How I Found and Fell in Love with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy

When I started in a private practice after years of using by the book, typical insurance approved treatment methods like basic CBT in structured agency programs, I realized two things; I now had a sense of freedom to pursue new methods and I also had a desperate need for more advanced trainings in well researched methods to help my clients who so wanted to experience deep inner healing.

In working in private practice I began seeing clients who had seen multiple therapists previously, frequently clients who, from an outside view, had their lives quite together, who had figured out at least some idea why they do what they do and how they got to where they are, however there were always some patterns they kept repeating over and over. These specific places they would get stuck and cycles they were unable to change no matter how aware of them they were.

I noticed that frequently this stuckness rooted back to some specific belief about themselves or the world around them formulated over time, most often from more than one situation, relationship, or event. My clients were often able to identify these experiences and beliefs and discuss them at length, but again they were unable to change how they functioned presently no matter how many people they’d talked through these events with or how much they tried to ‘challenge’ these beliefs. I learned that helping clients to better understand themselves and providing information that challenged these old beliefs was step one and could be the beginnings of a shift, but there was something more that was needed.

At the time, as a result of my very limited research on the protocol, EMDR felt a bit ‘hokey’ to me so I engaged in several other trauma focused trainings prior to signing up for the trainings required to become an EMDR certified therapist. I found these other protocols helpful, however they mainly focused in on single-incident traumas, which I found to be more of the exception than the rule when it came to what my clients were struggling with. I needed something more equipped to address complex PTSD and the results of recurrent life events that impact us over time, particularly related to early attachment and relationships where the incidences that impact us are much more complex and sometimes even the result of what did not happen rather than what did.

When I finally began the EMDR training, I knew immediately that I had found the method I had been searching for. EMDR has such an amazing way of categorizing themes (self-worth/shame, action/guilt, safety/vulnerability, control/choices, and connection/belonging) within which we can identify past experiences and the beliefs formulated from them. Once we can better identify and understand which themes we are struggling with, we can begin working on building our positive and adaptive internal resources and reprocessing the past experiences that have lead to our beliefs about self and the world that are no longer working for us.

In doing my own personal work with EMDR with an EMDR certified therapist, I found an enormous amount of healing surrounding events I thought I had long since processed through in traditional talk therapy in the past (in spite of remaining stuck in some of the same cycles for years). Having been in and out of therapy for many years, I believe that I received the understanding and information from previous therapists that allowed this reprocessing work with EMDR to move fairly quickly and that if not for that earlier work, I may not have had the same experience.

Depending on where you are at in your therapy journey you may need more work on the front end to work on effectively incorporating adaptive coping skills, building your support system, and bettering your understanding of where and why you are getting stuck. Prior to reprocessing, your therapist will also work with you on something called ‘resourcing’ where you will work to build and strengthen positive internal resources to help you with the reprocessing piece of EMDR therapy. A skilled EMDR therapist will guide you through all of this in order to collectively determine when you are ready to move into the reprocessing work.

After experiencing so much resolve and healing from my own work with the EMDR protocol and seeing how much it has helped my clients, EMDR has become my preferred method of treatment above all else. Within the EMDR framework, I am able to incorporate other methods and teachings where needed to create a cohesive healing process for clients that meets each of your individual goals. I am always so excited to share this approach with new clients and to be a part of this healing process with everyone who enters my office.

To gain a better understanding of the process of EMDR therapy in Greenville and how it can be helpful for you, please contact me below to get started!