EMDR & ART THERAPY
What Is EMDR & ART?
Eye movement therapies are evidence-based / non-cognitive interventions to effectively treat a wide range of complex challenges, symptoms, and themes. It is particularly helpful when addressing trauma but can also be used for other forms of emotional or physiological suffering. Truly, anything can be addressed within this framework.
Unlike traditional forms of talk therapy, these treatments involve focusing on something you want to experience resolution around, in a series of bilateral stimulation techniques that activate the brain’s natural ability to consolidate and change neural patterns.
Dual-Attention Bilateral Stimulation techniques softly open the brain’s neural-plastic nature—its innate ability to change—allowing it to reprocess difficult emotions, reconcile painful memories, and even change physical sensations associated. In essence, eye movement therapies identify and target core themes responsible for distress, helping clients change on a neurological, emotional, and somatic level. These interventions are perfect for people who are tired of talk therapy, want true change, are ready to go deeper, and are ready for a more intensive process. There are also clients who come into this work and end up staying to form a long-term safe therapeutic relationship with a practitioner who can hold an intensive space.
Eye Movement Therapy Efficacy Is Well-Documented and Researched
Eye movement therapies have become widely recognized for its ability to treat a host of issues. There is extensive research about eye movement therapies and their efficacy. EMDR and ART are highly respected for their protocol and intuitive usage in some of the hardest clinical work. These therapies can be utilized with adults and children. Common challenges treated include but are not limited to:
- anxiety
- depression
- family challenges
- phobias
- obsessive compulsive disorder challenges that ERP or CBT have set a good foundation for but haven’t fully resolved
- post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- addictions
- performance anxiety
- sexuality challenges
- body phobias
- victimization or poor self image
- sexual abuse
- relationship recovery
- infidelity and relationship challenges
- codependency
- grief
- job and career stress
- financial and money anxieties
- pain management
- memory recall and enhancement
- dyslexia
- all PTSD / trauma resolution needs
What clients say:
“I made more progress in one hour than in 3 years of talk therapy.”
“I was skeptical but figured I had nothing to lose. After one session my feelings changed, my symptoms began to change, and I experienced dramatic shifts the longer time went on. I am no longer sad, anxious or ashamed about the situation that was haunting me for months.”
“Something I experienced on and off challenges about for years was shifted in such a profound way that I never anticipated was possible.”
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a form of psychotherapy with roots in existing evidence-based therapies but shown to achieve benefits much more rapidly, generally within 1-5 sessions around one specific theme or symptom / memory etc. Clients suffering with a variety of challenges experiecne remarkable benefits starting in the first session. This is not hypnosis, does not require medication or homework. This is not a substitute for medical intervention. This is process oriented, not content. Clients love this process because there is no narrative (no details required if you don’t want to), no extra work outside of session, no on-going appointments unless you want to do more, measurable results are accelerated, is client centered (you are in control), and can address emotional blocks that are difficult to get through in other modalities. We look at what’s happening, together, objectively. This experience can rapidly restore functioning and health.
Reach out today!
How Does The Process Work?
Eye movement therapies, EMDR and ART, are a structured process that allows both the client and therapist to measure progress and adjust treatment as the therapeutic process evolves. It is also designed to give therapists a way of creating a treatment plan that is unique to each individual.
This process includes a process of going through a protocol, using image / emotion / sensation / association / memory, and any other material, along with bi-lateral stimulation, to help prepare for the deeper work of addressing the challenge you are facing. Basically, more work and less process. We are in the space of neural change, not story-telling.
Once a client is familiarized with the process and equipped with effective tools for self-regulation, the eye movement, desensitization, and reprocessing part of EMDR and ART therapy can begin. It can move quickly and be very efficient once the foundation is built. This is an intensive process and takes a little more investment / commitment, but can deliver potent results.
EMDR and ART can be delivered in an intensive or session by session progression. It is available in-office and virtually. To learn more about each option, please reach out today.
The Unique Benefits Of EMDR & ART Therapy
In some ways, emotional suffering can be thought of as a splinter. If you remove it, the flesh regenerates with healthy, new growth. But if the splinter stays in and is irritated on a daily basis, the discomfort increases. Trauma is like that splinter—a wound that gets stored in the mind and body, changing how a person thinks, feels, and functions in the world.
Whereas most traditional therapeutic models focus on symptom management and cognitive change, EMDR & ART creates change on a neurological level, which is fundamentally more effective.
Rather than treating surface issues, we get to the heart of the matter and removes that splinter instead of putting a bandage on it, robbing traumatic memories and experiences of their emotional charge. It does this without forcing people to relive or discuss in great detail their worst experiences—thus eliminating the risk of doing more harm than good.
Intensive Retreats: a wonderful opportunity to establish a foundation, deepen in our time together and prioritize your work with yourself. Intensive containers are always available for personalized individual work and provide an efficient, power packed container to enhance the benefits of therapeutic work, while prioritizing education and skill building. Intensives are taking an intensive modality and adding another layer of efficiency. Beginning and getting into efficient, systematic treatment can take longer than some clients want to wait. Intensives are scheduled in a structured container and can be modified to suit your requests / desires while moving the needle forward faster than regular shorter sessions. We will sculpt an intensive experience that feels appropriate to you, your needs, goals, and circumstances. Some clients utilize intensive containers to move our process along quicker than a regular psychotherapy container progresses. Having a structured, lengthened amount of time, with scheduled breaks and integration / resting, can make the process go even further for many people who are ready to invest heavily in their own change.
EMDR & ART are both a evidence-based and eclectic therapeutic models. It frequently works well in conjunction with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), relational therapies, parts work (Internal Family Systems, Gestalt & IFS), AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy), and a number of other modalities. Due to its structured nature and how it treats core issues directly in a protocol, this experience is often more brief, effective, and comprehensive in its approach to healing. Eye movement therapies can also be used as part of treatment with other modalities in the container of a long-term psychotherapy relationship.
This process gives the client and therapist a way to measure and visualize progress—and it does not have to involve homework between sessions. Your brain is working for you. These treatments are effective for a large variety of challenges, including one time challenging events, or deep themes and long-term pain points.
A Comprehensive Treatment
Let Me Help You Change Your Life’s Trajectory
The depth, scope, and effectiveness as a treatment strategy—particularly for trauma and PTSD—is almost unparalleled. I offer EMDR & ART in-office as well as via telehealth online. If you want to avoid driving / parking / waiting rooms / scheduling challenges / privacy concerns, telehealth offers more flexibility and convenience while still meeting a high standard of care. Some clients prefer being in the office and some prefer the comfort of home. If you’re curious, call me and let’s discuss options.
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