EMDR Therapy
I aim to offer a safe space to support you in re-processing a one-off traumatic event or repeated traumatic events over a period of time.
Our sessions will take place over video and will follow an evidence-based structure designed to facilitate you to no longer re-experience elements of the traumatic event(s) when met with triggers in the here and now.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) involves the use of bilateral stimulation such as eye movements or tapping whilst recalling an event. It works by mimicking rapid eye movement (REM) sleep; the part of sleep where our brain processes unconscious material and regulates the part of the brain responsible for processing emotions such as fear and anxiety. It assists the parts of the brain that form memories and regulate emotions to come back “online”, enabling the traumatic memory to have less of an emotional charge.
EMDR is a body-based somatic approach, focusing on senses, thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and self-beliefs. Although it is less of a talking therapy, there may be times where you would like to talk through what's come up during a session. You may wish to start off with EMDR sessions and then continue with talking therapy or vice versa. I will be guided by you in how much you'd like to say.
You can find out more about EMDR therapy and how it can help on the BACP website.
What is trauma?
A traumatic event could be anything that is unexpected, where the person was unprepared and there was nothing they could do to prevent it. It could be a one-off event such as a natural disaster, physical assault or witnessing a death or a repeated experience over a prolonged period of time such as misattunement to needs from a caregiver as a child. The level of distress and how "traumatic" we experience an event comes down to individual differences such as prior events or support available at the time.
Common symptoms of trauma include dissociation, flashbacks, changes in diet, sleep pattern, nightmares or sexual disturbances. Although distressing and uncomfortable, these are all normal reactions to abnormal experiences and are the body and brain's way of making sense of and managing difficult events.
It can be tempting to avoid or distract ourselves from uncomfortable feelings and memories but in order to heal, it is necessary to feel the discomfort. EMDR offers a safe and structured way to do this with a trained professional.