WHAT IS EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR)?
EMDR, THE BASICS
The brain is complex and is hardwired for survival. These wirings are ancient and strong. The brain is also hardwired to heal. However this healing can be more challenging depending on negative life experiences, childhood environment, and current stressors. As humans, the body and brain naturally know how to heal. Depending on the nature of the trauma, the strengths and developmental stages of the person impacted, and the support available at the time of the traumatic event, some experiences cannot be easily moved or recovered from. This can go on to drive psychological symptoms.
HOW DOES EMDR WORK?
Here is what is the most beautiful and powerful aspect of EMDR, it's your brain doing the work. EMDR is based on the use of bilateral stimulation of BLS which mimics Rapid Eye Movement (REM) which occurs in dreaming or REM cycles. A series of lateral eye movements while the person simultaneously focuses on various aspects of a disturbing memory in order to process it with more adaptive or desired information. Memories that are too distressing or overwhelm us become frozen or walled off with the original sensations, thoughts, and feelings of when they happened. EMDR can help unfreeze them and allow us to call what other resources to resolve them.
DOES EMDR CHANGE MY BRAIN?
Yes and in a good way! Changing the brain means making connections. We learn about the world and how to understand ourselves in it from relationships, especially our early ones in childhood. Neuroscience studies have shown that babies learn prenatally. Much of what is learned can remain at a subconscious level and hardwires us for what can of information we can expect from our caregivers and environment. EMDR can help address these earliest messages and reset them if these messages have been toxic or harmful.