emdr therapy for trauma in dallas

Does it feel impossible to finally put the past in the past?

You become overwhelmed with old feelings and memories or maybe it is hard to remember some of the details of your past at all.

Past memories and emotions seem to haunt you and impact your relationships.

Maybe it is difficult to trust others or feel safe in the present moment because of past trauma, disturbing thoughts and memories, low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.

Trauma therapy helps to integrate past trauma by utilizing your body’s own ability to heal.

Contact me to set up a free consultation today to see if we are a good fit!

emdr counseling for trauma

signs of trauma

  • Anxiety or being “on edge”

  • Persistent, upsetting thoughts and emotions

  • Avoiding reminders of stressful events

  • Flashbacks or reliving the past

  • Isolation and depression

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Irritability

  • Sleep difficulties or nightmares

  • Episodes of numbness or zoning out

signs of childhood trauma:

  • Few or no memories of childhood

  • Parent was critical, threatening, or demeaning

  • Low self-esteem

  • Recurrent, painful memories of childhood experiences

  • Relationship instability as an adult

  • Sudden changes in mood

  • Depression and anxiety

  • Difficulty regulating emotions

  • Dissociation (amnesia, memory gaps, zoning out)

Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidenced-based counseling treatment approach effective for a variety of mental health concerns:

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Anxiety and panic disorders

  • Depression

  • Many other mental health concerns

Under normal circumstances, your brain stores memories and information in an adaptive way. However, trauma, abuse, chronic neglect, or other severe stress may overload the body’s ability to cope and process experiences and new information, causing the original memory, sounds, sights, smells, or sensations to become “stuck” in your nervous system.

After identifying distressing memories to process, EMDR utilizes bilateral stimulation—eye movements, vibrating buzzers, or tapping—to activate the brain’s natural ability to store and process past experiences in an adaptive way.

Initially the trauma therapist is focused on building a therapeutic relationship with you and exploring your history. Your therapist will NOT ask you to go into excessive details about your trauma history, as this is potentially retraumatizing and destabilizing. Prior to ever diving into past trauma, your therapist will help guide you as you build emotional regulation skills, safety and trust with the therapist, and nervous system support to establish a sense of grounding in the present moment.

Your counselor will be a guide to help identify what memories are related to your current challenges in the assessment process. Your therapist might ask questions like, “When is the first time you remember feeling this way?” or “When did you first have the belief that you are not good enough?” Together with your therapist you will gently explore the past to get “unstuck” from old patterns and build a better future with healthy relationships, improved mood, and more self-confidence.

Book a free consultation today to get started with virtual or in-person therapy sessions!

FAQs

  • First, after determining that you are a good fit for EMDR, you and your therapist will build trust and safety before ever processing any trauma. Once relevant trauma memories are selected, you will identify an image of the worst part, a belief, feelings, and body sensations related to this event. While the client focuses on the upsetting memory, the therapist will begin sets of side-to-side eye movements, alternating handheld buzzers, sounds, or taps. The client simply notices what comes up after each set while the therapist offers support and assistance with grounding. There might be changes in insights, images, feelings, body sensations, and/or beliefs regarding the even until the memory feels processed.

  • It depends! Everyone processes differently. Some people resolve significant memories in one session while others spend years processing complex trauma. Your therapist will help set realistic goals and treatment planning for your EMDR therapy.

  • EMDR sessions last 50 minutes or 90 minutes depending on your needs.

    EMDR intensives are an option for those wanting to cover more ground in an efficient, lengthened timeframe for a duration of 3-4 hours. Intensives may be helpful for those who want to maintain traction in a single day for less frequent visits.

  • EMDR is an effective treatment for a variety of mental health disorders:

    • Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias

    • Depression and bipolar disorders

    • Eating disorders

    • Grief and loss

    • Chronic Pain

    • PTSD/CPTSD

    • Sexual assault

    • Sleep disturbance

    • Substance abuse and addiction

    • Violence and abuse

  • EMDR is a research-backed approach endorsed by the following organizations:

    • American Psychiatric Association

    • American Psychological Association

    • International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies

    • National Alliance on Mental Illness

    • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

    • U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

    • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense

    • The Cochran Database of Systematic Reviews

    • The World Health Organization

    For more research about the effectiveness of EMDR, visit EMDRIA.org!

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