EMDR Treatment
(Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR is an evidence-based therapy technique developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987 to address traumatic memories. She posited a theory that when someone experiences a trauma, it is so disturbing to the mind that it overwhelms the brains ability to process and store the information correctly as a memory and the experience becomes “stuck” in the Limbic system (the system responsible for flight, fight or freeze reactions to stress). This and other symptoms is why the need for the best EMDR treatment possible. Deer Hollow Recovery & Wellness is just such a place!
Because it is stuck, the brain has no way to process the event as a past event and reacts as if the event were about to happen or is currently happening. These are referred to as “flashbacks”. The brain becomes reminded, or triggered, into responding as if the trauma were happening right now. Even something similar that even has one small similarity and
the brain reacts as if it were the original, past event, rather than something new. Even though the original memory may be long forgotten, the feelings the event evoked (anxiety, fear, terror, panic, grief, etc.) and even the physical sensations experienced are still “stuck”. EMDR treatment helps the brain use its natural healing process that generally occurs during sleep, in the Rapid Eye or REM stage of sleep.
In REM sleep stage, your brain is able to process events from the current day, or the past, in a safe, almost non-emotional way utilizing dreams. When we sleep, the brain moves information and experiences out of short term storage and into long term storage. Once in long term storage, events and experiences don’t have the ability to cause an overreaction in the brain.
They can be processed as a past event, not one that is currently happening or is just about to happen. EMDR treatment uses a technique of following a therapist’s finger movements that are similar to Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep patterns. This allows your brain to process “stuck” events and experiences while awake and while being asked specific questions about the trauma to activate those specific memories and feelings, while allowing them to shift into a different memory network.
Most addicts have traumatic events either that led to their addictions or that happened because of the lifestyle during addiction. Not only are those memories “stuck”, they are often associated with using drugs and/or alcohol so those events may be triggered by any number of outside stimuli that one would not necessarily consider trauma based. Certain smells, sounds or even visual cues can trigger the trauma event even though the stimuli may only be associated with actual drug using. This can complicate the brains storage system. This is where EMDR treatment can really make an impact.
EMDR can significantly shorten the amount of traditional psychotherapy, or “talk therapy” needed to address trauma. Using EMDR treatment can access and shift those events and feelings rapidly and safely so that the client no longer becomes triggered and the brain is no longer over reactive to simple every day stimuli. The relief for the client is immense and allows them to move forward much quicker.
Some of our clients swear by our EMDR treatment, while others are kinda of spooked out and leery. After all, how can talking about your problems while tracking your therapist's finger motion with your eyes actually help you heal? We at Deer Hollow always believe that good questions deserve good answers. However, in this situation the answer is not so simple.
The first important thing to keep in mind is that EMDR treatment is not a sure fire guarantee. You (the addict and/or mental health client) have to be willing to put in the work. This means you have to be honest and open-minded and willing to finally face your fears. If your brain has stored negative memories and emotions around your past experiences that are still causing you need for our EMDR treatment, then chances are you are going to have to face your trauma head on in order to finally heal from it!
Do not let this discourage you though. This is not meant to keep you from doing the necessary work, but rather to help inspire you and keep things super transparent as you can not just wave a magic wand around and expect a miracle. Now for those that are not afraid to conquer their fears by dealing with their problems head on, our EMDR Treatment has been able to preform miraculous healing in their life. Even to the point of tears. Which should naturally happen. Do not be afraid to finally cry and let out all of your stored emotions out!
Going back to the most easiest way to do that is to steal from the 12 steps of Alcoholic Anonymous when they share, "This is "HOW" you do recovery." "H" stands for Honesty, and "O" stands for Open-Mindedness and "W" for Willingness! When you utilize all three, you have an incredible chance of healing at a very rapid rate. Let's briefly break it down so there is no confusion as to "HOW" to do recovery.
When someone is attempting to use our amazing EMDR treatment process, they must be honest! This means that they have to tell the truth and not hold back. They are not providing the cliff notes to their life. They are not holding back certain parts that help protect them but also simultaneously keep them sick. Have you ever heard the phrase, "you are only as sick as your secrets?" So if you hold no more secrets inside, it is actually really hard to stay sick too!
Another important part of the EMDR treatment process with being honest is to trust your therapist as he/she is not a mind reader. Do not wait 30 days to finally let your guard down to start the healing process. It is in your best interest to pretend that you have already known them for many years previously so you can get right to work and talk about eh scary things that are holding you back in life.
In regards to open-mindedness. This one seems super easy at first, but in all actuality it is not that easy as you would think as you have to be open minded enough to allow new ideas and concepts to take place in to your mind and heart. This means you must surrender your thoughts and ideas as best approach. Depending on your age, this could mean that you have to be humble enough to tell yourself that you do not know nearly as much as you thought you did. Furthermore, you have to be able to erase years or even decades of upbringing or better put your social construct.
Being open minded means you are willing to try new things that are completely counter intuitive to your nature. If you have always turned right in life and are told to go left, you must be willing to turn a new direction regardless of your perceived fears. You must step in to the dark but only to find the light.
With the third and final way to fully recover, "W" for willingness; you have to generate an attitude of gratitude. One where you have a strong desire to see if what is being told is true. Almost as if you are an investigator (or scientist if you will) taking a closer look and seeing if there is any validity to the claims being presented. Don't be afraid to experiment and find out for yourself if our EMDR treatment is right for you.
One individual we worked with who we shall call Ted (to protect his anonymity) had just such an experience once he opened up to allowing EMDR reactant therapy in to his life. Ted came from a volatile family life where he learned at a young age to be violent and to use aggression as a means of communicating his frustrations in life.
While in treatment he almost got kicked out a few times. On one occasion during the initial intake, he became super upset when he heard that he was not allowed to keep his Russian mail order anti-depression medications. He felt they were safe for consumption and truly believed that he would become even more irritable without those meds. He tried to explain that they are non narcotic and just a cheaper alternative than using an American pharmacy.
After it was explained to him that there just is no way to know what is exactly in those meds and that he can not have those while in treatment, he was very irritable. He was looking for a way out of the situation he got himself into. A few days later, he became super upset at a fellow client and walked out but within staff field of vision to cool off and was deciding if he keeps walking or stays in the program. Ted decided to stay once he was approached with the idea of utilizing our EMDR treatment methods as it was evident that he has a lot of trauma nd turmoil going on in his life.
After the first 2-3 EMDR treatment sessions, Ted became more relaxed and open to the process. What this actually means is that Ted finally became open and honest and willing to follow the instructions and advice and no longer was hesitant about the way we conduct our EMDR treatment.
Ted's very next EMDR therapy session lasted for around 1 hour but seemed like an eternity. The reason being is that Ted finally released years of buried pain and feelings to the surface. Our EMDR treatment did exactly what it is supposed to do! Ted was able to safely let go of his past traumatic memories and re-write history in much safer way.
Directly after his session ended, he had to find a sacred place to soak up what just happened. He was able to go outside alone on a grass hill and cry it out. He cried for almost as long as the EMDR treatment session lasted. He said that a whole flood of emotions surfaced now that he had given himself permission to re-write history and not bottle up (plug) his internal feelings anymore. Ted was able to feel the love he and others have for him as well as feel the pain he has caused others as well as to forgive those that have done him wrong as well.
If you are skeptical about this story or if EMDR therapy even works...that's quite alright with us since we treat people like Ted, we understand that it takes time to learn of all of the new and different methods that are out there and available to both those suffering from mental health and/or substance abuse addiction. Keep in mind that EMDR is an evidence-based practice that is widely accepted and growing in popularity.
Granted we also understand that this type of healing is not always for everyone. There are definitely more than one way to skin a cat in life. Also, let us publicly apologize to all the cat lovers out there as this is just a metaphor. We would never desire to harm a cat in any shape or form. But back to the subject at hand now.
Sometimes it takes a long time to develop trust and a willingness to let go of all of the trauma and shame and pain that is literally binding you. After all, you have found a way to survive this way for so long that it has now become a security blanket of comfort if you will. Just keep in mind that this is what is called a "faulty coping mechanism" which in the end holds you back in life and never propels you forward in a healthy direction.
The same goes for drugs and alcohol; which is why so many abuse them to cope with their buried pain and feelings as well. Drinking and drugging never was your problem but a faulty solution to help your problems. The only problem with this is that you now have your same old problems with new using problems on top of your old ones!
Not everyone is emotionally ready to erase and replace their past trauma in a rapid manner. This is why we offer a multitude of other treatment options. We are total experts when it comes to addressing PTSD and trauma. Please do not get frozen in life anymore. You deserve a new life and we can offer it. Let us help you help yourself today!
Give Deer Hollow a call to see if our PTSD and Trauma Based EMDR Treatment Recovery program is right for you? (385) 444-2448
Because it is stuck, the brain has no way to process the event as a past event and reacts as if the event were about to happen or is currently happening. These are referred to as “flashbacks”. The brain becomes reminded, or triggered, into responding as if the trauma were happening right now. Even something similar that even has one small similarity and
the brain reacts as if it were the original, past event, rather than something new. Even though the original memory may be long forgotten, the feelings the event evoked (anxiety, fear, terror, panic, grief, etc.) and even the physical sensations experienced are still “stuck”. EMDR treatment helps the brain use its natural healing process that generally occurs during sleep, in the Rapid Eye or REM stage of sleep.
In REM sleep stage, your brain is able to process events from the current day, or the past, in a safe, almost non-emotional way utilizing dreams. When we sleep, the brain moves information and experiences out of short term storage and into long term storage. Once in long term storage, events and experiences don’t have the ability to cause an overreaction in the brain.
They can be processed as a past event, not one that is currently happening or is just about to happen. EMDR treatment uses a technique of following a therapist’s finger movements that are similar to Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep patterns. This allows your brain to process “stuck” events and experiences while awake and while being asked specific questions about the trauma to activate those specific memories and feelings, while allowing them to shift into a different memory network.
Most addicts have traumatic events either that led to their addictions or that happened because of the lifestyle during addiction. Not only are those memories “stuck”, they are often associated with using drugs and/or alcohol so those events may be triggered by any number of outside stimuli that one would not necessarily consider trauma based. Certain smells, sounds or even visual cues can trigger the trauma event even though the stimuli may only be associated with actual drug using. This can complicate the brains storage system. This is where EMDR treatment can really make an impact.
EMDR can significantly shorten the amount of traditional psychotherapy, or “talk therapy” needed to address trauma. Using EMDR treatment can access and shift those events and feelings rapidly and safely so that the client no longer becomes triggered and the brain is no longer over reactive to simple every day stimuli. The relief for the client is immense and allows them to move forward much quicker.
Some of our clients swear by our EMDR treatment, while others are kinda of spooked out and leery. After all, how can talking about your problems while tracking your therapist's finger motion with your eyes actually help you heal? We at Deer Hollow always believe that good questions deserve good answers. However, in this situation the answer is not so simple.
The first important thing to keep in mind is that EMDR treatment is not a sure fire guarantee. You (the addict and/or mental health client) have to be willing to put in the work. This means you have to be honest and open-minded and willing to finally face your fears. If your brain has stored negative memories and emotions around your past experiences that are still causing you need for our EMDR treatment, then chances are you are going to have to face your trauma head on in order to finally heal from it!
Do not let this discourage you though. This is not meant to keep you from doing the necessary work, but rather to help inspire you and keep things super transparent as you can not just wave a magic wand around and expect a miracle. Now for those that are not afraid to conquer their fears by dealing with their problems head on, our EMDR Treatment has been able to preform miraculous healing in their life. Even to the point of tears. Which should naturally happen. Do not be afraid to finally cry and let out all of your stored emotions out!
Going back to the most easiest way to do that is to steal from the 12 steps of Alcoholic Anonymous when they share, "This is "HOW" you do recovery." "H" stands for Honesty, and "O" stands for Open-Mindedness and "W" for Willingness! When you utilize all three, you have an incredible chance of healing at a very rapid rate. Let's briefly break it down so there is no confusion as to "HOW" to do recovery.
When someone is attempting to use our amazing EMDR treatment process, they must be honest! This means that they have to tell the truth and not hold back. They are not providing the cliff notes to their life. They are not holding back certain parts that help protect them but also simultaneously keep them sick. Have you ever heard the phrase, "you are only as sick as your secrets?" So if you hold no more secrets inside, it is actually really hard to stay sick too!
Another important part of the EMDR treatment process with being honest is to trust your therapist as he/she is not a mind reader. Do not wait 30 days to finally let your guard down to start the healing process. It is in your best interest to pretend that you have already known them for many years previously so you can get right to work and talk about eh scary things that are holding you back in life.
In regards to open-mindedness. This one seems super easy at first, but in all actuality it is not that easy as you would think as you have to be open minded enough to allow new ideas and concepts to take place in to your mind and heart. This means you must surrender your thoughts and ideas as best approach. Depending on your age, this could mean that you have to be humble enough to tell yourself that you do not know nearly as much as you thought you did. Furthermore, you have to be able to erase years or even decades of upbringing or better put your social construct.
Being open minded means you are willing to try new things that are completely counter intuitive to your nature. If you have always turned right in life and are told to go left, you must be willing to turn a new direction regardless of your perceived fears. You must step in to the dark but only to find the light.
With the third and final way to fully recover, "W" for willingness; you have to generate an attitude of gratitude. One where you have a strong desire to see if what is being told is true. Almost as if you are an investigator (or scientist if you will) taking a closer look and seeing if there is any validity to the claims being presented. Don't be afraid to experiment and find out for yourself if our EMDR treatment is right for you.
One individual we worked with who we shall call Ted (to protect his anonymity) had just such an experience once he opened up to allowing EMDR reactant therapy in to his life. Ted came from a volatile family life where he learned at a young age to be violent and to use aggression as a means of communicating his frustrations in life.
While in treatment he almost got kicked out a few times. On one occasion during the initial intake, he became super upset when he heard that he was not allowed to keep his Russian mail order anti-depression medications. He felt they were safe for consumption and truly believed that he would become even more irritable without those meds. He tried to explain that they are non narcotic and just a cheaper alternative than using an American pharmacy.
After it was explained to him that there just is no way to know what is exactly in those meds and that he can not have those while in treatment, he was very irritable. He was looking for a way out of the situation he got himself into. A few days later, he became super upset at a fellow client and walked out but within staff field of vision to cool off and was deciding if he keeps walking or stays in the program. Ted decided to stay once he was approached with the idea of utilizing our EMDR treatment methods as it was evident that he has a lot of trauma nd turmoil going on in his life.
After the first 2-3 EMDR treatment sessions, Ted became more relaxed and open to the process. What this actually means is that Ted finally became open and honest and willing to follow the instructions and advice and no longer was hesitant about the way we conduct our EMDR treatment.
Ted's very next EMDR therapy session lasted for around 1 hour but seemed like an eternity. The reason being is that Ted finally released years of buried pain and feelings to the surface. Our EMDR treatment did exactly what it is supposed to do! Ted was able to safely let go of his past traumatic memories and re-write history in much safer way.
Directly after his session ended, he had to find a sacred place to soak up what just happened. He was able to go outside alone on a grass hill and cry it out. He cried for almost as long as the EMDR treatment session lasted. He said that a whole flood of emotions surfaced now that he had given himself permission to re-write history and not bottle up (plug) his internal feelings anymore. Ted was able to feel the love he and others have for him as well as feel the pain he has caused others as well as to forgive those that have done him wrong as well.
If you are skeptical about this story or if EMDR therapy even works...that's quite alright with us since we treat people like Ted, we understand that it takes time to learn of all of the new and different methods that are out there and available to both those suffering from mental health and/or substance abuse addiction. Keep in mind that EMDR is an evidence-based practice that is widely accepted and growing in popularity.
Granted we also understand that this type of healing is not always for everyone. There are definitely more than one way to skin a cat in life. Also, let us publicly apologize to all the cat lovers out there as this is just a metaphor. We would never desire to harm a cat in any shape or form. But back to the subject at hand now.
Sometimes it takes a long time to develop trust and a willingness to let go of all of the trauma and shame and pain that is literally binding you. After all, you have found a way to survive this way for so long that it has now become a security blanket of comfort if you will. Just keep in mind that this is what is called a "faulty coping mechanism" which in the end holds you back in life and never propels you forward in a healthy direction.
The same goes for drugs and alcohol; which is why so many abuse them to cope with their buried pain and feelings as well. Drinking and drugging never was your problem but a faulty solution to help your problems. The only problem with this is that you now have your same old problems with new using problems on top of your old ones!
Not everyone is emotionally ready to erase and replace their past trauma in a rapid manner. This is why we offer a multitude of other treatment options. We are total experts when it comes to addressing PTSD and trauma. Please do not get frozen in life anymore. You deserve a new life and we can offer it. Let us help you help yourself today!
Give Deer Hollow a call to see if our PTSD and Trauma Based EMDR Treatment Recovery program is right for you? (385) 444-2448
