EMDR and Counselling for PTSD, Anxiety and Depression
Is EMDR therapy for me? This article aims to answer that question by clarifying what to expect from EMDR and highlighting key differences between EMDR sessions and traditional talking therapy. If you would like a more in-depth overview of EMDR please take a look ‘A Deep Dive into EMDR’ .
EMDR therapy focuses on all three prongs of life - past, present and future. We will touch on past experiences as a way for you to understand how these experiences influence behaviours, thoughts and feelings in the now. This awareness provides a platform for constructive change.
You don't have to talk in detail about what happened in the past. Your memories can remain private if you wish. When we clear out memories that laid the groundwork for dysfunction, it is much easier to work with present triggers and predicted future scenarios. EMDR is not a band-aid, it addresses issues at the root cause so that we can heal from the inside out and change in constructive ways that last a lifetime, not just for the duration that we are in therapy.
As mentioned above, EMDR doesn't require you to share lots of detail relating to distressing events. The focus of EMDR is to uncover the learnings and beliefs about self that derived from your experience and understand how that all plays out in today's world.
Typically, EMDR doesn't involve lots of input from the therapist, unlike talking therapy where you may be offered the counsellor's insight and perspective to help with sense-making. The desensitisation and reprocessing of traumatic memory enables you to make new associations by connecting with adaptive information already stored in the form of other memories and experiences. There will always be space at the end of sessions to debrief and reflect on any new learnings.
I appreciate that some people may never have shared their story with anyone, and that they feel it is important to do so - if this is you then we can explore how best to integrate EMDR into your therapy journey whilst interspersing talking therapy as needed.
In the preparation phase of EMDR we focus on establishing the skills needed for the desensitisation and reprocessing of traumatic memories. This will naturally include some techniques aimed towards re-establishing emotional stabilisation and regulation.
With your permission, I will guide you through exercises that focus on positive resources and deepen your connection to inner strengths and existing positive memory networks, which may be currently be overshadowed by traumatic experiences.
We will also introduce some form of stimuli in a slow, right-left rhythmic pattern i.e. butterfly hug tapping or eye movements, to engage and soothe the nervous system whilst mindfully focusing on the positive memory or resource being activated. This is known as 'bilateral stimulation' and is a main feature of EMDR protocol. You will be encouraged to draw on these resources in between sessions to create a sense of mastery, reinforce therapeutic gains and integrate progress more fully into everyday life.
It can be tempting to eliminate distressing symptoms or unwanted behaviors quickly, as this is often seen as success in therapy. However, symptoms develop over time and serve a functional role, often originating as protective responses to trauma or stress.
Attempting to suppress or remove problematic symptoms and behaviours without understanding their purpose can create internal conflict, as these coping mechanisms have supported survival. Throughout your EMDR journey we will turn toward parts of yourself that feel problematic to understand them better, exploring their origins and roles.
In this internal family systems (IFS) informed approach to EMDR therapy, we give the parts of self that are struggling some space, and show them compassion and concern for the suffering and misfortunes they have endured. By acknowledging and understanding these parts, they begin to relax, allowing space for new perspectives and a more integrated sense of self.
The desensitisation and reprocessing phase of EMDR is where we begin to work with some of the memories that link to your symptoms. The pace of these sessions is client led, we will aim to always work within your window of tolerance and will not progress at a pace faster than you can emotionally withstand.
EMDR therapy encourages communication between all three hemispheres of the brain - the thinking, emotional and sensing brain. This allows new associations and connections that help bridge the gap between 'knowledge' and 'felt sense'.
Talking therapy can help you make sense of your thoughts and emotions and separate anxious stories from reality. Still, you might notice parts of yourself that feel like different ‘voices,’ each with its own feelings and beliefs. When these don’t align with your current life, it can create inner conflict and confusion. Here are a few examples, but you can probably come up with several of your own:
“A part of me feels hurt and abandoned by my partner after our disagreement, and another part of me knows they didn’t mean what they said and were just upset about a situation at work.”
"A part of me feels like I'm not deserving of this promotion, another part knows how hard I have worked to secure it"
"A part of me feels like a bad person, another part knows that I have done nothing wrong"
"A part of me feels that it's not right to put myself first, another part knows that some self-care right now would have a positive effect on my relationships".
Traditional talking therapies don't incorporate deep introspection at the same level as EMDR. Combined with an internal family systems (IFS) approach, during the process of EMDR therapy you will be getting to know yourself, and your 'parts-related' protective system, in ways that promote natural healing from the inside out.
I integrate EMDR with internal family systems (IFS) to provide both symptom relief and deeper insight into their origins and protective roles. These approaches address the root causes of distress and are particularly effective for PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Both EMDR and IFS are structured therapies - once we identify the focus, I apply targeted techniques and strategies to help you stay engaged and progress toward your goals.
EMDR follows an 8-phase protocol, which will be fully explained to you during the preparation phase. In the initial consultation I will listen carefully to what has brought you to therapy and work with you to better understand your symptoms and identify a preferred future. From there, we will agree on a treatment plan that has the capacity to meet your goals for therapy.
I have adopted an approach to EMDR therapy that condenses the work ordinarily done on a weekly basis, into full or half day therapy sessions. This is known as EMDR intensive therapy. The overall length of an EMDR intensive is dependant on your individual goals.
A single day of EMDR intensive therapy may be adequate for an isolated traumatic event. If you have a complex trauma history originating from childhood and wish to achieve a comprehensive resolution then a 5-day EMDR intensive is the most likely recommendation. Those seeking to address a specific issue that has developed from multiple adverse experiences would benefit from 1 - 3 days of EMDR therapy.
Remote EMDR sessions have become increasingly popular following the COVID pandemic. I use an online platform that is simple and easy to use, designed specifically for remote EMDR.
If you have a specific budget or number of sessions in mind, we can explore how to make best use of financial limitations or time restrictions. People often find that they require fewer sessions of EMDR in comparison to talking therapy as in-session progress is usually accelerated. The processing of traumatic material can also continue below the level of sub-conscious awareness in between sessions, which can further contribute to relief from symptoms.
As an alternative to weekly sessions, I am also able to offer EMDR intensive therapy. This is a cost effective treatment which can yield meaningful progress in a short space of time. Research studies indicate that EMDR intensives can produce outcomes comparable to weekly therapy sessions taken over several months. This means that you could gain rapid symptom relief from just 1 - 5 days of EMDR intensive therapy.
Is EMDR therapy for me? To fully answer this question, I recommend booking an initial consultation where we can explore if EMDR therapy is an appropriate way forward for the concerns and symptoms you wish to resolve. You are also free to ask any questions about the EMDR intensive process and my way of working.
The initial consultation is a 60 minute session, held online via video call. The cost of this appointment is £80 payable at the time of booking.
