How Can EMDR Help?
EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based treatment and an approved treatment by the VA to treat PTSD. Trauma does not have to be just one specific event, trauma can also include a number of smaller events that for some reason, have not been fully processed. You may feel stuck, still react to, or still feel controlled by these memories. EMDR attempts to help our brains fully process these memories directly in the area of our brains that store emotions and memories.
After completing EMDR treatment, you may notice:
- An increased general sense of calm
- A decreased sense of fight, flight or freeze when triggered by past trauma(s)
- Certain emotions aren’t as scary as before
- An increased ability to feel emotions but not be controlled by them
People who go through EMDR still remember the traumatic event(s), but report that it is not as upsetting in their bodies anymore and they no longer feel trapped by the memories.
