What is EMDR and How Can It Help With Anxiety?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic technique designed to help individuals work through different areas of emotional distress. It’s often used with people who have experienced some kind of trauma in their lives and need help managing symptoms. 

EMDR was actually ‘discovered’ on accident by Francine Shapiro, a psychologist in California. She found that moving her eyes back and forth while taking stock in her surroundings help her to block out negative and troubling thoughts while she was hiking. 

Obviously, the practice has become a bit more refined over the years, but the basics remain the same. 

Now, people are starting to see the impact EMDR can have on anxiety and worry, instead of strictly using it as a trauma treatment. 

So, how does EMDR really work, and how can it help you reclaim your calm?

How Does EMDR Work? 

How can eye movements work effectively in therapy? It’s more effective than you might think! While EMDR isn’t at the level of popularity as other therapies like CBT, it’s continuously gaining ground as more people realize how it works and what it can do. 

During EMDR sessions,  a therapist might ask you to focus on your trigger(s). What is it that causes your anxious thoughts to become almost unbearable? Did you go through a traumatic event? Your therapist will likely have you think about it. 

With your mind on those anxious thoughts, you’ll track back-and-forth movements by the therapist with your eyes only. The therapist will ask you to notice different sensations and emotions. Eventually, you’ll begin to notice things in such a way that your main focus won’t be on the negative memories or triggers. 

EMDR helps individuals with anxiety to replace those triggers, worries, and negative thoughts with more positive emotions and images. 

Taking Control of Your Thoughts

As you use EMDR to push away negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones, you also start to learn how to better control your emotions. The vividness of triggering images start to fade, and over time you can “control” them even without EMDR. 

Not only does EMDR help to get rid of negative triggering thoughts, but it can help to ease your symptoms as well. That’s when you can truly start to “reclaim your calm”. 

Is EMDR Right for You?

Again, EMDR isn’t as known as other types of therapy, but it might be the perfect solution if you’ve tried something else or if you’re not comfortable with traditional methods. For example, CBT requires a lot of talking and rehashing of the things you’ve been through. You have to confront your triggers verbally. 

With EMDR, you don’t necessarily have to talk about the things that cause you to feel anxious. Instead, the process allows you to go from a place of anxiety in your mind to a place of peace and tranquility. It provides a wonderful alternative for anyone who might have trouble verbalizing things they’ve gone through or things that worry them on a regular basis. 

Will it take some time to feel comfortable with EMDR? Maybe. But, you won’t be alone throughout the process. You’ll have guidance every step of the way. 

Having a compassionate therapist to guide you through the EMDR process makes a big difference. If you’re interested in learning more about EMDR and how it can help you, please feel free to contact me. This is a highly effective process for almost anyone who struggles with negative or frightening thoughts. If you’re ready to take those thoughts captive and finally find some peace,  please reach out today. 

Photo by Jon Flobrant on Unsplash