy, the clinician will determine a particularly painful or traumatic memory and ask you to keep this memory in mind as you watch his or her hand move back and forth across your field of vision. Researchers have found that this practice connects with the same biological mechanisms in your brain as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, which prompts internal associations connected to the disturbing memory or feeling and lets you begin to process these emotions on a less painful, more effective level. In this sense, EMDR doesn’t close or eliminate the wounds, but instead transforms them into acceptable, less traumatic experiences.
If you think EMDR might be effective for you, contact Utah Trauma & Addiction Centers, today. As the leading resource for EMDR therapy in Utah, Utah Trauma & Addiction Centers has the experience, care, and qualified professionals to help you overcome your trauma.