Disarming the Electric Fence
I like to think of EMDR as a way of removing the electrical charge from a fence. You’re walking along on a nice stroll, but you come to a wire barrier that, when you touch it, causes deep pain and sends you searching for another route. But this path is the only way forward, and proceeding means finding a way through the electric fence. You know that trying to maneuver through those electrified wires causes so much pain that it’s safer to just keep a distance. But if the electricity is removed from the fence, you can climb through and proceed. The fence is still there, but it no longer has the power to hurt or overwhelm you.
Painful events and memories can work in much the same way. They are often charged with so much terror and power to disrupt your life that perhaps you’ve created systems to keep yourself and anyone else from getting too close to them. You’ve maybe even convinced yourself that you don’t need to get past that stupid fence anyway! However, certain things may inadvertently push you close enough to the fence that it’s becoming problematic, whether nightmares, flashbacks, panic attacks, or your body flipping out in response to seemingly harmless situations.
How does it work?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, or EMDR, is a therapy that was developed in the 80s and initially used to treat Vietnam veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress symptoms. However, the treatment was so effective in helping veterans process and heal from traumatic experiences that it was eventually used with people who had experienced traumatic events at work, in their personal lives, or as the result of natural and manmade disasters.
Despite its name, EMDR does not always include actual “eye movement.” However, the goal is to use either bilateral movements or sounds that stimulate both sides of the brain while recalling a memory. Nowadays, many therapists use handheld tappers or headphones with sounds that alternate from ear to ear. This allows you to process a memory with its accompanying sights, sounds, smells, and tactile sensations. As the memory is recalled with bilateral stimulation, the brain “digests” the memory’s emotional charge. While the memory remains, it loses its power to cause disturbances in your daily life. For some, this might mean an end to nightmares, flashbacks, and panic attacks. Others may feel a sense of bodily freedom; the sense that an enormous burden has been lifted from their brains and bodies.
Not only does EMDR help you reprocess difficult memories, it also gives you the opportunity to associate truth and rationality with memories and feelings that hijack your brain and body. For instance, Kelly was in a terrible car accident and now feels a sense of dread and panic each time she needs to ride in a car. Her rational side may know she’s safe, but her nervous system is screaming “DANGER! DO NOT PROCEED!” With EMDR, Kelly is able to reprocess the memory of the car accident and teach her body that she is safe and can stay calm when riding in a car.
If you’re wondering if EMDR could be right for you, I’d like to invite you to try two things:
- 1
Do a bit of research on EMDR. It is actually one of the most studied and well-researched therapies for trauma, and it has been proven to be highly effective. You can start here:
- 2
Set up a free, 15-minute call with us to see if this could be a good fit. We look forward to talking with you!