EMDR For Different Types of Trauma
Trauma affects about 70% of everyone worldwide. Traumatic experiences can really weigh down on our minds, emotions and bodies. These memories can cause emotional distress similar to the time or event, but might not be until years after that trigger.
EMDR can help you feel better by working to ease the problems caused by disturbing life events so you can heal, recover your joy and rediscover who we are. At EMDR Therapy Nashville we provide a tailored application with licensed professional EMDR therapists.
With their proficiency and heart-felt assistance, you will be ensured to obtain successful outcomes in your healing process since they are here to assist in the recovery of all the scars left by terrible events from an older chapter in your life. What is Trauma?
Trauma is not a single experience. Whenever any event in your life has created immense stress, fear or emotional consequences that are hard to manage is trauma. Anyone can develop trauma at any age or from any background Not all are reacted to in the same manner, and it tends to leave scars that last well beyond when (or more likely times) has ended. So, what are some types of trauma?
Types of Trauma
Childhood trauma: events that happen in our early years and can cause other mental disorders moving into adulthood.
Bullying: A significant percentage of those bullied when young develop the symptoms outlined earlier in life.
Physical abuse: When someone suffers from aggressive behavior of a parent or caretaker against another person who has more power.
Sexual abuse: All forms of any unwanted, non-consensual sexual experience involving an individual — such as rape, harassment (including catcalling), molestation or other types of assault.
Complex grief: This is a type of grief that can happen after the passing of someone suddenly or unexpectedly.
Domestic Violence Trauma: This type of trauma relate to domestic violence or abusive behavior in an intimate relationship
Collective trauma: when many individuals are traumatized simultaneously by the same events. Victims show in these cases personal symptoms and social ones. The latter takes the form of an overall societal response to such abilities, whether through some discrimination in society or by making it extremely difficult for others affected to talk about what happened.
Inter-generational trauma: This type of unworthy may affect several generations within a single family, community or culture. The traumas of the past, however can echo their way down through time by how we grow up and are nurtured.
People who endure trauma will experience long-term psychological, emotional and physical repercussions if the incident is not resolved. It can influence self-perception and reality, resulting in a host of debilitating symptoms that interfere with normal functioning. If it goes unaddressed, trauma can undermine the sense of safety and trust for those who experience it.
The heightened anxiety about impending danger can trigger hypervigilance – the ceaseless monitoring of surroundings for threats or the expectation that harm is near. This sounds hard, and in the end, it is enormously laborious.
Also, most folks with trauma will either have floodgates of emotions or feel nothing at all. Feeling like the traumatic event is happening all over, or flashbacks of it with intensity. They are not able to share a happy moment with anyone else.
In the most physical sense, they tell of a trauma that will never heal. For victims severely tried by long-lasting body stress reactions, insomnia, diarrhea or constipation, chronic pain migraines.
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy for people seeking to resolve the symptoms and emotional distress resulting from disturbing life experiences. Invented by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR revolutionized therapy for a very specific reason: through some rigorously controlled double-blind studies, she linked horizontal eye movements with reductions of emotional intensity induced by either distressing memories or intrusive thoughts.
In fact, the American Psychological Association (APA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have recognized this therapy to be an efficient treatment for trauma. Unlike Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or exposure therapy, EMDR does not involve talking in detail about the distressing issue. Actually, it utilizes very little speech.
During EMDR therapy, the client is led by their therapist in incorporating bilateral stimulation via eye movements, tapping or auditory cues. This procedure allows the brain to metabolize and re-process such traumatic memories/thoughts with decreasing strength or emotional baggage.
An 8-phase protocol called EMDR therapy
Client history and identifying trauma memories
Getting ready and explaining the process to earn client trust.
Evaluation of the strength or significance of memory to work on
Desensitization of the traumatic memory by reprocessing it with bilateral eye movements, tapping or sounds.
The next thing the therapist does is help to install good thoughts in relation to that part of memory that made him feel traumatic.
Body scan to determine if any residual physical pain or discomfort related to the trauma.
At the end of a session, you will go through closure to make sure that your client is in good spirits when leaving with his therapist.
And finally, the therapist checks on your recovery and has you reassess any residual trauma symptoms.
How EMDR Helps Heal Trauma
The foundation of EMDR Therapy lies in the understanding that traumatic experiences are not fully symbolized or processed by the brain. This is why memories get “stuck,” leading to distressing symptoms triggered by memories or external events related to the trauma (e.g., a smell, a specific place, a person, etc.).
In EMDR therapy sessions, the therapist helps the client to identify the traumatic memories that generate their discomfort. While the individual focuses on that memory, bilateral stimulation is used through eye movements, sound cues or tapping. It is called bilateral stimulation because it stimulates both hemispheres of the brain, which helps the client to access and reprocess the stuck memories.
This therapeutic approach helps the brain process and heal the traumatic experience in a non-disruptive way. After the emotional intensity associated with these memories is reduced, clients are able to replace negative core beliefs, such as "I am in danger," with more realistic and positive ones, such as "I am safe."
The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model
EMDR therapy is based on the principles of the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model. It explains that the brain has an innate capacity to process and integrate events and experiences into adaptive memory networks. When trauma occurs, this process is destabilized, causing the memory to "freeze" in its original intensely distressing form. EMDR therapy “unfreezes” this memory, helps it to reprocess adaptively, and leads to the experience of emotional and psychological healing.
Thus, this groundbreaking treatment allows individuals to move beyond the limitations of their traumatic experiences, foster resilience, and regain control over their lives.
Why Choose EMDR for Trauma?
The world's most recognized health organizations endorse the evidence-based effectiveness of EMDR therapy and recommend it as the first-line treatment for trauma-related disorders.
EMDR therapy successfully relieves symptoms such as anxiety, flashbacks, and emotional numbness stemming from traumatic experiences in both adults and children.
This type of therapy has great benefits over more traditional approaches because it does not involve verbal discussion and analysis of the event. Many individuals feel overwhelmed just by talking about it, which can slow the healing process.
In addition, EMDR therapy has proven to have faster results than other types of therapy. Significant symptom reduction has been demonstrated after 3 to 6 sessions of this type of treatment. One study showed that 77% of participants who had experienced various traumatic experiences were no longer diagnosed with PTSD after six sessions of EMDR.
EMDR Healing in Nashville
Our EMDR Therapy Nashville offers individualized treatments with certified EMDR therapists to help any individual transition to a life free from the pain of the past. Through this treatment, clients can find relief from trauma-related stress, anxiety, and reactivity, as well as create more satisfying interpersonal relationships and live a fulfilling life.
We know that trauma does not discriminate. It affects people from all backgrounds and walks of life, which is why we believe that the local Nashville community should have access to appropriate treatment for healing. EMDR Therapy Nashville offers a safe space for you to take the first step in your journey of empowerment and personal growth.
Our clinic offers services tailored specifically to survivors of traumatic events. We recognize that trauma is experienced differently by each individual, which is why the therapists at EMDR Therapy Nashville are not only highly trained in this type of therapy protocol but also have valuable knowledge and experience in other types of therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems (IFS).
We ensure that each clinician undergoes rigorous training to meet the highest quality standards that clients need and deserve to heal. In addition, their compassionate approach creates a safe environment in which each individual feels acknowledged, validated and supported.
What to Expect in an EMDR Session
If you are considering starting an EMDR therapy treatment, here are some of the key points to consider. This will help you feel more confident about your decision and take the first step in your healing journey.
Each EMDR session is structured to guide you through the process of identifying, processing and healing trauma-related memories and symptoms with your therapist.
A typical EMDR session begins with an assessment phase. In this stage, your therapist will ask you a series of questions to get a clear understanding of your history and the traumatic experiences that impacted your life. Your story will help the therapist identify specific incidents from your past that are currently causing you emotional distress. You will not re-experience the trauma. You will simply point out some of the memories that most impact your emotions and behavior today.
After identifying the target memory, the therapist will begin to use binaural stimulation techniques, as mentioned above. In this phase, you just have to remain receptive while focusing on the chosen memory, following the therapist's guidance to engage in these simple movements.
When the recall of this traumatic event is combined with binaural stimulation techniques, the brain can reprocess the memory and reduce its emotional charge. At the same time, the negative beliefs that usually paralyze your life gradually lose strength and are replaced by more empowering ones.
We know that recalling traumatic events can be difficult. However, you should keep in mind that EMDR therapy does not require a deep and detailed analysis of the event you experienced. The process does not focus on reliving the trauma in detail but on reprocessing it until it loses the power it currently has in your life.
Our clients describe the sessions as emotionally intense but manageable. The sense of relief they feel at the end motivates them to keep going, allowing them to heal at their own pace while feeling fully supported by their therapists.
The road to healing is sometimes rocky. But EMDR therapy takes place in a safe and controlled environment, guided by experienced and compassionate therapists who will ensure that you feel comfortably challenged every step of the way.
Conclusion: Taking the First Step Toward Healing
At EMDR Therapy Nashville, we firmly believe that the most difficult paths lead to the greatest destinations. Your trauma does not define you, but it can bring out your greatest potential after healing.
If you or someone you know is struggling with the lingering emotional, psychological, physical, and relational effects of a traumatic event, we encourage you to contact us. Your quality of life can improve significantly when you receive the right help and psychological treatment from professionals who make you feel understood and supported.
EMDR therapy offers an effective evidence-based approach to healing trauma. Just after a few sessions, your brain can process the traumatic memories adaptively. The result? You will regain your sense of safety and rebuild a freer and more fulfilled life.
Your past experiences can hold you back until you decide to take a different direction. Schedule a consultation with our EMDR specialists to discuss how we can help you begin a new, more empowered chapter in your life. Book your appointment today and start your journey toward a brighter future.