Jack Ryan 
Model in studio isolated on plain grey background
What is EMDR Psychotherapy
EMDR is a psychotherapy approach (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). As it is a fast and effective therapy approach, its recognition has increased in recent years, and its range of studies has expanded thanks to different protocols and research.
According to EMDR Therapy in London, behind the psychological disorders and negative thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and personality traits lie traumatic memories that are dysfunctional, unprocessed, and stored in isolation. The unprocessed memories that lead to these negative thoughts and feel-good feelings are triggered by events in the present. These traumatic memories may be a developmental trauma experienced in childhood, or a recent natural disaster or abuse. Basically, it’s a physiologically-based therapy. It processes the isolated memories. It allows the brain to reprocess memories that it was unable to pee in time.
After this processing, that is, EMDR Therapy, the traumatic memory does not disturb the person and as the perspective changes, his interpretation of the events also changes. This is the beginning of well-being.
In Which Diseases Is EMDR Psychotherapy Used?
The working range of EMDR Therapy is expanding day by day, and its positive effects are seen for different psychological problems. Currently, EMDR Therapy is used for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic Attacks, Phobias, Anger Control Problems, Depression, Sexual and/or Physical Abuse Traumas, Complex Traumas, Grief Problems, Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Psychosomatic Pains, It is effectively used in the treatments of Eating Disorders (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa), Sexual Dysfunctions. In addition to this, it is used as a supportive treatment method as well as the treatment of other psychological problems such as cat phobia.
Can Painful Memories Be Erased Using EMDR Therapy Techniques?
EMDR Therapy targets the depersonalization of the person’s past and present traumas. After EMDR Therapy, traumatic memories from the past do not disturb the client as much as before. For this reason, people have defined EMDR Therapy as erasing painful memories.
Who is EMDR Psychotherapy for?
EMDR Therapy can be applied to people of all ages who need it. There is no age restriction. During the EMDR Therapy applied to children, there may be a possibility that the verbal expressions of the children will be insufficient, so the experts who do the EMDR Therapy with the child enable the child to express their feelings and thoughts with different materials. These materials can sometimes be a picture, sometimes a color, and sometimes a completely different method that changes according to the child’s characteristics.
EMDR can be used for all kinds of traumatic psychological disorders. We can say that EMDR Therapy is a need of all people, especially in our society where we experience developmental traumas intensely.
EMDR Therapy can also be used to treat physical ailments,
If the physical problem is a psychosomatic disorder; EMDR Therapy is applied if headache, low back pain, neck and back pain, stomach and intestinal problems are not related to any physiological cause. In addition to the above-mentioned disorders, it is effective in all psychosomatic problems that do not have a physiological cause.
In addition to being the cause of many diseases, stress also accompanies all physical diseases and weakens the immune system. EMDR Therapy can be used to reduce the stress levels of patients against all diseases and to strengthen the immune system.
Is EMDR A Memory-Erasing Method?
It would not be right to think of EMDR Therapy as a method of memory erasure, but we can say that it is a scientific-based psychotherapy method that helps us to re-process the traumatic events we have experienced in the past, reduces the effect of the events and enables us to approach the experienced event with a different perspective and less emotion. “Unfortunately,” or perhaps “fortunately”, a technology or treatment method that erases memory and unwanted memories has not emerged, but there is EMDR Therapy that changes our perspective and eliminates our discomfort.
How Many Sessions Does EMDR Therapy Take?
It is not correct to predict how many sessions of EMDR therapy will last or to specify an average number of sessions. Because the number of sessions may vary according to the number of trauma moments to be studied. The client can give the therapist 10 trauma moments or 20 trauma moments. The therapist may have to work through all the traumas one by one, or after working on some, other trauma moments may not need to be studied. Sometimes two trauma moments can work in one session, sometimes it can take 5 sessions to work out a trauma. There may be many factors that affect the session duration.
How Long is EMDR Therapy?
Emdr psychotherapy session duration is 60-75 minutes on average. If the traumatic memory is not finished when the session is over, the therapist notes the session as an “incomplete session” and ends the process. It continues where it left off in the next session.
Is EMDR Permanent?
EMDR psychotherapy aims to eliminate negative thoughts of clients and change the way they interpret events. Therefore, its effects are felt in every period of life. It would not be correct to look at the effect of EMDR Therapy as only reducing the effect of traumatic events in the past, as well as positively affecting your reactions to the problems you are experiencing today. Situations that used to bother you, but may not. Because EMDR Therapy changes your perspective and destroys your negative thoughts. Development is not a reversible path, so its effects are permanent.
Are There Any EMDR Harm And Side Effects?
EMDR Therapy is given to mental health professionals through training planned and implemented by the EMDR Association. As long as you are in expert hands, there is no side effect or harm. However, when it is applied by people who have not received adequate and correct training, its negative effects are seen.
For this reason, it is not shameful behavior to ask about the expertise of the person or institution that receives psychological support, on the contrary, it is a conscious consumer approach. Studies have shown us that EMDR Therapy has no harm or side effects. Some people try to do it on their own without having enough knowledge and expertise about this therapy method. In this case, the therapy cannot be expected to work properly, and in such cases, the person may traumatize himself again, as he will relive the past experience.
EMDR Therapy Is a Method Also Used in Online Therapy:
Like other psychotherapy techniques, EMDR Therapy can be applied online. Bilateral stimulation, which is the basis of EMDR Therapy, is applied by the client, not by the therapist, during online therapy, or it is applied with a phone, headset, and an app. In cases where face-to-face therapy is not possible, the client will receive the necessary information and guidance when contacting the therapist. Online EMDR Therapy can be just as effective as face-to-face EMDR Therapy.
Who is EMDR Applied by?
EMDR Therapy training in Turkey is given through training organized by the EMDR Association. It is applied by Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Psychological Counselors, and Mental Health Professionals who have received training from the association and have completed their supervision work. You can access the expert lists on the website of the EMDR Association.
