What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR is a form of psychotherapy that is designed to target and alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories and experiences. EMDR utilizes bilateral stimulation to activate the brain into reprocessing memories that have been left "unprocessed", or frozen in your brain, which tends to happen when traumatic events are experienced. These unprocessed events contribute to the negative beliefs, thoughts and behaviors that impact one's daily life. EMDR prompts the brain to heal itself through reprocessing these events, thus resulting in more accurate beliefs and understanding, as well as creating a disconnect between the body and the traumatic experience.
What issues does EMDR treat?
EMDR has been successfully used to treat the following:
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
- Anxiety + Panic Attacks
- Depression
- Grief and loss
- Performance Anxiety
- Low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness
Who could benefit from EMDR?
Anyone who is determined to be cognitively and somatically ready based upon assessments completed in session. There is a process with EMDR that works towards cognitive and somatic readiness to begin desensitization/ reprocessing. Clients should be aware and willing to experience the strong feelings and thoughts that sometimes occur during EMDR sessions, which is why proper preparation is necessary.
How long does EMDR take?
EMDR can be a brief focused treatment targeting a very specific issue/ behavior or it can be a part of a longer therapy treatment plan. While the length of treatment may vary, research shows that clients can begin to experience positive effects much sooner than other forms of treatment. Make no mistake, EMDR is not a quick fix, as it does require proper preparation, but it is a highly effective advanced form of treatment.
Is EMDR covered by insurance?
EMDR is a form of therapy that we integrate into a client's treatment plan. Therefore, if you have health insurance that covers mental health services, then EMDR is covered as well in the form of a standard 45 - 60 minute therapy session. We do offer 90-minute sessions for EMDR, however these sessions are not covered by insurance and are offered at $250 per 90-minute session.
