EMDR
Eye
Movement
Desensitization
Reprocessing
EMDR Helps to Resolve Traumatic Memories
Traumatic and painful memories can cause stress and tension when they are not properly processed. Sights, smells and sounds that remind you of the traumatic or painful memories may occur, triggering your stress and traumatic responses.
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Theory is a treatment modality that helps you to reprocess these memories help you heal.
EMDR is one of the most widely used approaches to help people overcome and heal from deeply troubling problems such as anxiety, depression and other symptoms of trauma.
Many therapists at Champaign Counseling who are trained in trauma therapy are also trained in EMDR.
What is EMDR?
During EMDR the client is guided to deliberately bring into conscious awareness the sensory memory, thoughts, and the accompanying emotions and bodily sensations associated with that memory. Clients need to be open to experience the emotions and body sensations that accompany the recall of a distressing memory and associated thoughts.
Then by following the moving fingers of the therapist, (or other dual attention stimulation) this stimulates a distinctive and naturally occurring pattern of electrical activity in the brain, which causes the stored trauma memory to quickly change. The exact mechanisms in the brain which cause the memory to change have not yet been discovered, but the regions of the brain involved with sensory storage, emotional activation and reasoning all become more active, with changed patterns of nerve cell firing.
The client does not try to change any aspect of the memory, and is asked to just notice the experience, to observe their memory, emotions, bodily sensations and thoughts. At the end of each set of eye movements the client is then asked to report their present experience. It may be that the sensory memory becomes less detailed or less vivid, and clients often report that the memory has become quite distant. Commonly the emotional or bodily sensations reduce in intensity quite quickly.
EMDR is one of the most widely used approaches to help people overcome and heal from deeply troubling problems such as anxiety, depression and other symptoms of trauma.
You will go at a pace that feels comfortable to you to process painful memories so you can move on with your life
You will gradually notice that you are getting your life back
You will feel stronger from your experiences instead of feeling like the traumatic experience has control over you
You will feel reconnected to your world, especially with family and friends
Our Therapists Are Trained in Research-Based Therapy Methods Known to Help People Overcome Symptoms of Trauma or Post Traumatic Sress Disorder
If you're experiencing high levels of stress and want support in getting through it, we can help.
Regardless of what kind of changes you're going through, our therapists have the expertise to help.
Therapists Trained in EMDR
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Emily Beck
Adults and Teens - Experiencing anxiety, depression and life transitions
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Kye Ewing
Individuals & Couples — Experiencing anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, religious harm, and trauma
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Matt Rogers
Individuals & Couples — Experiencing grief and loss, identity issues, trauma, and ADHD
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Michelle Hooks
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Sarah Olson
Adults & Couples - Relationship difficulties, adjustment to life transitions & trauma
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Sophie Dixon
Kids, Teens, & Adults - Experiencing anxiety, Family conflict, and Depression
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