EMDR Therapy for Adults

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Sometimes understanding a difficult experience intellectually does not completely change the way that experience continues to feel.

A memory may belong to the past, yet the emotional or physical response associated with it can continue to appear in the present.

EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — is a structured therapeutic approach designed to help people process distressing experiences and memories.

EMDR is a psychotherapy approach developed specifically to help the brain process experiences that remain emotionally distressing.

Unlike traditional talk therapy alone, EMDR incorporates bilateral stimulation while working with aspects of a troubling memory or experience.

The goal is not to erase the memory. Rather, therapy seeks to help the experience become more fully processed so that remembering it no longer produces the same level of emotional distress.

EMDR is most widely associated with trauma and PTSD, but it may also be considered when past experiences contribute to present emotional difficulties.

Depending upon the individual and the circumstances, these may include distressing memories, anxiety associated with past experiences, emotional triggers, difficult relationship experiences, grief, or other experiences that continue to feel unresolved.

Whether EMDR is appropriate is determined individually rather than simply by the presence of a particular symptom.

EMDR is a structured process and does not begin simply by asking someone to revisit their most difficult experiences.

Therapy includes preparation, identifying appropriate treatment targets, developing resources for managing emotional distress, and determining whether the person is ready to begin processing.

During the processing phases, attention is given to aspects of a memory while bilateral stimulation is used.

The process is paced according to the individual’s needs and responses.

EMDR is a therapeutic tool rather than the entirety of therapy.

Rebecca integrates EMDR within a broader, individualized approach that may also include cognitive and behavioral strategies, mindfulness, acceptance-based work, somatic awareness, and other trauma-informed methods.

The approach used depends upon the individual, the concerns bringing them to therapy, and their goals.

INTERNAL LINK: EXPLORE TRAUMA & PTSD THERAPY → Page 2

Life Therapy Counseling provides online counseling and EMDR therapy for adults located in Washington.

For appropriate clients, EMDR can be provided through telehealth while maintaining the preparation, structure, and therapeutic relationship that are central to the process.

You do not need to decide in advance whether EMDR is the right approach for you.

An initial conversation can help Rebecca understand what brings you to therapy and whether EMDR, another therapeutic approach, or a combination of approaches may best fit your needs.