EMDR
What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of trauma. EMDR is a set of standardized protocols that incorporates elements from different treatment approaches.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR therapy is an integrative psychotherapy and uses a technique called bilateral stimulation to repeatedly activate opposite sides of the brain. Therapists often use eye movements to facilitate the bilateral stimulation. These eye movements mimic the period of sleep referred to as rapid eye movement or REM sleep, and this portion of sleep is frequently considered to be the time when the mind processes the recent events in the person’s life.
EMDR seems to help the brain reprocess the trapped memories is such a way that normal information processing is resumed. Therapists often use EMDR to help clients uncover and process beliefs that developed as the result of relational traumas, or childhood abuse and/or neglect. For a more detailed explanation please visit EMDR Institute, Inc.
What does EMDR help?
EMDR had been originally established as helpful for PTSD, although it’s been proven useful for treatment in the following conditions:
- Panic Attacks
- Complicated Grief
- Dissociative Orders
- Disturbing Memories
- Phobias
- Pain Disorders
- Performance Anxiety
- Addictions
- Stress Reduction
- Sexual and/or Physical Abuse
- Body Dysmorphic Disorders
- Personality Disorders
None of the above symptoms or experiences fit you?
Do you experience distressing emotions that appear to you, and perhaps to others, to be excessive given the current situation? Do you tend to be highly reactive to certain triggers? Is there one or more dysfunctional belief that you believe about yourself that on an intellectual level you know is not true?
If so, you may still be a good candidate for EMDR therapy.
Contact me today for a free phone consultation to see if EMDR might help you release what no longer serves you.
EMDR
What is Internal Family Systems Therapy?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a modality of therapy with the core belief that people are made up of body, soul (mind, will, & emotions), and spirit. Evaluating every part of the individual and how their internal “system” effects their beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and relationships is a key element of beginning IFS. The model of Internal Family Systems sees the individual as being made up of different parts, these parts being emotions, memories, ideas/beliefs, or even internal dialogue. The relationship between one’s internal system often reflects the dynamics of their own family system. A deep dive of parts can often reveal that some or many parts of an individual deeply resemble that person’s primary caregiver or the person responsible for the majority of their upbringing.
The term, “survival” mode has been one often used to describe how humans operate from a place of constantly seeing the world as a threat, distrusting people, and sheer will power rather than slowing down enough to exist in the present experiencing purpose and love. In Internal Family Systems, this “survival” mode is acted out by parts of us that attempt to keep us from pain and diminish our suffering. These protective parts often exist to keep experienced trauma from remaining in the conscious mind on a regular basis.
How does Internal Family Systems Therapy work?
Rather than seeing behavior or symptoms as the main problem, even those behaviors or personal patterns that are seen as unruly or extreme in nature, IFS sees these things as parts of us that are constantly trying to protect us from the trauma we once experienced. Instead of a clinical and medical based approach, the process of IFS sees every part of a person as good and helpful in working so hard to try and establish a safe place when it was often never experienced by that individual before. This is a relationship-based approach to creating internal boundaries with extreme emotions so that they are neither so far that they are neglected, nor too close that they completely overwhelm us, and we cannot see anything outside of what we are experiencing at the moment.
Who can benefit from IFS?
Internal Family Systems is a well-researched and proven effective model in healing those who struggle with addiction, who have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, DID (dual identity disorder), and complex/developmental trauma.
If you desire to heal from your trauma and lead your life from a place of peace and wholeness, IFS can be transformational for those dedicated to the process.
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