What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) is a mental health therapy technique. EMDR Therapy is a unique approach to accessing traumatic memories stored or hidden in the brain. This technique involves moving your eyes in a specific way while processing traumatic memories. The goal is to help you heal from deeply traumatic life experiences, customarily within 8-12 sessions. EMDR therapy considers a patient’s past, present, and future for their traumatic memories.
EMDR therapy is viewed as an alternative from talk therapy. Its incorporation of non-verbal stimuli (eye movement) allows for different parts of the brain to be accessed. The goal of EMDR therapy is to heal negative thoughts, sensations, and painful emotions associated with traumatic experiences.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR Therapy was developed in the 1980s by Dr. Francine Shapiro. EMDR is a psychotherapy approach, utilizing elements of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and dual stimulation. EMDR typically uses a series of sounds, taps, or more commonly, eye movements to reprocess traumatic memories. All of your senses can be tied to specific memories, which is why EMDR makes use of those senses. EMDR therapy can be used for people of all ages with varying mental health conditions. Trauma is considered one of the most common factors attributing to mental health conditions and substance use disorder.
Rather than talking extensively about a deeply traumatic memory, EMDR focuses on changing the emotions associated with that traumatic memory. This creates a more natural healing process for your brain. Typically, your brain does not process traumatic experiences healthily; depending on the severity of the event, it can “disconnect” your body from your brain to try to help you process the trauma.
EMDR identifies the connection between mind and body. The emotional distress that traumatic memories cause often translates into physical symptoms, as well. EMDR is best known for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Its use is being adapted to treat other conditions, including substance use disorder.
What is Trauma Therapy?
Trauma therapy is a specific approach to the typical talk therapy. Like its namesake suggests, trauma therapy focuses on how traumatic experiences impact an individual from childhood to adulthood. Similar to EMDR, trauma-focused therapy examines the connection between traumatic experiences and an individual’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Trauma Therapy Techniques
There are various types of trauma therapy that can be effective for people living with different levels of trauma. Cognitive Processing Therapy is most commonly used for people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), while Trauma Systems Therapy is specifically utilized for children and adolescents. The aforementioned varieties of trauma therapy center talking. They help you make sense of your trauma; comparatively, EMDR allows trauma to be reprocessed in a healthier way.
Overall, the goal of trauma therapy is to help individuals understand themselves and their experiences better. Comprehending how trauma affects someone gives them better tools to help themselves in other areas of their lives.
How can trauma therapy and EMDR therapy be used for addiction treatment?
Essentially, one of the primary goals in substance abuse treatment is to address the cause of the trigger. Clinicians and therapists must examine the question: what triggers my client to use? Directly addressing their trauma with variations of trauma therapy will assist in the understanding of their relationship to self, as well as their addiction. Elevate Recovery Centers has a Trauma Focused Treatment program that takes traumatic experiences into consideration when formulating a treatment plan. We center safety, transparency, peer support, collaboration and historical, cultural, and gender issues in our Trauma Focused Treatment program.
As previously mentioned, EMDR therapy is currently being adapted for substance use and addiction treatment. Due to compounding factors trauma has on addiction and mental health conditions, EMDR therapy is thought to be great for those undergoing addiction and substance use treatment. Many people begin using substances to numb the pain they’re experiencing (physically and/or mentally). Oftentimes, addiction is connected to an individual’s deep trauma. EMDR therapy is used to identify triggers, cravings, and thoughts of escaping for those in active addiction. Treating the primary cause for addiction, trauma, with EMDR can reduce the severity and intensity of the need for a substance.
CBT and EMDR combined therapy can address the negative thoughts and stressors that a client feels prior to or during substance usage. Trauma reframing is an essential characteristic to EDMR, making it a wonderful option for those living with substance use disorder.
It’s important to know that therapy alone, no matter the type, cannot cure addiction and substance use disorder. Therapies, including EMDR, can be used in combination with an enriching treatment plan for the betterment of the client.
If you or someone you know is looking to formulate a substantial trauma-focused treatment plan, contact us for more information!