What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy. It is a therapeutic model developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 80s. It uses AIP theory, (Adaptive Information Processing) to posit that when traumatic memories get stuck in the brain, it is because they are maladaptively stored.
For example, I visualize a file in a filing cabinet, where a file is sticking out (maladaptively stored), and therefore, the drawer cannot close. When your brain tries to close that drawer, it keeps hitting the file over and over. Without addressing how the file is misplaced, the same problems continue to occur. In the real world, this shows up as symptoms such as hypervigiliance, negative emotions, flashbacks, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, difficulty with memory, and so much more!
Notably, EMDR therapy utilizes bilateral stimulation. Bilateral stimulation is something that activates both sides of the brain. In addition to bilateral stimulation, EMDR uses a specific protocol to help our brains process and unblock the unhelpful memories. In addition, it helps to reprocess them more adaptively in the brain.
While EMDR therapy is most widely known for treating trauma, EMDR has been extensively studied and found to be effective for treating:
- PTSD/Trauma
- Anxiety
- Depression
- OCD
- Chronic Pain
- Addictions
- Distressing Life Events
- Grief
- Patterns you are stuck in
How is EMDR therapy used?
EMDR therapy, as a brief intervention, addresses a specific traumatic event. Consequently, as a brief intervention, you work on resourcing, desensitizing, and strengthening positive experiences.
Interestingly, as a fully psychotherapeutic model, EMDR identifies and processes past experiences that underlie present difficulties. In addition, it addresses current disturbing situations, anticipatory anxieties, needed skills, and adaptive responses to future demands. Notably, this is a more comprehensive and integrative approach.
EMDR therapy, at its basic level, works through a standard protocol that includes:
- Phase 1: History
- Phase 2: Preparation
- Phase 3: Assessment
- Phase 4: Desensitization
- Phase 5: Installation
- Phase 6: Body Scan
- Phase 7: Closure
- Phase 8: Reevaluation
Look out for a future blog that goes into more detail about what a session in EMDR therapy is like and what each phase looks like.
How exactly does EMDR Therapy Work?
Interestingly, we know through extensive research that EMDR therapy works to treat trauma and other mental health struggles, but we don’t know exactly why. There are three main theories as to why it works. Perhaps one will make the most sense to you!
The three main theories for how EMDR therapy works are the REM Theory, the Orienting Response Model, and the Working Memory Model. Furthermore, the answer may belong in one or a combo of all three.
REM Theory
This theory was Dr. Francine Shapiro’s favorite. This model theorizes that the eye movements or bilateral stimulation used in EMDR mimics a similar state to REM sleep. When our brain is in REM sleep, it works to desensitize negative emotions, helps the brain work towards flexibility, and strengthens understanding and insight, similar to the work achieved in an EMDR session.
Orienting Response Model
This hypothesizes that bilateral stimulation invites the brain to constantly shift attention. This shift calms the sympathetic nervous system and engages the parasympathetic nervous system. All of these changes allow the brain to better process the information.
Working Memory Model
In brief, working memory is how we hold information necessary to complete a task while doing an activity or task. Examples of using your working memory include: doing mental math, following multi-step directions, reading comprehension, or following a recipe. This model theorizes that doing EMDR overtaxes the working memory, which can result in the memories becoming less intense or sharp.
What are the benefits of EMDR therapy?
Accelerated Healing
One of the biggest benefits I have seen from EMDR is that it facilitates accelerated learning and healing. This means getting relief faster! But, please don’t confuse faster for fast. Many of my clients come to me with deeply ingrained developmental trauma. While EMDR helps to speed up the process, untangling and unpacking years-old patterns in your brain still takes time! Be patient with yourself and the process as you are making those changes.
How long does EMDR take?
For a single event trauma, EMDR therapy can be completed in 4-8 weeks. For developmental trauma (long-standing patterns – or ones where the brain has many files to sift through), it can take much longer. Work collaboratively with your clinician to develop the best treatment plan for you and your goals
Desensitization
Another benefit of EMDR is that it desensitizes. Concretely, this means it aids in reducing the intensity of negative emotions and the vividness of traumatic events. In addition, it decreases emotional arousal. As the memories become less intense and vivid, the brain more easily lets them go.
Increased Flexibility in the Brain
EMDR increases the brain’s ability to recall and reprocess memories in an effort to process and store them more adaptively in the brain (again, think of placing the file appropriately in the filing cabinet). This leads to increasing flexibility in the automatic response system. For example, your brain may hear certain sounds, and its automatic signal is to “jump” or “run away.” EMDR allows your brain flexibility in considering other options. Because less energy is funneling towards old patterns of responses, more energy is spent on the ability to cope, building positive resources, and increasing stabilization.
Letting go of negativity and increasing the positive
Lastly, one of my favorite benefits of EMDR is that it helps the brain decrease access to negative information while increasing positive and adaptive understanding in the brain. One example is a kid raised in an unsafe environment. One way a child may cope is to be the perfect child. This stores maladaptively in the brain (again, think of the skewed file), as “I have to be perfect to be safe.” As an adult, this client may seek out EMDR therapy to work on patterns of rigid perfectionism and appropriately distinguishing what is safe vs. not.
Additional Resources
Interested in learning more about how EMDR works or the experience of someone who has gone through EMDR? I always recommend Every Memory Deserves Respect by Michael Baldwin and Dr. Deborah Korn. It is co-written by a therapist who provides EMDR and an individual who utilized EMDR in his own healing journey. If you are a visual person, there are also great visuals throughout the books!
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