Why does Julie love EMDR?
Why does Julie love EMDR?
When I was training to be a therapist, I was constantly seeking out ways to further help my clients. My hope was to understand my client’s struggles, find ways to lift their pain, and accelerate the transformation process. There are numerous therapeutic theories that address human suffering and point towards ways of healing. I was drawn to EMDR because of its ability to tap into the brain’s natural healing process. Client’s were reporting relief from their symptoms and coming back the following week with new and profound insights into their experiences. It was incredible to see a person for the first time experience a sense of peace and calm inside themselves. EMDR was helping the therapeutic process in expedited and powerful ways.
I have now used EMDR as part of my clinical practice for over 3 years. I find it incredibly helpful to address a variety of issues people come into therapy for. The EMDR process allows for a person to reprocess disturbing memories and experiences while integrating a person’s body sensations, emotions, and thoughts. I use EMDR alongside other modalities of Attachment, Psychodynamic, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Mindfulness. It is a powerful tool that is grounded in neuroscience research.
I have been a runner for years and it has become an important part of my self-care. If I am feeling distressed about something and go for a long run, it's amazing how after a while, the emotional charge goes away. The issue may still be there when I return from my run but I am able to look at if from a different perspective and with less emotional reactivity. When I learned more about neurobiology and EMDR, it shed light onto something I had been doing for years. The rhythmic, repetitive body movement of running is similar to the bilateral stimulation conducted in EMDR. Bilateral movements, whether it be swimming, yoga, running, or eye-movements, stimulate the right and left hemispheres of the brain and allow for full body integration. EMDR is powerful in the therapeutic setting with a trained clinician but it can also be applicable in our day to day life.
If EMDR seems at all interesting, I would love to talk more about how it could be helpful for you.
