Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic technique designed to help you process and heal from traumatic experiences. It was developed in the late 1980s by Francine Shapiro and has since become a widely recognized treatment for trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). EMDR works by using bilateral stimulation, often through guided eye movements, to help the brain reprocess distressing memories. This process helps you reframe negative thoughts and emotions associated with traumatic events, allowing you to experience relief and healing.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR focuses on processing the memories that contribute to emotional distress rather than simply discussing them. Therefore, EMDR is a somatic therapy, or a body-centered type of counseling. The therapy is conducted in a structured format, where your EMDR therapist at Anchor Therapy guides you through different stages, including identifying distressing memories, targeting specific emotions, and using the bilateral stimulation to facilitate reprocessing. Over time, this helps to reduce the emotional charge attached to those memories, making them less intrusive and more manageable. Research has shown significant success in treating a range of mental health conditions, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, with EMDR.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, couples, and families with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, and Florida.
What is EMDR and how does it work?
EMDR is a psychotherapy approach that helps individuals process and heal from traumatic experiences and distressing memories. Developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR is primarily used to treat PTSD but has also been found effective for anxiety, depression, and other emotional challenges.
What conditions can EMDR treat?
PTSD (Read our blog “Everything You Need to Know About CBT for PTSD”)
Anxiety (Check out our blog “Do I Have Anxiety? Take The Quiz and Learn 5 Instant Calming Tips”)
Depression (View our blog “3 Benefits of Working with a Depression Therapist”)
Phobias
Grief and loss (Our blog “Am I Experiencing Complicated and Traumatic Grief?” is a must-read)
Addiction (Read our blog “5 Ways to Help Someone Battling Addiction and Substance Abuse Issues”)
Childhood abuse and neglect (Check out our blog “How Childhood Trauma Can Impact You As An Adult”)
Performance anxiety
The therapy involves a unique process where the therapist helps you access traumatic memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation- most commonly through guided eye movements. This process is thought to facilitate the brain's natural healing mechanisms, enabling you to process memories and emotions that have been stuck or unresolved.
The way EMDR works is through an eight-phase treatment process. Initially, the therapist helps the client identify specific traumatic memories and the negative beliefs attached to them. Then, using bilateral stimulation (alternating right and left eye movements or other methods like tapping), the therapist helps the client reprocess these memories. This stimulation appears to mimic the natural processing that happens during REM sleep where the brain sorts and integrates memories. Over time, this reduces the emotional intensity of the memories, allowing you to reframe negative beliefs and feelings. As a result, distressing memories become less intrusive and can be recalled without triggering the same emotional response, promoting healing and emotional balance!
What Are The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy?
The eight phases of EMDR therapy provide a structured approach to helping you process and heal from traumatic memories and emotional distress. These phases are designed to guide you through a thorough and effective healing process, addressing the root causes of distress while promoting emotional integration and balance.
Here is an overview of each phase of EMDR therapy:
History Taking and Treatment Planning
In this initial phase, your EMDR therapist works with you to gather a detailed history of your traumatic experiences and/or emotional challenges. The trauma therapist identifies target memories or negative beliefs that will be addressed in therapy. A treatment plan is created to focus on the most impactful issues, allowing for a tailored approach to your specific needs.
Preparation
During this second phase, your somatic therapist explains the EMDR process and establishes a safe, trusting therapeutic relationship. The EMDR therapist also helps you develop coping mechanisms or relaxation techniques to use if you feel overwhelmed during the therapy sessions. This phase aims to create a sense of safety and confidence in the process. Check out our blog “How to Find the Best Therapist Near Me” for more information.
Assessment
Your EMDR therapist and you identify a specific traumatic memory to target for reprocessing. You are asked to recall the memory and focus on the image, negative belief, and emotions associated with it. The therapist also works with you to identify a positive belief that you would like to replace the negative belief associated with the trauma.
Desensitization
This fourth phase involves using bilateral stimulation (usually eye movements, though tapping or sounds can be used) to help you process the targeted memory. The goal is to reduce the emotional charge attached to the memory, helping you experience less distress when recalling it. Your EMDR therapist continues to guide you through the process until the memory becomes less disturbing.
Installation
In this phase, your EMDR counselor helps you strengthen the positive belief you identified earlier. You are encouraged to focus on the new, adaptive belief while continuing to engage in bilateral stimulation. The goal is to replace the negative belief with a more positive, empowering one.
Body Scan
The therapist asks you to notice any physical sensations or tension that remain in your body when thinking about the reprocessed memory. This phase helps identify any lingering emotional or physical distress that may still be connected to the trauma. The therapist uses bilateral stimulation to help you process and release any remaining tension or discomfort. Check out our blog “5 Ways to Nurture Your Mind-Body Connection.”
Closure
At the end of each session, your therapist works to ensure that you feel stable and grounded. If the memory has not been fully processed, the therapist may provide techniques for self-soothing and encourage you to continue processing between sessions. Your EMDR specialist may also guide you through relaxation exercises to return to a calm, balanced state.
Reevaluation
In subsequent sessions, your trauma counselor evaluates the progress you have made since the last session. You are asked about any changes in your emotions or thoughts related to the memory, and the therapist assesses whether further processing is needed. This phase ensures that the EMDR treatment has been effective and that you have integrated the new, positive beliefs into your everyday life.
These eight phases create a structured yet flexible framework that helps you heal from trauma, develop healthier emotional responses, and replace negative thought patterns with more positive, adaptive beliefs that are rooted in reality.
How many sessions of EMDR do you have to do?
As with any type of therapy, the number of EMDR sessions required can vary significantly depending on the individual and the complexity of the issues being addressed. On average, many people can begin to experience noticeable improvements after about six to 12 sessions.
However, the exact duration of EMDR treatment depends on several factors, such as…
The Nature and Severity of the Issue:
Simple, specific traumas or memories may require fewer sessions while more complex issues (such as prolonged trauma, multiple traumatic events, or deep-seated emotional challenges) could require more sessions.
The Individual's Response:
Some individuals may respond quickly to EMDR and see significant changes in just a few sessions while others might need longer to fully process their emotions and memories.
Therapist's Approach:
The therapist’s experience, the treatment plan, and how well the client is able to engage in the process also play a role in determining the number of sessions.
Typically, initial sessions focus on gathering history and preparing the client for EMDR. Bilateral stimulation and reprocessing of traumatic memories usually happen over the next several sessions. In some cases, treatment might extend to 20 or more sessions, especially for more chronic or severe issues.
Overall, the process is flexible and tailored to each individual’s needs with periodic evaluations to assess your progress and determine if additional sessions are needed. At Anchor Therapy, all of our therapy sessions are designed to fit a client’s unique set of needs.
Is EMDR hard at first?
EMDR can feel challenging at first for some people, especially as it involves processing painful or distressing memories. However, the initial phases of EMDR therapy are designed to make the process feel manageable. Remember that your EMDR therapist is there with you each and every step of the way. Your EMDR counselor works closely with you to ensure you feel safe and supported throughout treatment.
Here are some factors that may contribute to the initial difficulty of EMDR:
Facing Traumatic Memories:
At the start of EMDR, your therapist will help you focus on past traumatic events which can understandably bring up difficult emotions. It can be tough to revisit these memories, but this is a necessary part of the healing process.
Bilateral Stimulation:
The use of eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation (like tapping or sounds) can feel unfamiliar or even slightly disorienting in the beginning. Some people may need time to get used to how it feels or to trust that it will help them process their emotions.
Emotional Intensity:
While the goal of EMDR is to reduce the emotional charge of traumatic memories, it is common for people to feel heightened emotions or distress during the initial stages of treatment. However, with time, the intensity of these feelings usually lessens.
Despite these challenges, the preparation phase of EMDR helps establish coping strategies and relaxation techniques, so you have tools to manage any emotional discomfort. Many people find that as they progress through the sessions, they start to feel more at ease with the process, and the emotional charge attached to the memories begins to fade.
What coping strategies and relaxation techniques can be used in EMDR?
Safe place visualization
Grounding techniques
Deep breathing exercises (Read our blog “5 Breathwork Techniques to Decrease Anxiety”)
Progressive muscle relaxation
Cognitive reframing
Resource development
Mindfulness techniques (Check out our blog “5 Ways to Start Practicing Mindfulness”)
Anchoring
It is important to remember that your EMDR therapist is there to support you through the process, ensuring that you are comfortable and moving at a pace that works for you. If anything feels too overwhelming, it is more than okay to communicate that with your therapist, who can adjust the approach accordingly.
What are the benefits of working with an EMDR therapist?
Expertise and guidance
Safe and supportive setting
Trauma-informed care
Efficient processing of trauma
Integration of positive beliefs
Personalized approach
Coping tools and relaxation techniques
Holistic healing
Long-term results
Improved relationships
Will I cry during EMDR?
It is possible that you may cry during EMDR therapy, but it is important to understand that crying or experiencing other emotional reactions is a natural part of the healing process. EMDR works by helping you access and process difficult or traumatic memories, and sometimes that can bring up intense emotions that have been held in for a long time. These emotions might include sadness, grief, anger, or frustration, and crying can be a way for your body to release those pent-up feelings.
Your EMDR therapist will be there to support you through the process. If you feel overwhelmed or emotional, your therapist will help you use coping strategies, like grounding techniques or focusing on your "safe place," to help you manage the emotional intensity. The goal is not to make you feel worse but to help you process and heal from past trauma.
Crying during EMDR is not necessarily a bad thing- it can be a sign that you are making progress. It is a way for your body to release stored emotions and, once those emotions are processed, many people feel a sense of relief or emotional lightness afterward. The therapist’s role is to ensure you feel safe and supported throughout the session, and they will work with you at your pace. If anything feels too intense, you can always communicate with your therapist, and they can adjust the pace or help you regain emotional stability.
In summary, EMDR is a powerful and effective therapy that helps you process and heal from trauma by using a structured approach with bilateral stimulation. Whether you are dealing with PTSD, anxiety, or past emotional wounds, EMDR offers a safe and supportive path toward emotional recovery. If you are ready to explore how EMDR can support your healing journey, consider reaching out to a trained EMDR therapist at Anchor Therapy to begin the process of transformation.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager, Intake Coordinator, and Community Engagement Director at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark and is currently studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the graduate level. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media/community presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
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