EMDR THERAPY
EMDR was developed in the 1980s by Francine Shapiro. He was American psychologist, and is based on the hypothesis that the body has its own health-seeking mechanisms. And finds this possibility with bilateral brain stimulation. That would promote a “conversation” between blocked sensations and emotions. . This can also occur in REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep period). The bilateral stimulation used in EMDR triggers a physiological mechanism. That activates the information processing system in its associative chains. Reaching the memory network that stores dysfunctional information, unblocks the nervous system and helps in the processing of non-conscious material. In this way the trauma can be processed and released, the memory remains, but the disturbance cannot. If you are looking for private clinic for emdr therapy in London for the consultation. Then you can visit city psychological services.
IT’S TRUSTABLE?
The American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization. He recommended EMDR as one of the main methods today for the treatment of traumatic situations. The theoretical framework of processing psychotherapy is supported by recent discoveries in the field of neuropsychology. And neurosciences, so its applicability has also been widely disseminated in the areas of psychosomatics and in the management of chronic pain.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Traumatic experiences, due to the emotional charge they contain, can “damage the nervous system”. Preventing these experiences from being properly “metabolized” and thus able to be “stored” in the brain in a functional way. These unmetabolized experiences are retained in certain areas of the brain. Making it difficult to understand and/or overcome the facts. The result of which are what we call “symptoms”.
The EMDR approach is based on an 8-phase protocol, and in some of these phases. The client is encouraged to remember the traumatic event, without, however, needing to discuss its details. And therefore the anxiety associated with confrontation and disclosure can be alleviated. Professionals use bilateral stimuli, such as eye movements. It help the client to desensitize and reprocess the various components of the traumatic memory (feelings, body sensations and negative beliefs). In order to reframe past events, through the reconnection of the associative networks of memory. With the subject’s networks of psychic resources, resulting in a more adaptive and functional condition. With greater awareness and ability to direct his life and achieve satisfaction.
What is EMDR therapy used for? Who does EMDR?
Using eye movements or EMDR to desensitise and reprocess.
It is a psychotherapy methodology that has stood out for presenting effective results in a shorter time than usual. Search through alternating bilateral movements to activate the cerebral information processing system, allowing a traumatic memory to be accessed, elaborated, resignified and left in the past.
In the case of a traumatic event, past memories keep coming back along with the emotions experienced, as if we were reliving the danger now. In this very simplified way, we can understand trauma as endless pain, in which one lives in a state of constant alert for an imminent danger to one’s life! Thoughts and emotions related to what happened occupy the mind, interfering with the ability to move on with life.
We can say that this is also a survival mechanism as it occurs in an attempt to resolve an issue (seen as) unresolved.
But how did that happen? Why is that past situation marked as alive and current?
It seems that when the emotion aroused by an extreme event is so strong that it suggests a risk to life, the body reacts defensively and “freezes”, as if it could “not feel”, avoid the emotion, and ends up, somehow, hinder that process of returning to balance when the danger is overcome. In this case, the impression of imminent danger persists and keeps the body in a state of alert.
The therapeutic work in these cases would be to reorganize and reprocess this information in order to desensitize the subject and leave it in the past.
EMDR History
EMDR was developed in the 1980s by Francine Shapiro, an American psychologist, and is based on the hypothesis that the body has its own health-seeking mechanisms and finds this possibility with bilateral brain stimulation that would promote a “conversation” between blocked sensations and emotions. . This can also occur in REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep period). The bilateral stimulation used in EMDR triggers a physiological mechanism that activates the information processing system in its associative chains, reaching the memory network that stores dysfunctional information, unblocks the nervous system and helps in the processing of non-conscious material. In this way the trauma can be processed and released, the memory remains, but the disturbance cannot.
In addition to eye movements, alternating visual, tactile or auditory stimuli can be used. The process must be conducted by a qualified professional and during a therapeutic process.
The ocular stimulus happens when the patient follows with his eyes. The sequential movement of the therapist’s fingers that move right/left/ or the bar of lights that produces the same effect.
Tactile stimuli can be alternate touches with the patient’s hands. Or with a small device with two tips that vibrate alternately.
Auditory stimuli are used with headphones.
Each patient identifies with one or another type of stimulus.
EMDR in London
Today, there are studies with imaging tests that evaluate alterations. Before, during and after the intervention with EMDR, of the activation and blood flow of the brain structures. Showing a decrease in activation, which would signal a decrease in hypervigilance reactions. And fewer startle reactions on the part of the brain. patient and with more activation of the prefrontal cortex with consequent access to more positive memories and with more capacity for emotional regulation.
EMDR is especially used in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, phobias, panic syndrome, installation of positive resources and others.
The American Psychiatric Association recommends EMDR as one of today’s leading methods for treating traumatic situations.