EMDR Treatments for Trauma Near Plano, TX

Though we cannot exactly pinpoint how psychotherapy works in the brain, we learned that the brain of an upset person couldn’t properly process information compared to how it does normally. When memory becomes “frozen in time,” and it becomes a trauma, remembering it would feel as awful as how it felt the first time. This is because the sounds, images, fragrances, and feelings that are associated with it will remain the same and have the same impact. Because moments like this have a lasting negative effect, they can interfere with the way a person views the world and relate to other people.

Even if the connection isn’t proven 100%, EMDR seems to directly affect the way the brain processes information. This is because, when a therapy session is successful, the client’s brain can normally process information again. When the traumatic event is brought to mind, he/she can no longer feel the same impact of the images, sounds, and feelings associated with it. A person will still remember what has happened, but it will be less upsetting.

Different kinds of therapy share the same goals with EMDR. However, EMDR is the one that appears to have similarities with what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. That is why this treatment can be considered as a physiologically based therapy that can help a patient see a disturbing material in a new and less distressing way.

To understand the nature of the problem and correctly identify whether or not EDMR is the appropriate treatment, a therapist may conduct one or more sessions with you. We will fully discuss the therapy and provide you with an opportunity to ask all of your concerns regarding the method. Once we have agreed that EMDR is the most suitable treatment for your specific problem, the actual therapy will start.

EMDR can last for about 60–90 minutes, and it may be used as a standard "talking" therapy, an adjunctive therapy with a separate therapist, or a treatment all by itself. The number of sessions required will depend on your life’s circumstances, the type of problems, and the amount of your previous trauma.

There are about 20 controlled studies about the effects of EMDR. The findings consistently suggest that for most clients, this therapy lessens/eliminates the symptoms of post-traumatic stress and improves the associated problems such as anxiety. Additionally, different researches have shown that EMDR can be an efficient and rapid treatment. In fact, based on the current treatment guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, EMDR is one of the effective treatments for post-traumatic stress. The therapy is also seen as helpful to PTSD clients by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense, the United Kingdom Department of Health, the Israeli National Council for Mental Health, and other international health and government agencies.