Richelle Mancewicz, LMFT

WHAT IS emdr?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a simple and effective evidence-based therapy used to treat the psychological effects of stress and trauma. 

For most people, EMDR releases the emotional grip of disturbing memories, flashbacks, phobias, general body tension, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. It has also been shown to be effective in treating the symptoms of low self-esteem, negative self-talk, relationship difficulties, unlocking creative blocks, and enhancing work and athletic performance.

How does IT work?

EMDR uses bilateral eye movements (think of eyes following the back-and-forth motion of a metronome) that engage the brain in alternating left side/right side processing of traumatic and otherwise disruptive memories. It is understood to work similarly to REM sleep, in which the brain sifts through and stores the emotional events of the day and provides distance, context, and clarity to previously overwhelming memories.

Imagine your brain as a cabinet where your memory files are stored. When upsetting and traumatic memories aren’t properly and fully processed, they float around in the present and interfere with daily life in the form of nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, depression, and other distressing symptoms. EMDR provides a way of securely filing the memories away so they stop showing up unexpectedly. You have access to them if you want it, but they otherwise remain inactive until which time you choose to retrieve them.

EMDR is not hypnosis, and it will not cause any memory loss. In fact, you will be fully aware, present, and in charge of yourself, your thoughts, your behaviors, and the pace of the session throughout the process.

 EMDR OR BRAINSPOTTING?

EMDR & Brainspotting create similar brain states which lay the foundation for trauma resolution. Both are “bottom-up” therapies that focus first on relieving the physical stress of the body which, in turn, alleviates emotional stress. With EMDR, the therapist intensifies the client’s feelings and physical sensations about their chosen issue which allows the bilateral eye-movement desensitization & reprocessing (EMDR) to take effect. The therapist uses a set protocol of steps that, along with the back-and-forth eye movements, are purported to reduce the heightened emotional experience and lighten the emotional load of the specified trauma.

In contrast to EMDR, Brainspotting (BS) uses fixed, steady eye positions that allow clients to guide themselves through their unprocessed traumatic memories (“freeze” states). Clients choose what issue they’d like to work on, then let their mind wander through memories and physical sensations with minimal guidance from their therapist while they're gazing upon a focused “Brainspot.”

One of the claimed benefits of Brainspotting over EMDR is that clients do not need to “relive” the trauma in order to facilitate its release from the body, though both modalities involve discussing painful memories and feelings. More research has been conducted on the use of EMDR, however, one study* found Brainspotting to be more effective than either EMDR or CBT, and patients continued to improve after the completion of treatment. At a 6-month follow-up, the study showed that patients’ symptoms returned with all other modalities.

*Hildebrand A, Grand D, Stemmler M. Brainspotting – the efficacy of a new therapy approach for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in comparison to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2017;Vol 5:No 1 (2017). https://doi.org/10.6092/2282-1619/2017.5.1376

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