What is EMDR and is it for you? by Shifan Hu-Couble

By Shifan Hu-Couble

Counsellor / Psychotherapist

What is EMDR and is it for you? by

Shifan Hu-Couble

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) is the gold standard for trauma treatment. Find out from Counsellor & Psychotherapist Shifan Hu-Couble what is entailed in an EMDR session and what issues it can be used for.

What is EMDR?

EMDR therapy, developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987, revolutionized mental health treatment with its unique approach to processing trauma. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It might sound complicated and intimidating, but in reality, this body-based modality is rather straightforward. You might have heard of EMDR through friends, therapists, or the media as it is one of the most popular interventions for clients who have experienced traumatic life events. It is an evidence-based and structured model of psychotherapeutic treatment that involves working with memories, body sensations, core self-beliefs, and emotions to eliminate the residential emotional, somatic, and cognitive remnants of painful past experiences.

What occurs in a typical EMDR session?

There are eight phases of treatment. These 8 phases of EMDR therapy are:

Phase 1 in EMDR therapy: History Taking

This phase involves getting a history of your life experiences: upbringing, pivotal moments, life adversities, etc.

Phase 2 in EMDR therapy: Preparation

This phase involves preparing you to work through some negative experiences in your past: learning emotional regulation skills, establishing a calm state, safe place, etc.

Phase 3 in EMDR therapy: Assessment

This phase involves determining what past experiences you will need to work through: identifying a maladaptive belief, for example: I am not good enough, I am not lovable, I am not safe, etc.

Phase 4 in EMDR Therapy: Desensitization

This phase involves working through some of these old memories via bilateral stimulation.

Phase 5 in EMDR Therapy: Installation

This phase involves implementing more positive beliefs or strengths and installing more adaptive beliefs of self, for example: I am good enough, I am lovable, I am safe, etc.

Phase 6 in EMDR Therapy: Body Scan

This phase involves working through any physical symptoms from your thoughts.

Phase 7 in EMDR Therapy: Closure

This phase involves finding closure for these past negative memories.

Phase 8 in EMDR Therapy: Reevaluation

This phase involves reevaluating each session to make sure processing was successful.

EMDR sessions may be longer than standard talk therapy sessions: 60-180 minutes.

During bilateral stimulation, you will be guided through bilateral eye movements where you are focusing your gaze on the movement of the therapist's fingers. This dual stimulation would continue until some unhelpful thoughts and beliefs about yourself become less disturbing and more positive. This healing process is similar to how a physical cut heals with time. You might start with, “I am helpless.” And end with, “I am in control.” During sessions of EMDR, clients may experience strong images, sensations, and emotions related to their disturbing memories, but most clients report a significant reduction in the intensity of the disturbance.

You will be processing the trauma with both hemispheres of the brain stimulated. The chosen positive belief is installed, via bilateral movement, to replace the existing negative one. It is believed that EMDR works because the “bilateral stimulation” bypasses the area of the brain that has become stuck due to the trauma and prevents the left side of the brain (rational brain) from self-soothing the right side (emotional brain) of the brain.

During this procedure, clients tend to “process” the memory in a way that leads to a peaceful resolution. This often results in increased insight regarding both previously disturbing events and long-held negative thoughts about the self that have grown out of the original traumatic event. For example, an assault victim may finally come to realize that he was not to blame for what happened, he is now safe, that the event is really over, and, as a result, he can regain a general sense of safety and control in his world.

Is EMDR for me?

As a therapist specialized in childhood trauma, I use EMDR with clients who do not have many explicit memories of their childhood. EMDR creates a gateway to the memory network that might not be accessible to our prefrontal cortex. I would recommend trying EMDR out for 1-3 sessions and debriefing with your therapists on the nature of the issue and the effectiveness of the treatment before deciding whether to commit to this modality. Other than childhood trauma, EMDR can also be helpful in treating anxiety, PTSD, eating disorder, unresolved grief, addiction, and phobias.

How to know if you’re ready for EMDR therapy

EMDR requires the client to confront some of the most difficult memories and this takes courage and emotional regulation skills. Your psychologist, counsellor, or psychotherapist can work with you to get you ready for the treatment.

One important way to determine if you’re ready for EMDR therapy is knowing if you can tolerate your difficult emotions as they rise without distracting, denying, or dissociating. If you’re emotions feel overwhelming or if you tend to shut down when you feel an emotion you may not be ready for EMDR treatment. Some additional work may be required for you to increase your distress tolerance level first.

EMDR therapy relies on your body and mind’s ability to process through your thoughts and feelings. If you’re unable to process in that way, EMDR therapy may not be effective. This doesn’t mean you can’t do EMDR. It simply means you have some more preparation work before you’ll experience the full benefits of EMDR.

How long does it take to work?

As mentioned earlier, EMDR allows you to access your subcortical memory network where the trauma sits. Research shows that EMDR can accelerate your healing. That being said, EMDR is not a quick fix. Like any other modalities, the length of therapy is the function of your rapport with your therapist, your level of motivation, and your current level of self-awareness. Typically, it will take at least 10-12 sessions to assess the effectiveness of your EMDR therapy.

I’m in, What’s next?

Book in a session with EMDR trained therapist, like myself and we’ll walk you through the process and create a safe holding space for you to work through long entrenched issues in your life.