If you have been a victim of trauma, you may have heard of EMDR therapy, or eye movement de sensitivity reprocessing. There are many counselors trained in EMDR therapy in Grand Rapids who have seen the benefits of this newer therapy.
What is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy?
EMDR International describes “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy as an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.” Typical psychological approaches focus on changing thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and responses occurring from traumatic events. EMDR therapy differs in that the memory of the event is the focus. The goal is to change how your brain stores the traumatic memory in a way that reduces or even eliminates the traumatic responses.
What EMDR Involves
An EMDR session is not your average counseling session. Most counseling appointments consist of talking about issues and collaborating on ways to resolve those issues. EMDR is not talking therapy. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is exactly what it sounds like. While the traumatic memory is brought to mind, the trained EMDR therapist will direct your eye movements. When your attention is somewhere other than the trauma, the less powerful the memory becomes. As this process is repeated, the painful response to your trauma becomes desensitized.
How Effective is EMDR Therapy?
The EMDR Institute produced the following statistics regarding the effectiveness of EMDR therapy in eliminating the effects of PTSD:
- 84 percent to 90 percent of single-trauma victims after three sessions
- 100 percent of single-trauma victims and 77 percent of multiple trauma victims after six sessions
- 77 percent of combat veterans in 12 sessions
EMDR Therapists in Norton Shores & Holland
If you are suffering from PTSD or have been the victim of trauma, get started with West Michigan Psychological Services today. Call today and learn more about EMDR therapy in Grand Rapids. Click here to request an appointment through our online form, or call (231) 237-8898 and speak with one of our advocate specialists today.