What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is a type of psychotherapy that targets present triggers that cause distress in one's life. The client will identify negative thoughts the they believes about themselves (negative cognitions) and explore root memories associated with those thoughts. Past and present memories are desensitizes and clients usual notice a decrease in symptoms and triggers.
What to expect in sessions?
The therapist will do a complete history with the client and assess for traumas and resources. The therapist will provide psycho-education about trauma and EMDR as well as teach coping skills.
When using EMDR to target past traumas, clients will use bilateral stimulation (BLS) with eye movement, physical tapping or headphones and sounds during trauma therapy. This is believed to mimic REM sleep where people process their day while sleeping. During simulated BLS clients are reprocessing traumatic events from the past.
What outcomes are produced?
Most clients come in with triggers and emotional distress in their lives. Liz Modugno works with the client and helps identify past experiences that contribute to those triggers and that distress. By processing past memories and experiences, many clients report present symptoms begin to decrease.