Benefits of EMDR- Tips for getting the most out of the therapy

Millions worldwide suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, phobias, depression, and chronic pain. People who have traumatic memories in their lives often show these symptoms. So, trauma can affect you in different adverse ways. But how will you recover from this condition? The best option is to undergo Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy. You can get rid of psychological distress with this therapy. So, let us know more about EMDR therapeutic sessions. You will also learn how the treatment benefits you and alleviates your symptoms.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

What happens during an EMDR session? During the initial sessions, the EMDR therapist will ask a few questions to understand the past events that cause emotional stress. It enables him to customize the treatment plan that meets your needs. You may also ask any questions about the therapeutic process.

The therapy involves using a bilateral stimulation strategy under the guidance of a therapist. So, it is psychological therapy, and your treatment provider will ask you to recall the traumatic memories. The therapeutic session also includes eye movement and other internationalization exercises. You can also practice bilateral stimulation involving auditory stimulation using physical touches and speakers. You will get desensitized to the traumatic effects due to memories. Although you may not forget those memories, the therapy will at least minimize the emotional burden.

What are the advantages of choosing EMDR therapy?

EMDR therapy is recommendable for many psychological disorders because of some reasons.

• EMDR therapy is effective for Trauma Recovery

EMDR is considered a brief psychotherapy. It means you will find the desired result within the shortest period. So, if you are looking for an alternative to long-term therapy, consider EMDR. The therapist will clearly define multiple stages of the therapy. He will also set a solution-related goal for an active EMDR treatment. Of course, the EMDR journey of every patient is different. However, most therapy patients experienced positive results after 3- 10   sessions.

• EMDR Works for Anxiety, Depression, and Circular Thinking.

From a statistical perspective, EMDR treatment is an effective data-proven therapy that delivers the best results. Especially single-trauma victims got rid of PTSD symptoms in a few EMDR sessions. So, you can also remove your doubts about the effectiveness of the therapy. You will surely obtain transformative benefits from this treatment.

• It Doesn’t Require Much Talking and Fast Healing. You know our body responds to bruises and bumps. Similarly, our emotional and mental health constantly tries to recover itself. The EMDR therapist will implement a method that helps you accelerate your emotional healing process. Your trauma or emotional wounds will get converted into emotional resolution.

Which conditions can EMDR therapy treat?

EMDR is most useful for people with traumatic memories and symptoms of PTSD. You may find it particularly helpful if you have difficulty sharing the trauma you’ve experienced with others, including therapists.

EMDR for other mental health conditions is recommended it to treat:

Anxiety
Depression
Panic attacks
substance use disorders
Eating disorders

Research suggested EMDR could potentially have benefits for people who have a history of trauma along with certain conditions, including:

 Depression

Bipolar disorder

Anxiety disorders

Psychosis

Low back pain

Substance use disorder.

 Things you  should know before involving in EMDR treatment

You should learn about some crucial factors before approaching the EMDR therapist.

• Revisit your traumatic situation.

During EMDR sessions, you must visualize the worst moments in your life. However, the therapist will give directions during your recall and make you feel comfortable. Many patients who experienced the EMDR psychotherapy session gave positive feedback. But, your therapist will not ask you to relieve your traumatic memories intensely or forcefully for a long period. A trained therapist knows how to dissipate the intensity slowly and reduce your distress. 

However, you will need to revisit or recall your trauma more than once to make the treatment successful. The therapist will give you different EMDR therapy options during the treatment session. 

The overall process seems emotionally and mentally stressful and may cause negative responses during the initial sessions. To make the therapy effective, you should have mental focus, which continues even after the sessions. Although the side effects appear challenging, EMDR is better than medicinal treatment. EMDR gives a better and long-lasting result.

• Emotional distress temporarily

Your mental distress will get increased for a temporary period. However, with proper techniques and tools, your therapist will help you in this situation. For some patients, resolved and distressing memories crop up between EMDR sessions. On the other hand, many patients show unanticipated reactions during the therapy. Your mind will continue processing incidents; thus, other feelings and memories can emerge. 

• Dreams during sleep

An EMDR session will have an impact on your sleep. Moreover, while interacting with external stimuli, you may feel more sensitive. 

Tips for getting the utmost benefits from EMDR therapy

It may be the first time you have considered EMDR therapy to reduce the effects of trauma. However, how will you get the most out of this treatment? A few tips will be valuable to you. 

• Never be too concerned about your nervous feelings.

It is natural to feel nervous during your first EMDR session. The process is intimidating because it stimulates you to uncover the most uncomfortable and painful memories. But, one thing to be noted is that your treatment provider will not start the process until you are ready to accept it. 

Before applying EMDR techniques, he will allow you to get relaxed. His coping strategies ensure that you can efficiently manage emotional turmoil. Thus, you will find your therapist implementing some safety measures to give you the best feelings. Although the process may cause slight emotional discomfort, you can drain away the stress. When your therapist feels that it is the right time to start therapy, he will do so.

• Follow your EMDR treatment provider.

The effectiveness of EMDR sessions depends mainly on whether you are ready to communicate openly with your therapist. If you can reveal your hidden pains and mental stress without any issues, you will have a quick guide from your therapist. It means you will have a faster healing process. Considering that you are ready to control the process is also essential. The therapist will never force you to do something. So, you should have a strong trust in your therapist. 

You can now look for a professional and trained therapist to undergo EMDR therapy. Learn more about the benefits of this treatment before making a decision. 

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