EMDR Therapy in Somerville, NJ
EMDR Therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy, is a psychotherapy that helps people heal from emotional distress or trauma. This established therapy shows that much like how the body can heal from a physical wound, so too can the mind heal from a psychological trauma.
Through imagery, mindfulness and other cognitive techniques, EMDR Therapy works to meet your needs. Typically, EMDR Therapy requires you to focus on your anxiety, or traumatic thoughts, while doing back and forth eye movements, listening to alternating tones, and/or feeling alternating vibrations in your hands. This process helps the brain to resolve emotional trauma and gain insight into your circumstances.
The majority of reports show that EMDR Therapy is more effective than traditional forms of therapy, expediting the healing process. Here at Olive Branch Therapy Group, many members of our clinical team are certified in EMDR Therapy and are ready to help you heal.
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
There are eight phases in EMDR Therapy. The time it takes to move through these eight phases depends on you as an individual and should in no means be rushed. We believe that it is most important that you first establish a good connection with your therapist and feel comfortable talking to them about your history and what your goals are for treatment.
For each of your anxieties, traumas, issues or “targets”, your therapist will seek to help you work through the eight phases. While some targets many only take you one session to work through all eight phases, other issues or targets may take longer.
After agreeing with your therapist that EMDR therapy is a good fit, you will be asked to focus on a specific event. Your therapist will ask you to pay special attention to the negative image, belief, and body feeling related to this traumatic experience. They will then ask you to also focus on a positive belief that would indicate your issue was resolved.
While you are focusing on your trauma, or target, your therapist will begin sets of side-to-side eye movements, tones or taps. You will be instructed to pay attention to what happens during each touch, movement or sound, and what thoughts or feelings you may have spontaneously throughout the process. These sets of eye movements, sounds, or taps are repeated until the target or trauma becomes less disturbing. At any point in time you can ask your therapist to stop.
Ultimately, EMDR Therapy aims to help gain insight into the past, present and future surrounding your trauma. Through EMDR Therapy, you will form better insights into past memories that are contributing to the problem, present situations that are disturbing, and what skills you may need to better cope in the future.
Who Could Benefit from EMDR Therapy?
EMDR has been shown to be most helpful in those who suffer from trauma and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD.) While EMDR Therapy was primarily established to help those suffering from PTSD, today EMDR has been found to help those suffering from grief, depression and many other issues.
How to Get Started with EMDR Therapy
You’ve taken the first step in taking better care of yourself. You recognize the importance of mental health and now you’re ready to reach out to someone. We couldn’t be happier to help! Please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Olive Branch Therapy Group to schedule an appointment or if you have any questions. We look forward to helping you find the peace you deserve.
