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EMDR & Trauma Therapy

EMDR & Trauma Therapy

EMDR & Trauma Therapy is something most can benefit from. Everyone experiences trauma throughout their lives. And although a lot of trauma occurs due to a specific event or occurrence, trauma can also be caused by things we experience on a consistent basis such as abuse.

Trauma can actually be divided into three types:

  • Acute: Trauma that is the result of one event or incident
  • Chronic: Trauma that is the result of prolonged and repeated instances
  • Complex: Trauma that is the result of multiple traumatic incidents and varies between all of the above

EMDR & is a very structured psychotherapy treatment that uses eye movement in aid of desensitization and reprocessing. It is believed that EMDR helps to bypass the area of the brain that has become “stuck” because of the trauma. Other trauma therapy involves imaginary exposure, imaginary rescripting or Somatic experiencing.

What an EMDR & Trauma Therapist Can Help You With

These are some of the things an EMDR & Trauma therapist is professionally trained to be able to help with:

Treating PTSD

There is a misconception that PTSD is only for those working in the military or armed forces. This is simply not the case. Any one from the general public can suffer from PTSD after traumatic experiences such as abuse or a car accident.

Treating PTSD in veterans

Those who have been in the field of war-torn countries have seen and experienced things that would simply be impossible for the general public to understand. It’s no surprise that most of these soldiers, marines, etc. return home only to find that they are suffering from PTSD. EMDR & Trauma therapy can assist in processing any upsetting memories, emotions, and thoughts relating to the traumatic event(s) experienced and relieve these PTSD symptoms.

Treating anxiety disorders

Most of our anxieties are triggered by past memories or our thoughts. These memories and thoughts can range from being an actual victim of a burglary to being consumed by the fear of being burgled. EMDR can address these memories and thoughts and reduce the mental, emotional and physical reactions to them.

Dealing with the aftermath of rape

From treating the trauma associated with the assault to dealing with the coping methods adopted by victims, EMDR can aid in healing after such a terrible experience.

Dealing with the aftermath of domestic abuse

With current statistics shockingly stating that 1 out of 4 women and 1 out of 7 men are victims of domestic abuse during their lifetime, it is clear that this is a major problem with many victims in need of treatment. EMDR’s main objective is to take the power away from the abuser and the memories associated with the abuse. It helps them move from a position of fear to a neutrality that doesn’t have such a destructive effect on their emotional and physical well-being.

Bringing relief to those suffering from severe illnesses or injuries

Those suffering from a debilitating or terminal illness can struggle with coming to terms with their situation. EMDR can actually unlock the natural healing powers of the brain and start moving them towards a place of acceptance. The same goes for serious injuries, especially due to a traumatic event.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one

This can really be any death of a loved one, but sometimes the trauma around the loss is amplified when it is a sudden, unexpected death. Grief actually consists of a wide range of emotions that can be pretty confusing at times. EMDR can help you process your emotional pain and help you find peace.

Helping those who experienced a natural disaster

Natural disasters can have a number of traumatic events and consequences associated with them. EMDR has been proven to be very effective when it comes to disaster-related distress. It targets the trauma from the past and links it to current problem areas/symptoms and then speeds along the brain’s natural ability to heal, process, and store the experience and all the thoughts and feelings attached to it.

Helping those who witnessed a traumatic event

There is actually something called secondary trauma, and it occurs when someone is not the individual directly on the receiving end of the traumatic event but is directly touched by it. These individuals can be those who witnessed a horrific event as a bystander or a member of the public who tried to help.

But those who work in certain professions such as ER personnel, firefighters, policemen, etc. are especially vulnerable to this type of trauma. A few examples of scenarios where this type of trauma can occur are terrorist attacks such as the London bombings or 9/11 as well as horrific car crashes.

Signs That it’s Time to Reach Out

If you are wondering whether you might need EMDR & Trauma therapy, here are a few tell-tale signs:

  • You experience intense anxiety.
  • You find that you have almost debilitating fears.
  • Your days are filled with chronic physical pain.
  • You had an extremely difficult childhood.
  • You suspect that you are suffering from unresolved grief.
  • You experience what we refer to as flashbacks (basically reliving the traumatic event).
  • Terrible nightmares have become a regular occurrence.
  • You are experiencing intrusive thoughts or images related to the incident that is impacting your daily life and functioning.
  • It’s almost like you’ve become overly alert.
  • You’ve become easy to anger and feel irritable most of the time.
  • Your sleep pattern has become disruptive (we’re talking about a consistent pattern here and not just one night of restlessness).
  • Your nerves feel shot and you can jump at the slightest fright.
  • You’ve adapted an avoidance style to everything related to the trauma. For example, when people start talking about it you walk away or change the subject.
  • You have started to self-medicate with substances.
  • You feel emotionally numb.
  • You struggle to remember a traumatic incident or event.
  • You blame yourself and feel guilty about things regarding the event, whether surviving or feeling like you could’ve done more to help others.
  • Your emotions can feel overwhelming and range from anger and sadness to guilt and shame.

Why People Don’t Reach Out

There are many reasons why people won’t reach out after experiencing a traumatic event or dealing with the aftermath of traumatic events in their past. These can include the following:

  • Not wanting to talk to friends and family due to feeling ashamed or not wanting to burden them with their problems.
  • A lack of funds since professional help can be expensive, especially if you don’t have any health insurance.
  • Where they are located. Some may find themselves in areas where there are no therapists nearby or they may live in such remote areas that it’s a mission just to get groceries, never mind a therapist.
  • A lack of time. Many simply don’t have the time to drive all the way to a practice that’s only open within office hours.
  • Some don’t even realise the impact the trauma has had on their lives – hence the physical manifestation.

The Benefits of Online EMDR & Trauma Therapy

This is where online EMDR & Trauma therapy can be incredibly helpful. Except for having all the benefits of any other psychology practice, it has added benefits that address many of the reasons why people don’t want to reach out in the first place. These include:

  • Being able to talk to an objective person that is professionally trained to handle these situations.
  • Since online therapy avoids a lot of in-office overheads and there’s no travel involved it’s much more affordable.
  • It doesn’t matter where in the world you are, a professional therapist is just one click away.
  • Online sessions are much more convenient. You can now squeeze these into your everyday life as and when it suits you, wherever you are.
  • Sessions may uncover trauma you were not even aware of and address something that may have had a profound impact on your life without you even realising it.
  • You’ll be empowered with life-coping skills from a professional.
  • Your sleep patterns will return to normal.
  • It will bring relief to your PTSD symptoms.
  • It can actually help uncover any underlying mental illnesses and address and treat it.
  • You will experience increased self-awareness.
  • It will help you let go of circular thinking patterns where you essentially just get stuck in an unproductive loop.
  • It will help you overcome any negative self-image inner dialogue.
  • Unlike many other forms of talk therapy, EMDR doesn’t require that much talking (which is a relief for many)
  • It identifies and addresses any general perceptions you may have that have been directly caused by the trauma you’ve experienced. For example, that normal disagreements always include an element of violence or that certain ethnic groups cannot be trusted.
  • It can work fast. Unlike other talk therapy options that can take years before seeing any results, EMDR & Trauma therapy can yield results within 8-12 weeks!

Finding the Right Fit

It is extremely important that you find the professional that’s the right fit for you based on your personality and situation, and we are more than happy to assist wherever we can. So, if you are currently wanting to reach out or have come to the realisation that you probably should, please don’t hesitate to contact us via our website or at info@pervanpsychology.com or simply complete the contact form below and we’ll get in touch shortly.