Does EMDR Help Complicated Trauma?
Most people will experience a traumatic event at least once throughout their lifetime. Some individuals may experience a series of traumatic events.
When it comes to trauma, the body and brain often have a hard time recognizing and accepting it. In order for the body and brain to protect and defend themselves, the trauma and any associated feelings and thoughts can become buried deep.
Over time, the trauma may start to bubble up in unexpected ways. The longer that the trauma occurs or if it’s left untreated, the more complicated and complex those signs and symptoms can become.
Let’s learn more about how EMDR can help with complicated or complex trauma.
What Is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of therapy that was initially designed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It was designed with the idea in mind that traumatic memories typically become stuck in the brain, which can cause greater feelings of anxiety and stress that can be more harmful to someone’s daily life and routine.
What Is Complicated Trauma?
Complicated or complex trauma is a form of trauma that involves multiple traumatic events or repeated traumatic experiences. This type of trauma forms whenever someone feels an ongoing sense of fear or helplessness.
While it’s more often seen from traumatic experiences that occurred during childhood, complex trauma can also develop from a series of traumatic events in adulthood. These are some of the most common causes of complicated or complex trauma:
Emotional abuse
Medical abuse
Physical abuse
Combat
Sexual abuse
Some of the most common signs and symptoms of complex trauma include the following:
Avoidance
Flashbacks
Dissociation
Low self-esteem
Nightmares
Relationship problems
Sleeping problems
How EMDR Helps with Complicated Trauma
EMDR is one of the many different effective forms of therapy when it comes to complicated trauma. EMDR consists of eight different phases to help someone with complex trauma process their traumatic memories and reduce the effect that they have on their life:
History and treatment planning
Similar to other forms of therapy, the first phase will involve your therapist working with you to gather information about you, your history, and what you’re looking to get out of treatment.
Preparation
The second phase will involve the therapist working with you to help teach you coping skills to better prepare you before going into your first EMDR session.
Assessment
Once prepped, your therapist will work with you to see if you’re ready and equipped with the coping mechanisms on hand to begin treatment.
Desensitization
During the fourth stage, you will be asked to try to remember a specific trauma. While this is happening, your therapist will guide your eyes into different patterns to help reduce the effect the memory has on you.
Installation
The installing phase involves installing positive memories to replace any negative thoughts, emotions, or feelings.
Body scan
After installing the positive beliefs, your therapist will complete a body scan to make sure that you don’t have any lingering stress or tension.
Closure
The closure stage involves your therapist helping you to return to a state of normal functioning again.
Reevaluation
The last stage occurs after the competition of the EMDR sessions. A reevaluation will be done to help determine if more EMDR sessions are needed or not.
Next Steps
EMDR has many benefits, especially when it comes to complicated trauma. If you’re looking for a little extra support, a licensed and trained mental health professional can help you get to the root cause of your trauma, help you work through any ongoing signs and symptoms, and determine the best treatment option for you and your specific wants and needs. EMDR may be a great option for you. Reach out to us today to learn more and to set up a consultation.