Unlocking Healing with EMDR Therapy at Redlands Counselling Service

Feeling stuck by difficult memories or traumatic experiences? Do intense emotions or negative beliefs continue to impact your daily life? Matt at Redlands Counselling Service in Capalaba, Queensland, offers Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy – a powerful and evidence-based approach that can help you process these experiences and move towards healing and growth.

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy is a structured therapeutic approach developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It is designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. Unlike traditional talk therapy, which often involves detailed recounting of the traumatic event, EMDR works by focusing on the memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation – typically eye movements, but sometimes also tapping or auditory tones.

The underlying theory behind EMDR is that traumatic experiences can become "stuck" in the brain, processed differently than normal memories. This can lead to vivid flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, intense emotions, and negative self-beliefs. The bilateral stimulation in EMDR is believed to help reprocess these memories, allowing the brain to naturally heal and integrate the experience in a healthier way.

The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy: What to Expect

The image illustrates the eight phases of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) treatment, including history taking, preparation, target assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation.

EMDR therapy is conducted in eight distinct phases. It's important to understand that the pace of therapy varies for each individual, and not everyone will process every target memory in the same number of sessions. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect:

Phase 1: History-Taking and Treatment Planning

In the first phase, your therapist at Redlands Counselling Service will take a thorough history, gathering information about your past experiences, current challenges, and treatment goals. This phase is crucial for understanding your specific needs and determining if EMDR is the right approach for you. Together, you will identify specific traumatic memories and current triggers that will become the targets for EMDR processing. You will also discuss coping mechanisms and strategies for managing any potential emotional distress that may arise during therapy.

Phase 2: Preparation

The preparation phase focuses on ensuring you have the necessary coping skills and resources to handle the emotional material that may surface during EMDR processing. Your therapist will explain the EMDR procedure in detail, answer any questions you may have, and teach you relaxation techniques and grounding exercises to help you feel safe and in control throughout the therapy. Building a strong therapeutic relationship and trust is paramount during this phase.

Phase 3: Assessment

In the assessment phase, you will be asked to identify a specific target memory chosen in Phase 1. For this memory, you will identify:

• The negative belief you hold about yourself related to the event (e.g., "I am not safe," "It was my fault," "I am powerless").

• A positive belief you would like to hold about yourself instead (e.g., "I am safe now," "I did the best I could," "I am in control").

• The intensity of your negative belief on a scale of 1 to 7 (Validity of Cognition - VOC).

• The emotion you feel most strongly related to the memory.

• The intensity of that emotion on a scale of 0 to 10 (Subjective Units of Disturbance - SUD).

• Where you feel the physical sensation associated with the memory in your body.

  
  

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is the core of EMDR therapy. You will focus on the target memory, the negative belief, the associated emotion, and the body sensation, while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation guided by your therapist. This typically involves following your therapist's finger movements with your eyes, moving them back and forth across your field of vision. Sets of bilateral stimulation are brief, and after each set, your therapist will ask you to take a deep breath and notice whatever comes to mind. This process is repeated multiple times, allowing the memory to be reprocessed and the emotional charge associated with it to decrease.

Phase 5: Installation

Once the distress associated with the target memory has significantly reduced (low SUD level), the focus shifts to strengthening the positive belief identified in Phase 3. You will be asked to focus on the positive belief while engaging in bilateral stimulation. The goal is to increase the strength and conviction of this positive belief, aiming for a high VOC score (ideally 6 or 7).

Phase 6: Body Scan

In the body scan phase, you will be asked to bring the target memory and the positive belief to mind and scan your body for any remaining physical sensations. If any tension or discomfort is noticed, it may be further processed using bilateral stimulation until the body feels calm and neutral in relation to the memory.

Phase 7: Closure

Every EMDR session ends with closure. Your therapist will help you bring a sense of calm and stability before you leave. You will be reminded of the coping skills and grounding techniques learned in Phase 2 and may be given specific instructions or exercises to practice between sessions. It's important to remember that processing may continue outside of the therapy session, and your therapist will prepare you for this possibility.

Phase 8: Re-evaluation

The re-evaluation phase takes place at the beginning of each subsequent EMDR session. Your therapist will check in with you about your progress, assess the stability of the positive changes, and identify any new targets that may need to be addressed. This phase helps to ensure that the treatment is progressing effectively and that all relevant aspects of the traumatic experience are being processed.

What to Expect After EMDR Therapy

Many individuals report significant relief from their symptoms after EMDR therapy. The once distressing memories often lose their emotional charge, and negative beliefs can be replaced with more positive and adaptive ones. You may find yourself reacting differently to triggers, experiencing a greater sense of peace and control, and feeling more empowered in your life.

Ready to Explore Healing with EMDR?

If you are in Capalaba, Queensland, or the surrounding areas and believe EMDR therapy could be beneficial for you, we encourage you to reach out to Matt at Redlands Counselling Service. We provide a safe, supportive, and confidential environment to help you process difficult experiences and unlock your potential for healing and growth. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule an initial consultation.