• Amy Hertle Counseling EMDR
  • Amy Hertle Counseling EMDR
  • Amy Hertle Counseling EMDR
  • Amy Hertle Counseling EMDR

EMDR Therapy

EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy may be an option when traditional talk therapy is unable to foster significant change. While beneficial, traditional therapy is often not enough to resolve chronic symptoms created by traumatic experiences.  When overwhelmed, the brain will often not properly process or “store” traumatic memories.  When this happens the event or experience becomes stored as a “maladaptive memory.” In a sense it is “frozen in time” in the brain and body and can impact daily functioning, interfering with how we relate to self, others and the world.

First developed for treatment of trauma and PTSD, EMDR is now found to be beneficial for a wide range of symptoms and diagnoses including anxiety, depression, disturbing memories, stress, grief and intrusive thoughts.

EMDR Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a process that can allow the brain to “unfreeze” the memory and reprocess the experience to allow it to become stored as an adaptive memory.

The process of EMDR activates both hemispheres of the brain through bilateral stimulation. Incorporating eye movement or other bilateral stimulation into a comprehensive approach, the process allows the release of information trapped in the mind and body, freeing the disturbing images, body sensations, debilitating emotions and restrictive beliefs. This activation allows the brain to reprocess and clear out what is “stuck,” shifting a maladaptive memory into an adaptive memory.

Reprocessing a memory will not cause one to forget a traumatic event or see it in a positive light, but rather store it as an adaptive memory that no longer feels like it is alive in the present day. It is no longer intrusive in healthy daily living.

“EMDR Therapy changes maladaptive neural networks by connecting the traumatic memory with new information. The distressing thoughts and emotions are blended with new positive thoughts and emotions; embodied awareness allows frozen sensations in the body to resolve through healing movements.” – Arielle Schwartz

Just as the body is able to heal injuries and illnesses, so too can the brain heal traumatic memories and disturbing thoughts and feelings.

Interested in learning more about EMDR? Let’s talk!