What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a therapy used to help people recover from distressing events and the problems they have caused, like flashbacks, upsetting thoughts or images, depression or anxiety.
EMDR is a structured therapy that helps your brain to finish processing stuck memories, and in doing so support the healing process. It is also recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a specifically useful treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
How does it work in practice?
History taking: We will spend some time discussing what is causing the distress and explore how this is affecting you in the present. We will also look at any other significant contributing factors.
Dual attention: You will recall a memory that summarises a distressing event or time in your mind. At the same time, I will guide you through bilateral stimulation, using eye movements or tapping.
Easing the brain workload: Focussing on both the memory and the physical movement gently overloads your working memory. This lowers the emotional intensity, making the painful memory feel less threatening and more distant.
Filing the memory away: Over several sessions, your brain rewires its connection to that event.
The Result: You won’t erase the memory, but the emotional sting will be gone or reduced. It moves from being an active, painful trigger to just another story from your past.
"Donna has been a great therapist and really made me feel relaxed and comfortable. Doing EMDR is 100% worth trying. It has been really amazing in helping me deal with and process thoughts/memories that I didn't think I could come to terms with.
In nearly every session I experienced breakthroughs and I have felt so much calmer and clear minded."
S.B.
Who Can Benefit From EMDR?
Although highly effective and recognised for the treatment of PTSD, it is beneficial for a broad range of challenges. If you feel like your past is dictating your present, EMDR can help.
It is frequently used to treat:
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Trauma and PTSD – from a single event like an accident to long term distress such as abuse or neglect.
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Anxiety and Panic – including social and performance anxiety.
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Depression – especially when rooted in painful past experienced or negative self-beliefs.
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Grief and Loss – helping you process complicated or stuck grief.