Is EMDR Therapy Right for Me? Breaking Down The Buzz Word with an EMDR Therapist in Denver, CO
Prior to becoming a trained Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist, I held a lot of skepticism and curiosity about EMDR therapy. I first heard mention of it in graduate school and even as it was described by a professor I held in high esteem, I thought This seems mystical and too good to be true. Its name alone invites intrigue and dubiousness- How can moving my eyes help me heal from trauma? If you find yourself in this position- straddling the desire to heal and in need of answers to alleviate your doubts- my hope is this article distills EMDR therapy to its building blocks and illuminates itself as a potential trauma recovery tool.
Trauma 101
“Trauma” is derived from the Greek word for “wound”. It is important to normalize that all of us will experience some degree of trauma in our lifetimes, while the majority will not develop clinically significant symptoms (aka impairment from trauma becomes so severe and persistent that we require a professional’s aid in healing). Trauma per the DSM (the prevailing book of reference for practitioners) entails experiencing or witnessing events that involve death, serious injury, sexual violation, or abuse and neglect. Some people refer to these events as “Big T” trauma, and “Little T” trauma is then defined as any experience we perceive to be a threat to our systems of wellbeing. Both Big T and Little T trauma can erode our self-worth, sense of safety, sense of responsibility, trust with others or ourselves, and recalibrate our nervous system to a persistent fight or flight default.
EMDR History
As a PhD student in 1987, Dr. Francine Shapiro was wandering through a park reflecting on something distressing. She reported that as disturbing thoughts came to mind, she noticed her eyes moving spontaneously and rapidly back and forth. Shapiro nurtured this curious association between eye movement and distressing memories and began experimenting with different types of eye movement and procedures in a series of trials. In 1990, the methodology was exacted and standardized across populations as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
Trauma on the Brain
Unprocessed trauma remains in our bodies and minds in “state specific form”. Basically, this means that the trauma is stuck in our system, causing our body to respond to trauma related stimuli (smells, sights, tastes, memories, people, places) as if it were occurring in the present. This can manifest in diagnoses such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, addiction, eating disorders or more broadly as fatigue, hypervigilance, numbness, limited memory, obsessive thinking, high blood pressure and resting heart rate, difficulty connecting with others, restlessness, low self-esteem, anger, fear, and sadness.
Why Does EMDR Work?
There are many comingling components of EMDR that bolster its efficacy, but researchers recognize the primary mechanism as Bilateral Stimulation, or BLS (see the image below of EMDR therapy in action).
BLS is back and forth repetitive movement across the body’s midline, and the most common form is eye movements (hence its inclusion in the title of EMDR!)
Other forms of BLS include:
auditory tones played one at a time in alternating ears
buzzers in hands
tapping on one’s knees
Other components of BLS include:
Orienting Response/Reflex: Part of our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is a hardwired reflex known as the Orienting Response. When a new stimulus enters our environment, our bodies instinctually turn towards that stimulus to evaluate whether it poses a threat. Researchers postulate that within EMDR, our orienting reflex softens to an “investigatory reflex” as our bodies recognize the memory alone is traumatic while our present safety is intact.
REM Sleep: BLS mimics Rapid Eye Movement (REM) experienced in REM sleep. Just as REM sleep promotes memory integration, as does BLS.
Working Memory: Working memory involves the temporary storage of information. Within EMDR therapy, a client engages in BLS and is simultaneously asked to think about the memory and its associated feelings. Doing both overloads the working memory system, therefore encouraging the loss of vividness and intensity associated with the original memory.
How Does EMDR Work? Breakdown by an EMDR Therapist in Denver, CO
A large part of EMDR therapy consists of your therapist leading you through rounds of BLS that feel right to you. As mentioned above, the options include following your therapist’s fingers back and forth or a moving light, listening to audio tones, or tapping on your legs. As Denver EMDR Therapist Chadley Zobolas names in her blog breaking down EMDR, BLS is also paired with verbal guidance from your therapist that helps facilitate processing.
A helpful metaphor to conceptualize this pairing is called the “two foot” approach in the EMDR world:
one foot is immersed in the past, as your therapist safely helps you recall thoughts, sensations, images and emotions associated with the trauma. Another foot is grounded in the present through the use of BLS, which allows our bodies to learn how to hold our trauma without being re-immersed in it. As rounds of processing continue and the traumatic memory/memories “lose their heat”, you will collaborate with your therapist to create positive scripts about yourself, the world, and others to be integrated into processing.
The end goal is to allow you the capacity to reflect upon your trauma:
without shame
with appropriately allocated responsibility
remain grounded in the present
feel safe within your own body
EMDR FAQs + Commonly Asked Questions - What To Expect in Denver EMDR Therapy
Is EMDR the same as hypnosis?
While the two may sound vaguely similar on paper, their efficacy and functions are starkly different.
While the therapist serves as a facilitating force during EMDR processing, the client is always conscious, in control, and self-reporting. Contrarily, in hypnosis, the client occupies a trance like state where the therapist offers a series of suggestions, and the client may or may not be aware of what occurs within a session.
Empirical support for hypnosis is scant or ambiguous, while EMDR has been widely tested on a variety of populations since its inception and offered consistent results. The American Psychological Association (APA) World Health Organization (WHO) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) all validate EMDR as an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. Check out EMDRIA for more statistics related to EMDR’s success.
I didn’t experience a life-threatening experience. Is EMDR still right for me?
See the definition of trauma above as “any experience we perceive as a threat (real or imagined) to our physical and emotional wellbeing”. This encompasses a vast range of human encounters that do not necessitate bodily violation or death, including breakups, affairs, depression, anxiety, life transition stress, grief, bullying, phobias, and insecurity.
How long does EMDR take to work?
Some clients report transformational affect in as little as one fifty-minute session, while for others it can take multiple sessions. After preparation work ends and processing begins, your therapist will begin each session with a check-in about what has changed since the last session. This allows you the opportunity to report back shifts and your therapist to recalibrate their approach (if necessary) to help you see movement.
Can I do EMDR on my own?
The general consensus is no. Processing of emotionally laden memories- no matter how big or small- can produce visceral bodily reactions varying from physical sensations to disassociation. If these reactions occur in session with a therapist, they will utilize grounding resources to help return you to a grounded state. Without a coregulating force, EMDR on its own can be disorienting at best and harmful at worst.
How do I begin the process of EMDR therapy in Denver, CO?
If you’ve experienced any form of trauma and want to connect with an EMDR therapist in Denver, CO, the trauma therapists at CZ Therapy Group would love to support you!
Explore the trauma therapists at our site who offer EMDR, then follow these three steps to schedule a consult call with the therapist of your choice:
Schedule a free 20-minute consult call to see if EMDR trauma therapy is right for you.
Connect with the CZTG EMDR trauma therapist of your choice via a phone consult.
Begin healing with Denver EMDR therapy!
Meet The Writer: Jordan Kurtz, EMDR Therapist in Denver, CO
Jordan Kurtz (she/her) is a trauma and relationship therapist at CZTG who focuses on therapy for grief, trauma, adolescence, and couples. Jordan is authentic, warm, and affirming of her clients’ identities and experiences.
