If Trauma Has You Feeling Stuck, Could EMDR Set You Free?
Trauma can leave you feeling stuck or frozen in time. After a traumatic event, triggers and flashbacks can take you back to that moment as if it is happening for the first time. Likewise, symptoms can impact your ability to work, interact with others, or even relax when you are by yourself. However, what if EMDR might be able to help you reprocess your traumatic memories, so you feel like you're moving forward again.
Trauma can occur in a variety of ways. In fact, two people may be involved in the same situation, yet one may process the event and move forward while the other goes on to develop PTSD. There are many factors that contribute to how you might process a traumatic event or end up with life-changing symptoms. However, one thing that might be able to help is EMDR.
Let's talk about how EMDR might be the key to moving forward after experiencing trauma.
Trauma and the Power of EMDR
Research provides insight into the powerful connection between our eyes and our minds. After all, our eyes are responsible for gathering information about the world around us. It makes sense then that eye movement could help us reprocess such data. Morris Psychological Group helps us understand more about EMDR in the article, "Healing Emotional Wounds with Eye Movement."
First, they point out, many organizations around the world recognize EMDR as a best practice for treating PTSD. The list includes the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs, the WHO, and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
When you experience trauma, the impact can be rather damaging. Intense feelings of fear, helplessness, or lack of control, can result in subconscious, negative beliefs. Over time, this can heavily impact your physical and emotional well-being. Left unprocessed, trauma can affect your relationships, behaviors, and ability to cope with life in general.
Without the ability to process the situation, your memories can get stuck in your short-term memory. As a result, you may be easily triggered, resulting in flashbacks, a flood of emotions, and distress. Such situations can lead to anxiety, depression, or a constant state of hyperarousal.
Through the process of EMDR, the goal is to target and decrease negative beliefs and replace them with positive ones.
The power of EMDR is evidence-based. Some individual have reported positive effects such as a reduction in symptoms after small number of sessions.
Finding Hope Through EMDR
The process of EMDR includes the stages of reprocessing and desensitization. Your counselor will guide you through a series of eye movements. Then, as thoughts come up, you will be facilitated in processing them with safety and support. Again, more eye movements will follow. This steps can help to transition the event from short-term to long-term memory.
Although you will not forget the situation, EMDR may help you become desensitized to triggers. For example, troubling thoughts, or familiar sounds, or smells, may no longer trigger a physical or emotional reaction like they do now. EMDR may be the key to unlock your trauma, and reprocess it.
At Endeavor Counseling, it is understood how debilitating unprocessed trauma can be. Likewise, the powerful tool of EMDR is recognized an a valuable option for individuals who are struggling. You deserve to be moving forward in life. Call today or visit our website to learn more.
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