EMDR
What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a psychological treatment that enables people to heal from the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks, depression and severe anxiety.
What Kind of Problems Can EMDR Treat?
If you are one of those people who has experienced repeated (compunded) traumas, particularly in childhood, leading to a struggle with anxiety, depression, poor sleep or panic attacks in adult life, then it may be that you cannot understand why you’re reacting in this way now, when it’s all over and in the past, especially when you’ve been so capable or resourceful in your adult life.
EMDR has been successfully used in the treatment of personality disorders, panic attacks, complicated grief, dissociative disorders, disturbing memories, phobias, pain disorders, eating disorders, performance anxiety, stress reduction, addictions and sexual or physical abuse.
World Health Recommended:
Who Invented it?
In 1987, psychologist Francine Shapiro took a walk in the park. While walking, she happened to notice something interesting: While moving her eyes rapidly, from side to side, while remembering past traumatic events, it seemed to make them less upsetting.
Shapiro began experimenting with this. She found that others had a similar experience. Somehow by moving their eyes while thinking about a past trauma made it a little easier. Consequently, Shapiro eventually developed her discoveries into eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.
What is Trauma?
Trauma can be thought of as a negative event or happening in our lives which is outside of our normal experience in everyday living. It can be a big 'T' trauma, like a car accident or a small 'T' trauma, like a bad experience at public speaking perhaps. Note: For trauma which is related to one event only, please chat to Ghita about whether NLP or EMDR is the best method for you.
What we do know is that often when something traumatic happens, it seems to get locked in the nervous system (Amygdula) with the original picture, sounds, thoughts, feelings, and so on. Since the experience is locked there, it continues to be triggered (Fight, Flight, Freeze or Fawn reponse) whenever a reminder comes up. It can then become the basis for a lot of discomfort and sometimes a lot of negative emotions, such as fear and helplessness that we can't seem to control. These are really the emotions connected with the old experience that are being triggered.
Moreover, it has been shown that unresolved past experiences can be triggered by a current stressful life event. Once the flood gates are opened, emotional overload ensues and suddenly you can’t cope so effectively anymore. You may not even realise what the old events were until an EMDR trained therapist - such as Ghita Andersen, helps you to find them.
Client Success Stories:
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a psychological treatment that enables people to heal from the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks, depression and severe anxiety.
What Kind of Problems Can EMDR Treat?
If you are one of those people who has experienced repeated (compunded) traumas, particularly in childhood, leading to a struggle with anxiety, depression, poor sleep or panic attacks in adult life, then it may be that you cannot understand why you’re reacting in this way now, when it’s all over and in the past, especially when you’ve been so capable or resourceful in your adult life.
EMDR has been successfully used in the treatment of personality disorders, panic attacks, complicated grief, dissociative disorders, disturbing memories, phobias, pain disorders, eating disorders, performance anxiety, stress reduction, addictions and sexual or physical abuse.
World Health Recommended:
- EMDR has been endorsed by the American Psychological Association
- The Australian Psychological Society
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has formally approved EMDR therapy for use with adults, adolescents and children for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- 77% of veterans treated for trauma were healed with EMDR
Who Invented it?
In 1987, psychologist Francine Shapiro took a walk in the park. While walking, she happened to notice something interesting: While moving her eyes rapidly, from side to side, while remembering past traumatic events, it seemed to make them less upsetting.
Shapiro began experimenting with this. She found that others had a similar experience. Somehow by moving their eyes while thinking about a past trauma made it a little easier. Consequently, Shapiro eventually developed her discoveries into eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.
What is Trauma?
Trauma can be thought of as a negative event or happening in our lives which is outside of our normal experience in everyday living. It can be a big 'T' trauma, like a car accident or a small 'T' trauma, like a bad experience at public speaking perhaps. Note: For trauma which is related to one event only, please chat to Ghita about whether NLP or EMDR is the best method for you.
What we do know is that often when something traumatic happens, it seems to get locked in the nervous system (Amygdula) with the original picture, sounds, thoughts, feelings, and so on. Since the experience is locked there, it continues to be triggered (Fight, Flight, Freeze or Fawn reponse) whenever a reminder comes up. It can then become the basis for a lot of discomfort and sometimes a lot of negative emotions, such as fear and helplessness that we can't seem to control. These are really the emotions connected with the old experience that are being triggered.
Moreover, it has been shown that unresolved past experiences can be triggered by a current stressful life event. Once the flood gates are opened, emotional overload ensues and suddenly you can’t cope so effectively anymore. You may not even realise what the old events were until an EMDR trained therapist - such as Ghita Andersen, helps you to find them.
Client Success Stories:
Testimonial via text 2024: PTSD Treatment with EDMR: Hi Ghita, I reflected on that memory that we worked on and it has definitely changed. It feels brighter and I don't get that feeling in my chest. I get the memory of my 4th birthday every time I think of that night in Afghanistan. C. H. (Afghanistan Army Veteran) - Gold Coast
★★★★★ Google Review 2024: PTSD Treated with EMDR and NLP
'I saw Ghita for EMDR and NLP over 6 sessions and I was amazed at the impact it left. Her welcoming nature and expertise allowed me to get the most out of the experience and surfaced underlying issues that I didn’t realise were there. I would definitely recommend Ghita for EMDR or NLP and I’ll return if I ever need it again.' - Charlie Hawken (Labrador)
Testimonial via text 2024: EDMR and NLP: 'I don't want to get too excited and think that all my trauma is gone, and that when I feel down again, I'll get really down on myself because I've created this expectation that I'm like fully healed… But these last few days I felt absolutely free, I feel like I'm able to give more attention to other people and care for more people rather than just worried about myself and in my own head… Life is just feeling so much better at the moment. So thank you so much. - Jackson - Currumbin
How Does it Work?
One of the main hallmarks of EMDR is its use of bilateral stimulation. That means that the brain is activated on alternating left - right - left sides by various means via the body. This can be by moving the eyes from right to left (finger exercise), by playing a simple sound in alternating ears or by tapping gently on different sides of the body, such as on alternative knees, shoulders, ear lobes or the hands.
Dialling Down Anxiety
This Bilateral Stimulation (combined with the eye movements) used in EMDR seems to unlock the nervous system and allow your brain to process the experience. It is thought that this may also be what is happening in REM sleep, or dream sleep. Though the use of similar eye movement the brain seems to unlock the negatively stored memories and process the event to a better resolution.
After successful treatment with EMDR therapy, affective distress is relieved, negative beliefs are reformulated and the fight or flight response is reduced.
Common Methods of Bilateral Stimulation During a Session:
EMDR is usually a few sessions for treatment, however some issues may take longer.
NOTE: EMDR is an in-session treatment and not designed for online sessions.
Millions of people have been treated successfully for trauma over the past 33 years with EMDR and Somatic Exercises. Did your know that Prince Harry was undergoing a form of therapy known as EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) when he was 12, to treat unresolved anxiety about the paparazzi - stemming from the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales? Source: Guardian Newspaper - May 22, 2021
It is important to remember that there is a no obligation, free 10 minute phone consultation available. Have a chat with Ghita today on 0439888070, or alternatively, check availability and book online anytime on the booking tab below.
One of the main hallmarks of EMDR is its use of bilateral stimulation. That means that the brain is activated on alternating left - right - left sides by various means via the body. This can be by moving the eyes from right to left (finger exercise), by playing a simple sound in alternating ears or by tapping gently on different sides of the body, such as on alternative knees, shoulders, ear lobes or the hands.
Dialling Down Anxiety
This Bilateral Stimulation (combined with the eye movements) used in EMDR seems to unlock the nervous system and allow your brain to process the experience. It is thought that this may also be what is happening in REM sleep, or dream sleep. Though the use of similar eye movement the brain seems to unlock the negatively stored memories and process the event to a better resolution.
After successful treatment with EMDR therapy, affective distress is relieved, negative beliefs are reformulated and the fight or flight response is reduced.
Common Methods of Bilateral Stimulation During a Session:
- Healy (Ear Clips: Mental Acute setting: Swings back and forth)
- Eye Exercise: The eye follows a finger moving in three line patterns to loosten memories (Therapist): (Visual Top layer. Auditory Middle layer and Kinesthetic Bottom layer)
- Alternating a hand tapping on both sides of body (Butterfly, Shoulders, Knees or Ears)
EMDR is usually a few sessions for treatment, however some issues may take longer.
NOTE: EMDR is an in-session treatment and not designed for online sessions.
Millions of people have been treated successfully for trauma over the past 33 years with EMDR and Somatic Exercises. Did your know that Prince Harry was undergoing a form of therapy known as EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) when he was 12, to treat unresolved anxiety about the paparazzi - stemming from the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales? Source: Guardian Newspaper - May 22, 2021
It is important to remember that there is a no obligation, free 10 minute phone consultation available. Have a chat with Ghita today on 0439888070, or alternatively, check availability and book online anytime on the booking tab below.
The Amazing EMDR BREAKTHROUGH PROGRAM
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