EMDR

EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing - is a powerful, evidence-based therapy that is used to help people process and move forward from traumatic or distressing events. 

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EMDR is often described as being used to help those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), however, it can be used for other concerns such as difficult memories, emotions and anxiety. 

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In session, we will use side-to-side, guided eye movements (known as bilateral stimulation) whilst you focus on a chosen target memory. This provides a one-foot-in-one-foot-out position - you are not reliving the memory. Similar to a train journey, you are in the present (on the train), and the memory is the landscape passing you by - you are not outside the train walking through the landscape. This process activates both hemispheres of the brain, and reduces the intensity of the memory recall. We will then notice anything that comes to your mind during the processing, which could be another memory, an emotion, or perhaps a bodily sensation. 

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The eye-movements replicate REM sleep (dreaming) which is how the brain would usually process daily experiences. During EMDR, the brain is able to complete the processing of the experience that had previously got 'stuck' and therefore re-triggered when you go through similar situations. 

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You are incomplete control during the process, and at no point are you unconscious, or in a 'trance'. Together we will change how you feel about the memory, we do not remove the memory.

EMDR is a more structured therapy. The initial session is two hours to give us time to set up preparation, assess a memory and begin processing. Sessions afterwards are for 50 minutes (a counselling hour). Processing is not necessarily completed in one session as we do not know what will come up. In this event, we will safely shut down the processing so that you are not overwhelmed when leaving the session, until we can meet the following week and continue the work. 

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Session cost is £80 per hour.