Role of EMDR in Adverse Experience and Crisis Situation Symptoms Treatment
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a mental health therapy method used for treating symptoms of distressing and traumatic events in the past. The therapy method requires the patient to move their eyes in a specific way while they process traumatic and distressing memories.
In the field of clinical psychology, EMDR is best known for its role in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. However, in recent years, with training courses such as Crisis Interventions & Brief EMDR Protocols, its application has expanded to the treatment of several other mental conditions including symptoms of crisis situations. It has yielded successful results in the therapeutic treatment of people of all age groups including adolescents, teenagers, and adults.
The working of EMDR is based on the adaptive information processing (AIP) model, a theory that states that the brain stores normal and traumatic memories differently. The AIP model was put forward by Francine Shapiro, PhD, who himself developed EMDR.
According to the AIP model theory, the brain stores memories of normal and pleasant events smoothly and networks them to other memories that are remembered. Memories of disturbing and distressing events, on the other hand, are stored in a way in which there is dissonance or disconnectedness between the experience felt, heard, or seen, and how the brain chooses to remember it. In other words, the brain stores memories of such events in a way that hinders the mind from healing or overcoming the shock and trauma it caused.
When this happens, new experiences link up to past trauma experiences and reinforce a negative experience repeatedly, disrupting the links between senses and memories. In the same way that an injury makes the body sensitive to pain, these memories become mental wounds that make the mind sensitive to things seen and felt during the undesirable event.
The phenomenon not only happens with events that are remembered, but even with suppressed memories. Much like how the body learns to use reflexes to avoid pain experienced in a past incident, the mind tries to suppress traumatic memories to prevent accessing them because they are discomforting or painful.
Sensory cues such as sights, sounds, smell, and environment that are similar to what were experienced during the event can “trigger” the brain to access those differently stored memories, causing riveting feelings of panic, fear, anxiety or anger.
EMDR helps people with distressing experiences deal with their memories and overcome their symptoms. It enables them to access their memories in a way that does not bring out undersiteble feelings. With instructions to guide them and control their eye movements in a particular way, EMDR alters the way they remember and process memories of a negative event. This helps to heal and overcome the mental injury, and accessing the memory no longer feels like reliving it or wakes any discomforting feeling.
Conclusion
While EMDR is relatively new compared to other therapy methods used for treating mental illnesses, its efficaciousness has been proven by dozens of clinical trials. Its method of application has been refined, improved, and expanded considerably since its development. As a result, it has come to be an integral part of the practice of many clinicians who work with patients affected by crisis situations and negative experiences
If you’re planning to integrate EMDR in your practice, our Crisis Interventions & Brief EMDR Protocols training course can provide you with knowledge and certification to enable you to effectively apply EMDR techniques in your patient care. Call us at @ 515-225-7124 or write to us at info@emdrandbeyond.com to sign up and know more about the course.