“EMDR doesn’t change the past. But it can change how you hold it inside.” ~ Anna Aslanian, LMFT
EMDR Therapy
Sometimes people know exactly why they’re struggling. Other times, they just know they feel stuck.
You may find yourself overwhelmed by anxiety, emotionally reactive, constantly overthinking, nightmares, unable to move on from painful experiences, flashbacks, or repeating unhealthy relationship patterns even when you desperately want things to change. You may have tried so many different things, even different forms of talk therapy and you can’t seem to feel the relief you need.
EMDR therapy can help. EMDR helps the brain and body finally process what has been stuck, so you can be finally heal and be free. EMDR is based on the theory that traumatic events aren’t properly processed in the brain when they happen, usually due to the fight/flight/freeze coping mechanisms. This is why they continue to affect us, even long after the actual trauma is over.
When you are reminded of the trauma, your brain and body react as though it’s happening again. The brain isn’t able to tell the difference between the past and the present.
Many people come to EMDR feeling exhausted from carrying the same pain for years. They may have tried to “think through it,” push it away, stay busy, or talk themselves out of their feelings — but their nervous system still reacts as if the danger or hurt is happening right now.
With EMDR, we can help you to “reprocess” a disturbing memory to help you move past it. This form of therapy works on changing the way that the traumatic memories are stored in your brain. Once your brain properly processes the memory, you should be able to remember the traumatic events without experiencing emotionally intense and overwhelming reactions that characterize post-traumatic stress.
What EMDR Can Help With
EMDR therapy may help with:
Trauma including complex trauma, acute trauma, and PTSD
Anxiety and panic attacks
Childhood emotional wounds
Relationship trauma
Codependency and attachment issues
Negative beliefs about yourself
Grief and loss
Chronic pain
Chronic illness
Chronic stress
Fear, shame, or guilt
Difficult breakups or betrayal
Low self-worth
Depression
Disturbing memories or intrusive thoughts
Kinds of trauma EMDR can help with:
Acute Trauma: Resulting from a single distressing event, such as an accident or natural disaster.
Chronic Trauma: Arising from repeated and prolonged exposure to distressing events, like ongoing abuse or neglect.
Complex Trauma: Involves exposure to multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive or interpersonal nature, typically occurring in childhood.
Developmental Trauma: Occurs during critical developmental periods, impacting emotional and psychological growth, often linked to childhood experiences.
Secondary Trauma: Experienced by individuals who witness or hear about traumatic events, often affecting caregivers or first responders.
Vicarious Trauma: Resulting from exposure to the traumatic experiences of others, leading to changes in worldview and emotional responses.
Not all trauma comes from one major event. Sometimes it comes from years of criticism, emotional neglect, instability, conflict, rejection, or feeling unsafe emotionally.
These experiences can shape the way you see yourself, relationships, and the world around you.
Have any questions? Send me a message!
What EMDR Therapy Is Like
EMDR is different from traditional talk therapy.
While we will still talk and process together, EMDR also works with the brain and nervous system using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, tapping, or other techniques. This helps the brain reprocess distressing experiences in a way that feels less emotionally charged over time.
EMDR therapy focuses directly on the memory and is intended to facilitate the reprocessing of memories, thus reducing and eliminating the problematic symptoms. You do not have to tell every detail of your trauma for EMDR to work.
Therapy moves at a pace that feels safe and manageable for you. Before beginning deeper trauma work, we focus on building coping skills, emotional regulation, and a strong therapeutic relationship so you feel supported throughout the process. The goal is to help people heal from trauma in a relatively short amount of time.
This treatment uses a structured eight-phase approach over a series of sessions until their symptoms have been fully resolved. These phases are:
taking history and treatment planning
preparing and explaining the treatment
activating the memory to be reprocessed
memory desensitization-focusing on the traumatic event while the bilateral stimulation takes place. This continues until the client’s Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) rating system (which assesses how disturbed one feels about an event) reaches zero.
using bilateral stimulation to install a desired way of thinking about the traumatic experience
body scan- identifying and processing residual physical disturbances related to the target memory
bringing each session to an orderly, calm close
re-assessing of memories to ensure progress throughout the treatment
EMDR helps to bring back the trauma of the memory while applying techniques to allow the brain to bring in additional information that the client knows now because the trauma is over. Examples are the realization that the client is now safe, that they survived, that they’re not in a state of danger anymore, and even that they realize the event wasn’t their fault and they are not to blame for the traumatic events.
A Compassionate, Personalized Approach
We understand that beginning trauma therapy can feel vulnerable and intimidating. Many people worry they will feel overwhelmed, judged, or emotionally flooded.
Talia Toon is the EMDR therapist at Family Perspectives, LLC. Talia’s approach is warm, collaborative, and compassionate. Talia works to create a space where you can feel emotionally safe while also helping you move toward meaningful healing and change.
EMDR is not about forcing yourself to relive painful experiences. It is about helping your mind and body no longer stay trapped in them.
EMDR Therapy in Phoenix, Arizona
Currently Talia provides EMDR therapy for adults in the Cave Creek, AZ and surrounding areas for in home and outdoor therapy or all throughout Arizona for video therapy. You do not have to keep carrying this alone.
Contact Talia to schedule a consultation or learn more about whether EMDR therapy may be a good fit for you.
Common Concerns About EMDR Therapy
Will I have to relive my trauma all over again?
Many people worry that EMDR means rehashing painful memories in detail or becoming overwhelmed by emotions.
The goal of EMDR is not to make you relive traumatic experiences. EMDR helps your brain process difficult memories in a way that reduces their emotional intensity over time. You do not have to share every detail of what happened for EMDR to be effective. We move at a pace that feels manageable, and we focus on helping you feel safe and supported throughout the process.
What if my trauma wasn't "bad enough" for EMDR?
Many people assume EMDR is only for severe trauma or PTSD.
EMDR can be helpful for a wide range of experiences, including childhood emotional wounds, difficult relationships, anxiety, low self-esteem, grief, and stressful life events. Sometimes the experiences that continue to affect us most are not dramatic events but repeated experiences of criticism, rejection, emotional neglect, or feeling unsafe. If an experience still affects how you feel, think, or relate to others today, it may be worth exploring in therapy.
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
It's common to wonder whether EMDR will work for your specific situation.
EMDR can be effective for many people, but it is not the right fit for everyone. During our initial sessions, we will discuss your goals, symptoms, history, and current coping skills to determine whether EMDR is appropriate. Sometimes EMDR is used as the primary treatment approach, while other times it is combined with traditional talk therapy. Together, we will create a treatment plan that fits your needs and comfort level. You are also welcome to set up a free initial 15 minute phone consultation so that we can discuss this and any other questions to make sure that we fit you with the right therapist.
Storms don’t last forever
At Family Perspectives, LLC, we use effective, evidence-based methods to help adults struggling with a range of symptoms that can be treated with EMDR, including those associated with trauma, anxiety, or chronic issues. Contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment with our trauma specialist, Talia Toon, or with one of our other well-seasoned Therapists.
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