EMDR Therapy Denver
EMDR Therapy—A Tailored Approach To Healing Traumatic Experiences
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of therapy that helps individuals heal from the emotional impact of psychological trauma and adverse life experiences. It offers clinicians a way to address psychological and physiological symptoms that stem from distressing events. (1)
EMDR therapy seeks to alleviate trauma symptoms by altering the way traumatic memories are stored in the brain. What clients experience during EMDR reprocessing is similar to what happens during REM sleep—the brain automatically processes painful memories so they are no longer overwhelming.
During the EMDR process, your therapist guides you through a series of bilateral stimulation exercises (eye movements, tapping or sound) while you recall a traumatic or distressing memory. This allows your brain to reprocess what happened to you, moving your traumatic memory from the emotional side of the brain to the rational side, so that the memory no longer negatively affects you.
What clients like most about EMDR is that you don’t have to speak in detail about what happened. You can share as much or as little as you’d like—it all depends on what you’re comfortable with. In this way, EMDR lowers the risk of re-traumatization.
The History And Effectiveness Of EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy was developed in the 1980s by a psychologist named Francine Shapiro.
During a walk in the park, Francine felt plagued by some distressing memories. In the midst of thinking about these memories, she noticed some squirrels running back and forth in a tree. As she watched them, she realized that her eye movements seemed to decrease the negative feelings associated with her distressing memories and she began to feel better.
This launched her into many years of research, studying individuals with traumatic and distressing memories. She found that her experience was no accident—eye movements had profound desensitizing effects on trauma.
Her research gave birth to what we now know as EMDR—one of the most powerful and reputable approaches to trauma treatment in existence. The American Psychological Association, Department of Defense, and World Health Organization all recommend EMDR as a top-level form of trauma therapy.
Who Can Benefit From EMDR Therapy?
Elevation Behavioral Therapy specializes in treating trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, substance use, anger issues and panic disorders in children, teens and adults utilizing EMDR.
It was important for us that our licensed clinical therapists are trained in a therapy that can help clients who express having difficulty moving past certain memories and/or experiences and allow them to fully heal, rather than just learn to cope—and that's exactly what EMDR does. It gets to the root of what's wrong and allows you to truly heal in the deepest part of your brain.
While EMDR does not erase organic disorders, it does provide significant, long-lasting relief for non-organic conditions. For instance, if someone has bipolar disorder, EMDR will not change the fact that they have this disorder. However, it will significantly help with any negative experiences related to this diagnosis, such as challenging events that occurred during a depressive episode.
How Does The EMDR Treatment Process Work?
EMDR is an eight-phase treatment method that includes:
The premise of EMDR therapy is to let go of the heavy, difficult experiences that are holding you back. It goes beyond simply processing what happened or requiring you to talk it through and allows you to fully heal from these memories and move on to a happier, lighter new chapter of your life.
EMDR Therapy Can Help You Heal From The Pain Of The Past
It’s time to liberate yourself from distressing experiences. Elevation Behavioral Therapy can help you find relief through EMDR.
Please schedule a free initial consultation or first appointment online using our booking link below. You can also email us at support@elevationbehavioraltherapy.com or call or text us at (720) 295-6566.
A brighter future awaits.
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