{"id":1512,"date":"2016-01-20T09:06:47","date_gmt":"2016-01-20T09:06:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/anpsthemes.com\/construction\/?page_id=1512"},"modified":"2019-09-04T20:13:35","modified_gmt":"2019-09-05T02:13:35","slug":"emdr","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fyccounseling.com\/?page_id=1512","title":{"rendered":"EMDR"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”EMDR” use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”title”][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]

<\/div>

\u201cI honor the past. I live in the present. And I look toward the future.\u201d - Nancy Harmon, LCMHC<\/h4><\/div><\/div>[vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_column_text]Nancy is EMDR certified and is in the process of becoming an EMDR approved consultant.\u00a0 Nancy believes very strongly in EMDR and has experienced the healing effects for herself.\u00a0 EMDR is a therapy that has been around since 1989. It is a wonderful therapy with years of research backing up it\u2019s effectiveness.\u00a0 EMDR is a treatment of choice, and Nancy\u2019s treatment of choice, for healing trauma and grief. However, EMDR is very effective for almost all mental and emotional health issues whether they are simple or complex.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_tta_accordion style=”anps-style-1″ shape=”square” active_section=”1″][vc_tta_section title=”WHAT IS EMDR?” tab_id=”1453278520348-82ca7492-26b7c71a-2c4b”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1566332087341{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy. EMDR is based on the adaptive information processing model (AIP). The idea is, the way the body is designed to heal, as long as nothing interferes with the healing process, it is going to heal. The AIP model believes, mentally and emotionally we are designed towards healing as well, and as long as nothing interferes with the healing process, we are going to naturally move towards healing.\u00a0 <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”WHAT CAN EMDR TREAT?” tab_id=”1453278719768-885e6062-5ba0c71a-2c4b”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1566332137245{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]EMDR is a treatment of choice, and Nancy\u2019s treatment of choice, for healing trauma and grief.\u00a0 However, EMDR is very effective for almost all mental and emotional health issues, whether they are simple or complex.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”HOW DOES EMDR WORK?” tab_id=”1453278708716-3462645a-c915c71a-2c4b”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1566328121774{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Typical memories are held as narrative memories in the part of the brain that perceives the past.\u00a0 These memories are typically faded, lack intense emotion, and may be fragmented, but we can usually recall the most important parts of the memory.\u00a0 Trauma memories are actually held differently in the brain and nervous system. Trauma memories are held as sensory memories in the part of the brain that perceives the present.\u00a0 This actually shows on brain scans! Trauma memories have become stuck in the limbic system and are not able to move to the part of the brain that perceives the past. When a person has typical PTSD symptom such as nightmares and flashbacks, it is actually the brain trying to resolve it.\u00a0 We experience these symptoms as distressing but it is actually the brain trying to resolve the traumatic information that has gotten stuck. It\u2019s trying to heal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In EMDR we target these \u201cmaladaptively stored\u201d memories and activate the brain\u2019s processing.\u00a0 AIP believes we are activating the same mechanism as in REM sleep. During REM sleep we are dreaming, releasing important chemicals and hormones, and the brain is processing information.\u00a0 REM sleep is an important time of healing for our bodies. In EMDR we activate this processing by using BLS (bi-lateral stimulation) which is just giving the brain a signal back and forth across hemispheres.\u00a0 Bi-lateral stimulation can be done visually through eye movements, auditorily by listening to headphones, or tactilely by gentle taps on the hands, or through tappers you hold in your hands that alternate small vibrations back and forth.\u00a0 Bi-lateral stimulation is not painful in any way. People have asked if it is \u201cshock therapy\u201d which it definitely is not. It is also not a form of hypnosis. Bi-lateral stimulation is a part of EMDR therapy.<\/span><\/p>\n

As we target distressing memories and activate the brain\u2019s processing center, the brain does what it is designed to do.\u00a0 The brain finishes processing distressing memories, fading them, desensitizing distressing emotions, sounds, and visual images, and actually moving these memories from the part of the brain that perceives the present to the part of the brain that perceives the past.\u00a0 This too shows on brain scans! Years of trauma and abuse can be reduced to faded memories of something that just happened in one\u2019s life. It no longer defines you, your self-image, or your view of the world.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”HOW DO I LEARN MORE?” tab_id=”1453278704996-2e48d0ff-944dc71a-2c4b”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1566679917430{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]To learn more about EMDR therapy including research and frequently asked questions please go to EMDR.com<\/a> or EMDRIA.org<\/a> or contact Nancy at Finding Your Center Counseling today.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_accordion][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_custom_heading text=”Treating PTSD with EMDR” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]An important note to military, first responders, and all others living with trauma.\u00a0 Please understand PTSD symptoms are not a statement about one\u2019s strength, character or personality.\u00a0 PTSD develops out of the way the brain and nervous system deals with traumatic information.\u00a0 It is not your fault if you develop PTSD symptoms. PTSD symptoms are actually just a signal letting you know something needs your attention to heal. The same way a fever signals you that something in your body needs attention so it can heal. Traumatic memories and PTSD symptoms can and do heal. EMDR can and does greatly reduce and even eliminate PTSD symptoms. There is no doing trauma work without a certain level of distress but EMDR is the fastest trauma therapy available. It is endorsed by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, World Health Organization, and the International Society for Traumatic Stress.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]