EMDR
letting go of the past

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a method  of trauma therapy developed in the late 1980s by clinical psychologist Francine Shapiro. 

EMDR is a method that accelerates the processing of traumatic, frozen memories and resolves fixed behavioural patterns. 

EMDR is based on the humanistic approach, which assumes that humans have a natural desire to grow and to integrate experiences, a desire which can develop in a safe setting. 

EMDR that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.  Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. The process supports the precise observation and differentiated experiencing of internal processes as well as a reflective understanding and acceptance of links and connections. 

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Is one of the best researched, most effective treatment for a wide range of issues, including:

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PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms often include flashbacks, severe anxiety, nightmares, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

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CPTSD - Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a condition that can arise from prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic events, particularly in situations where the individual feels trapped, such as ongoing abuse or neglect. Symptoms often include difficulties with emotional regulation, persistent feelings of worthlessness, deep-seated guilt or shame, and challenges in forming healthy relationships. 

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Panic attacks - are sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort that trigger severe physical reactions, even when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Symptoms can include a racing heart, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, sweating, and a feeling of impending doom. It can be extremely frightening and may feel overwhelming, often leading to a fear of future attacks.

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Anxiety - is a natural response to stress, characterized by  feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear about future events or uncertain situations. Persistent or excessive anxiety can interfere with daily activities and well being. Symptoms can include as restlessness, rapid heart rate, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, sleep disturbances. jaw pain, ear-ringing, changes in appetite, difficulty making decisions, physical numbness/tingling e tremors, excessive yawning, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, indigestion, digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome(IBS).

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Depression - is not just about feeling "down" or "blue" for a few days. It is a condition that can last for weeks, months, years, sometimes decades. Depression is not merely a chemical imbalance or a set of symptoms to be managed, but a complex emotional and psychological issue rooted in the past. It is often viewed as a result of unresolved unconscious conflicts, typically stemming from early childhood experiences. These conflicts might involve repressed feelings of anger, loss, guilt, or unmet needs, which manifest as depressive symptoms when they remain unaddressed.  Depression affects how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities, and it can vary in severity from mild to debilitating. Symptoms often include persistent sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, fatigue or lack of energy, changes in sleep patterns, changes in appetite or weight, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating, noticeable restlessness or slowed physical movements and speech, unexplained physical pain, anger or irritability, apathy, severe difficulty making even simple decisions, extreme self-doubt, overreacting to perceived criticism or rejection, social withdrawal, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, substance abuse, thoughts of death or suicide.

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Phobias - are intense, irrational fears of specific objects, situations, or activities that lead to avoidance behavior and significant distress. Unlike general anxiety, phobias are usually focused on a specific trigger and can vary widely in terms of severity. In my practice these are the most common phobias, treated by EMDR:

Claustrophobia: fear of confined spaces. People might avoid elevators, small rooms or crowded places.

Agoraphobia: fear of open or crowded spaces. This phobia can cause people to avoid their home or being in places where escape might be difficult.

Social phobia: Fear of social situations or being judged by others. This can range from fear of public speaking to avoiding all social interactions.

Nomophobia: Fear of being without a mobile phone or being out of contact with mobile phone signals. This is a realatively modern phobia related to the fear of being disconnected. 

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Dissociation - is a mental process where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity. It is often a coping mechanism in response to trauma or extreme stress, allowing the individual to distance themselves from experiences that are too overwhelming to process in the moment. There are different types of dissociation and the symptoms can be a sense of unreality, feeling like you are in a dream, or that your actions, thoughts, or emotions are not your own, the environment might feel foggy, distant, or visually altered, making it hard to connect with reality, inability to recall important personal information (amnesia), memory loss, time lapses, identity confusion, emotional numbness. 

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Childhood Trauma - refers to experiences during childhood that are overwhelmingly distressing or harmful and have long-lasting effects on a childs development, mental health, and well-being. There are different types of childhood trauma, classifieds as physical abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, loss or bereavement, bullying, medical trauma. Symptoms may appear in form of emotional dysregulation (difficulty managing emotions, often resulting in intense, unpredictable emotional responses), attachment Issues (problems with trust, fear of intimacy, or difficulty forming and maintaining relationships), low self-esteem (persistent feelings of worthlessness, shame, and inadequacy), mental health disorders (increased risk of developing conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or personality disorders), behavioral problems (aggression, self-destructive behavior, substance abuse, or difficulties with authority), cognitive impairments (issues with concentration, memory, and learning, often due to the stress response's impact on brain development), physical health issues (higher risk of chronic health conditions like heart disease, obesity, and autoimmune disorders, often due to the prolonged stress response). 

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