Did you know that 76% of Canadian adults have experienced some kind of traumatic event at least once in their lives? Surprised by the high figure? You are not alone. There are many others like you. If you are looking to resolve some of the anxiety and other symptoms that emerge due to your trauma or some other disorder, then EMDR therapy in Thunder Bay can help. Never heard of this therapy? Check out the article below to get a brief overview of it.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy was developed by Francine Shapiro in the 1980s and was first used to treat people with traumatic memories only. Now it's found wide acceptance in treating a wide variety of disorders, like anxiety, depression, phobias, and more. It stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and is a safe and effective therapy. During the therapy, people recall traumatic memories while moving their eyes back and forth as directed by the EMDR-trained therapist.
The Stages of EMDR
There are a few stages to EMDR therapy. Once you have your initial client consultation and have established a trusting relationship with the therapist, the Desensitization stage begins. This is where the therapist directs the eye movements of the client while they recall traumatic memories. The next stage is called Installation, where the therapist focuses on installing positive thoughts that the client wishes to have. Then the client will do a body scan meditation where they scan their body from head to toe to identify the physical sensations that might be occurring. At the end of the session, the therapist will stabilize the client using certain self-control techniques. The client will also have to record any sensations or negative experiences in between sessions, so they can get evaluated in the next session. The therapist will keep reevaluating the effectiveness of the treatment as the sessions go along. If the client identifies further traumatic events, then future EMDR sessions can focus on that.
Benefits of EMDR
Certain studies indicate that EMDR therapy can treat symptoms that accompany a traumatic event, like stress, anxiety, anger, and more. It's become quite popular in recent years and is used to treat a wide variety of disorders, like addiction, chronic pain, self-esteem issues, panic attacks, eating disorders, and much more. The best way to use EMDR therapy would be to use it alongside other treatment options. This will give the client the best results.
Get EMDR Therapy in Thunder Bay
Do you like the sound of EMDR therapy and would like to try it out for yourself? It's a safe and effective therapy and can be used by most clients without any issues. Set up an appointment to try EMDR therapy in Thunder Bay with Thunder Bay Psychology, a counselling center. It could help resolve some of your past traumatic experiences. We can help you heal current issues or long-standing ones, whatever you desire.