EMDR Sacramento

“Trauma is hell on earth.
Trauma resolved is a gift from the gods.”
-Peter A. Levine

Feeling Stuck in a Cycle of Stress and Hurt?

Struggling with the echoes of trauma, the constant shadow of anxiety, or the complexities of relationship issues can make every day feel like an uphill battle. These experiences can leave you feeling alone, misunderstood, and trapped in a cycle of pain. You’re seeking not just relief, but a profound and lasting change—a way to turn the page and start a new chapter in your life where you’re no longer defined by these challenges.

EMDR therapy has been proven to help people, just like you, move beyond the pain, and transform how you experience your past, navigate your present, and look forward to your future.

Could EMDR Be Your Way Forward?

What Is EMDR Therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a research-based therapy method used to help you process and heal from traumatic life experiences and memories. At its core, EMDR therapy is based on the understanding that the impact of traumatic experiences can linger in our minds, affecting our daily lives, behaviors, and emotional well-being long after the events have passed. EMDR therapy uses a structured eight-phase approach that includes having you recall distressing images while receiving one of several types of bilateral sensory input, such as side-to-side eye movements or hand tapping.

This process is designed to work with the natural healing abilities of your brain, helping it to reprocess these memories in a way that significantly reduces their lingering effects. Instead of feeling like you’re reliving the trauma, you can begin to view the memories more detachedly, without the intense emotions previously attached to them. The ultimate goal of EMDR is not only to relieve the symptoms associated with traumatic memories but also to promote a state of emotional healing that enables you to live a more present, fulfilled life.

Since its development in the late 80s by Francine Shapiro, EMDR has gained recognition as an effective treatment for PTSD and anxiety. Esteemed organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, endorse its efficacy. 

Benefits of EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy proves effective in addressing a broad spectrum of emotional and psychological challenges, encompassing trauma/PTSD, anxiety, depression, attachment disorders, and negative self-perceptions contributing to low self-esteem. This approach is particularly helpful for navigating through profoundly distressing life events such as:

• Childhood neglect or physical abuse
• Instances of sexual assault, abuse, or rape
• Loss of a loved one or a cherished pet
• Experiences in military combat
• Serious health crises or brushes with death
• Involvement in vehicular accidents
• Being witness to or experiencing domestic violence
• Encounters with sudden, harmful incidents involving oneself or loved ones

EMDR, Trauma & The Brain

Numerous emotional hurdles and unsettling experiences stem from unresolved trauma memories entrenched within the brain. EMDR therapy facilitates the brain’s access to and reprocessing of these traumatic memories, initiating the innate healing mechanisms.

Encountering trauma triggers the brain to safeguard by storing information and issuing cautionary signals upon reminders of the event. These signals aim to deter the recurrence of the distressing event, forming a protective mechanism for future encounters with similar stimuli.

This perpetual cycle can be draining!

You might notice a persistent state of tension or unease, feeling apprehensive even in seemingly secure environments. Irritability and forgetfulness may become commonplace, alongside the haunting presence of painful memories through nightmares or flashbacks.

Gradually, these symptoms become ingrained as “normal” responses within the brain, solidifying them as patterns within your mind-body framework.

EMDR therapy facilitates the brain’s reconnection with the initial trauma event, fostering deeper comprehension, processing, and eventual healing of the original trauma.

Once you properly process the memories, your brain can then turn off the danger signals and move forward from being stuck in the past.

Liberated from the brain’s danger alarm, you find relief, no longer haunted by the past, paving the way for self-determined living.

What to Expect from EMDR Therapy

If you choose to try EMDR, we’ll use its eight-phase process to target any specific issue you want to address.

Prior to each session, I’ll ensure you have access to supportive resources, which will adequately prepare you for the upcoming session and help you feel ready and empowered.

During our session(s), which will last between 50 and 90 minutes, we’ll focus on unraveling the identified memory or issue using EMDR techniques, such as bilateral stimulation through eye movements, sounds, or taps, with my guidance throughout the process.

Throughout the session, I’ll help you remain attentive to any emerging thoughts, feelings, or beliefs related to the targeted memory. The bilateral stimulation will be repeated until the distress associated with the memory diminishes.

Your agency in the process is paramount, and you’re encouraged to pause or stop at any point if needed. Before ending each session, we’ll do a body scan or other self-assessment to ensure you feel grounded and ready to transition back to your daily life.

To learn more about EMDR, book a free consult now. You can also check out the resources below. 

EMDR Resources