I am the kind of person who constantly loves to learn. I often imagine myself as a human sponge, but instead of soaking up water, I soak in information. Every now and then I come across an idea or new therapy modality that gives me satisfaction for a long time, where I am a full “sponge” until I again feel the need to learn and absorb. 

Beginning my journey with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy provided me with that fill for quite some time.

I was originally intrigued by how different this therapy was from the rest. I learned that single-incident traumas (for example, a car accident) could be treated in three sessions or fewer for many cases. I worked with many survivors of sexual assault at the time, so I thought, “This could be an absolute gamechanger!” 

And it was! I have since helped clients heal from similar traumas, among many others, providing me with a sense of accomplishment as a therapist and clients with a new outlook on life.

What is EMDR?

EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that differs from traditional forms of what people know as “talk therapy.” Although talking is a part of the process, the real healing comes from your brain. 

The theory behind how EMDR works is described by using the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model – the idea that your brain has the ability to heal, similarly to how the rest of your body can heal from injuries. When a traumatic event occurs that is too much for your brain to process, your coping mechanisms become overwhelmed, leaving your brain unable to process the trauma memory in the way it does other memories. 

When this happens, the traumatic memory gets stuck in an isolated network in the brain, causing the trauma to be frozen in time. The memory is then easily triggered by any reminders of the trauma, which can bring up images, sensations, and emotions from the original memory as intensely as when it was first experienced. Along with these can come negative thoughts from the memory, such as, “It was my fault that it happened,” “No one will ever love me,” or a plethora of other unfortunate possibilities.

When a client undergoes EMDR treatment, the therapist uses a strategy known as bilateral stimulation (BLS) to activate both hemispheres of the brain alternately. This process desensitizes the trauma memory and integrates it into where it belongs in the brain. When this occurs, the trauma memory will feel like it happened in the past, and any triggers and unpleasant symptoms are greatly reduced or disappear altogether. 

After this process, you will notice more adaptive and healthy cognitions (“It happened so long ago. I’m much stronger now because of it!”) and emotions surrounding the trauma, as well as a reduction in physiological symptoms and triggers. 

What Can EMDR Help With?

EMDR was originally developed to treat trauma. The first populations to experience EMDR were veterans and survivors of sexual assault, for whom rigorous research was conducted to determine the efficacy of treatment. 

Over time, the use of EMDR expanded exponentially, as further studies were conducted to develop various treatment protocols for other mental health concerns. According to the EMDR textbook written by its founder, Francine Shapiro, EMDR has been demonstrated to successfully treat the following: 

• anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias

• chronic illness and medical issues

• depression and bipolar disorders

• dissociative disorders

• eating disorders

• grief and loss

• pain

• performance anxiety

• personality disorders

• PTSD and other trauma and stress-related issues

• sexual assault

• sleep disturbance

• substance abuse and addiction

• violence and abuse

Not only does EMDR treat “big-T” Traumas, like experiencing natural disasters, car accidents, assaults, and much more, but it helps to treat “little-T” traumas. These could be, for example, low-grade bullying you experienced as a child, your caregivers not being emotionally available during a difficult time for you, or a comment someone made that has since caused you to doubt your decisions on a regular basis. The spectrum of trauma ranges far and wide, from those seemingly innocuous comments that stay with you for a lifetime to the worst days of your life. 

Through the lens of EMDR therapy, this is also how most other mental health and psychosomatic symptoms are conceptualized and treated. For example, imagine that an individual was constantly picked on by an older sibling as a child, who has since grown up to feel anxious around people who exert authority and worry about how to act in social situations for fear of being judged or put down.

Over time, what happened to that child remains stuck in an isolated network in their brain, enough so that they eventually develop an anxiety disorder because the symptoms persist and continue to feel present for them. This example shows the unfolding of “little-T” traumatic events into long-term problems that can develop if not treated effectively.

How Does That Work with Telehealth?

Both clients and therapists had to adjust to therapy services via telehealth when the pandemic began. Although some therapists already practiced EMDR online, it was a new experience for many. Now, after having lived through an entire year of a pandemic, the benefits of EMDR online have far outweighed the fear of the transition.

You may be thinking, “How on EARTH are you able to offer EMDR through telehealth?” Trained EMDR therapists have a variety of modifications that enable them to deliver EMDR in comparable efficacy as in person. 

The core feature involved in translating EMDR from in-person to virtual is understanding how EMDR functions in utilizing different forms of bilateral stimulation (BLS). The EMDR therapist stimulates both hemispheres of your brain alternately in one (or sometimes two) of three ways. BLS can be administered visually, tactilely, or auditorily. 

When EMDR was first developed, the primary method of BLS was eye movement following a stimulus back and forth, typically by use of the therapist’s fingers or a light bar. This can also be achieved by a website specifically designed to turn your computer screen into a “light bar” that your therapist controls on their computer while working remotely. 

Other forms of BLS can be administered by devices that vibrate in your hands back and forth, by physical tapping by the client on themselves using, for example, the butterfly method, and by using headphones that alternate sounds on either side. 

See How EMDR Therapy Can Help

Although I cannot speak for every EMDR therapist, I have noticed in my own practice that EMDR therapy online has been just as effective as when I have facilitated it in person. It has been an incredible journey to see the healing people are capable of, even when we are miles (if not states) apart. There are few things in life that supersede the satisfaction of helping someone who is fearful and traumatized bloom into their courageous, authentic selves. 

If you are interested in learning more about EMDR or to schedule an appointment, call Kimberly Keiser and Associates!

EMDR should never be tried without the presence and facilitation of a therapist. It is a mental health intervention and needs to be safely treated as such.