EMDR helps people heal from distressing and traumatic life events. It combines talking therapy techniques with bilateral sensory stimulation, such as repetitive eye movements or bilateral tapping while paying attention to specific memories or focusing on a trauma or shock that is unresolved in the memory field.
Painful memories can get stuck, meaning that we sometimes continue to relive the negative sights, sounds or emotions associated with that event. EMDR helps the brain reprocess painful memories so that they lose their emotional intensity and become manageable. Rather than erasing the past, the goal of EMDR is to help the memory lose its emotional charge – for example, it may help someone replace negative beliefs (“I am in danger”) with positive ones (“I am safe now”).
First sessions are around 90 minutes and will include an initial assessment as well as some reprocessing time. Clients often experience immediate relief although it can take a number of sessions to reprocess. Subsequent sessions are around 60 minutes. My charge is £100 per 60 minute session.
For more information about how sessions work contact me.