EMDR for Trauma, PTSD, Addictions, Mood Disorders

EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that can alleviate the symptoms of PTSD, trauma, panic disorders, phobias, social anxiety, and various behavioral and substance addictions.

EMDR Mobilizes the Brain’s Natural Capacity for Healing

Research on memory reconsolidation shows that every time we remember something, it is susceptible to change. Take eye witness reports, for example: Five people who witness the same event will have different stories about what happened. With EMDR, a therapist helps you access a memory, and then pairs it with eye movements, taps, or tones (bilateral stimulation). The act of remembering while attending to the bilateral stimulation helps the brain reconsolidate the memory so that it’s less vivid or overwhelming.

Because EMDR therapy targets the memories, beliefs, and emotions that feed symptoms, people often experience permanent resolution of the problem and are able to move forward with their lives.

For people with process (behavioral) addictions to such things as gambling, sex/love, the internet, shopping, food, or overwork, EMDR can help you understand what draws you to these behaviors, and reduce the compulsive need to engage in them.

EMDR is also a promising treatment for substance abuse or addiction, as it can help desensitize triggers and urges to use.

EMDR for Toxic Self-Denial

Toxic self-denial is my term for selfless behavior that’s gone too far, leaving you stuck, unsure of yourself, vulnerable to exploitation and mistreatment, or liable to stay too long in unsatisfying situations and relationships. When using EMDR for toxic self-denial, I focus on reconnecting you to your basic, hard-wired emotions, then target negative beliefs that feed self-denying patterns of behavior. Some common beliefs include “There’s something wrong with me,” “What I want/feel doesn’t matter,” or “I have to _____ to be loved.” We will also target any experiences that instilled or reinforced the beliefs that it’s not okay to say No, or that you are expected to care for others to your own detriment.

I bring a spirit of compassion and mind-body-spirit-heart integration to my EMDR work. While some of my clients prefer one modality over the other, many of my clients have benefited from integrating EMDR with more traditional experiential/talk therapy methods.

To find out more about how EMDR can help you, please contact me to set up a free phone consultation.