EMDR Q&A

What is EMDR?

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment for psychological stress.

You might benefit from EMDR therapy if you need help overcoming trauma or managing the symptoms of PTSD. Our team at Healthy Minds NYC can also use EMDR therapy to address other mental health disorders, including:

• Anxiety

• Addiction

• Depression

• Panic attacks

• Eating disorders

This type of therapy can be especially effective if you have difficulty talking about the trauma triggers in your life.

What happens during EMDR therapy?

During your EMDR therapy session, your Healthy Minds NYC therapist asks you to discuss triggering events in your life. As you relay these traumatic experiences, they direct your eye movements.

The goal of EMDR therapy is to divert your attention elsewhere while you recall emotionally upsetting events or situations. This helps to reduce your strong psychological response to the trauma and can lessen the impact your triggering memories have on you mentally and emotionally.

How often do I need EMDR therapy?

Our team at Healthy Minds NYC breaks your EMDR therapy sessions into different phases, so you can expect to schedule a series of visits to address PTSD or other mental health disorders.

During the initial phase, your therapist reviews your physical and mental health history. Together, the two of you discuss your trauma and identify specific memories or symptoms you wish to treat. You’ll learn coping mechanisms that help you respond better to your emotions and stressors.

The other phases of EMDR therapy allow your therapist to identify triggers for specific memories. They begin using EMDR therapy techniques to help treat these memories. For example, they might ask you to focus on a negative memory or thought and have you do specific eye movements at the same time.

After you complete the exercise, your therapist asks you to become aware of how you feel and what you’re thinking to evaluate how you respond. If you still experience distress, they can continue focusing on that trigger or move on to another.

Typically, you need 12 sessions or more to regain control over your psychological response to triggering events. Your therapist customizes your therapy plan based on your unique needs and the type of trauma you’re treating.

To find out if EMDR therapy is right for you, request an appointment online today.