EMDR Therapy
EMDR Therapy focuses on the individual’s present concerns and symptoms while proposing emotionally charged experiences from one’s past. This may have a dominating effect on one’s current emotions, sensations, and thoughts. EMDR therapy processing helps you break through the emotional blocks that may be keeping you from living an adaptive and emotionally fulfilling life.
What does EMDR Therapy treat?
EMDR therapy has proven to be effective in treating trauma and PTSD. It may also be able to help treat other mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.
How does EMDR Therapy work?
EMDR therapy uses rapid sets of eye movements to help you update disturbing experiences, much like what occurs when we sleep. During sleep, we alternate between regular sleep and REM (rapid eye movement). This sleep pattern helps you process things that are troubling you. EMDR therapy replicates this sleep pattern by alternating between eye movements and brief reports or processing of what you are noticing. This alternating process helps you update your memories to a healthier emotional presence. Sessions are offered both in person and virtually.
What is unique about EMDR Therapy in Florida?
EMDR therapy focuses on the brain’s ability to constantly learn by tapping into neuroplasticity. A past experience, say if you were not as a child, becomes updated with present information, such as, “I am safe now.”
Adaptive learning is constantly updating memory network systems. It helps break through the interference of past painful experiences.
EMDR therapy uses a set of procedures to organize your negative and positive feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Then uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or alternating tapping, as the way to help you effectively work through painful past experiences.
Adaptive learning is constantly updating memory network systems. It helps break through the interference of past painful experiences.
EMDR therapy uses a set of procedures to organize your negative and positive feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Then uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or alternating tapping, as the way to help you effectively work through painful past experiences.
What is Trauma?
Trauma will impact all of us at one point or another, it is a part of what it means to be human. Traumatic incidents and experiences include a death or loss of a loved one, exposure to violence, a global pandemic, traumatic birth (for mother and baby), abuse or neglect; and those experiences very much will impact each of us differently. Additional traumatic events may include accidents, terrorism, illness, and natural disasters.
Additionally, other experiences which are distressing by nature can trigger a traumatic stress response in our bodies, activating our survival brain which then causes us to be in one of the various stress-response states: fight, flight, freeze; or fawn.
Additionally, other experiences which are distressing by nature can trigger a traumatic stress response in our bodies, activating our survival brain which then causes us to be in one of the various stress-response states: fight, flight, freeze; or fawn.
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
PTSD occurs after a traumatic event and impacts a person's ability to function. It is important to note that not everyone who has experienced a traumatic event will develop PTSD. After a traumatic event, it is normal to experience intense feelings of anxiety, sadness, worry, fears, changes in mood, or avoidance. Nightmares, recurring memories about the event, trouble sleeping - these, too, may show up and are completely normal reactions. It is through these symptoms, our body is processing what we experienced (which we call the stress response) - and these symptoms do not always mean that you have PTSD.
In order to be diagnosed with PTSD according to the DSM-5, you will need to meet particular criteria and have experienced symptoms for at least a month after the traumatic event. In addition, it is also recommended that a complete physical examination to be completed to check for medical problems that could be causing or contributing to symptoms you may be experiencing.
In order to be diagnosed with PTSD according to the DSM-5, you will need to meet particular criteria and have experienced symptoms for at least a month after the traumatic event. In addition, it is also recommended that a complete physical examination to be completed to check for medical problems that could be causing or contributing to symptoms you may be experiencing.
When to seek counseling
Symptoms related to past trauma can begin to impact various areas of life and make interactions at school, work, and in relationships very complicated and challenging. Many people managing past distressing events in the present often turn to unhealthy coping skills to escape or minimize their emotional challenges. This may look like substance abuse, self-harm, isolation, or disordered eating. Coping with nightmares, flashbacks, negative self-talk and negative outlook about yourself or others is extremely challenging, and often it may feel like things will never change for the better. It is recommended that if you are experiencing symptoms for longer than a month after a traumatic and distressing event, it may be helpful for you to talk with a professional.
Time Doesn't Always Help
Sometimes after a traumatic or distressing experience, people believe that their symptoms will eventually go away over time. While this can happen for some, other people can experience symptoms long after the even has taken place. This makes it particularly difficult to associate your symptoms with PTSD. Even if months or years have gone by, it can be helpful for you to consult with a therapist so that you can gain an understanding of what you are experiencing and find ways to enhance your life.
Trauma and PTSD Treatment with EMDR Therapy
In using a combination of traditional talk therapy and EMDR Therapy, alongside meditation and mindfulness, Rachel helps clients acknowledge and honor their past experiences, heal the subconscious and begin to re-integrate the sense of self. The goal is not forget the past, but to release the emotions, decrease negative behavioral symptoms, process the past in order to be fully engaged in the present and future.