Trauma can leave deep emotional scars, affecting your daily life and overall well-being. At Iridescent Counseling, we offer Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, an effective treatment for helping people process traumatic experiences and find healing. Our team in Tempe, Arizona, is here to guide you through this transformative journey.
What is EMDR?
Developed in the late 1980s, EMDR has gained recognition for its effectiveness in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions. It is based on the idea that our brains often don’t process the memories of traumatic events normally, which is why we freeze or feel as if we are re-living the memory when something triggers it. EMDR involves a series of eight phases, which include history-taking, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation. This comprehensive process allows clients to confront and reprocess distressing memories in a safe and supportive environment.
How Does EMDR Work?
During EMDR therapy, clients are guided to recall aspects of targeted traumatic memories while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation, typically through guided eye movements. This dual focus helps to facilitate the brain's natural processing mechanisms, allowing clients to reprocess the traumatic memory in a way that reduces its emotional charge. Safety is highly prioritized during EMDR. You shouldn’t feel as if you are re-living the memory, and we’ll constantly check in with you to see if it’s becoming too intense.
The Benefits of EMDR for PTSD
Many people with PTSD experience intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, and heightened anxiety. EMDR helps to alleviate these symptoms by enabling clients to process the memories normally, decoupling them from such intense reactions.
Research has demonstrated that EMDR can lead to significant improvements in symptoms of PTSD, often in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapies. Clients also frequently report being able to engage more critically with thought patterns and behaviors they developed as a result of the trauma once it’s been re-processed.
Learn if EMDR is Right for You
At Iridescent Counseling, our trained EMDR therapists are sensitive to the complexities of trauma and are dedicated to supporting you on every step of your recovery. If you are ready to explore EMDR therapy for trauma, we invite you to reach out to us for an appointment in our Tempe office or through telehealth for Arizona residents. Call (480) 573-0000 or send a message through our website