Is EMDR therapy right fit for you??

Dec 13, 2022 | Mental health

I described in my previous blog that how cognitive behavior (CBT) therapy didn’t help me despite the fact that CBT is considered the gold standard of psychotherapy. The reason CBT didn’t help me because I went through complex trauma which is described as exposure to various and multiple events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature. Put simply that my cognitive distortion was caused primarily due to my traumatic experiences. You need to look within you and determine what therapy would benefit you because nobody knows you better than you do.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. EMDR therapy facilitates the accessing and processing of traumatic and other life other life experiences to bring these to an adaptive resolution. After successful treatment with EMDR therapy, affective stress is relieved, negative beliefs are reformulated, and physiological arousal is reduced.

I did receive 8 sessions of EMDR therapy in 2007 and they did help me to some extent but not completely. We are all unique individuals and as such we all respond differently to everything including EMDR therapy. More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have done on EMDR therapy. Some of the studies show that 84%–90% of single trauma victim no longer have post-traumatic disorders after only 3 90-minutes sessions. Another study, funded by Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of the multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minutes sessions. There has been so much research on EMDR therapy that it is now recognized as an effective form of treatment for trauma and other disturbing experiences by organization such as American psychiatric association and world health organization.

Tips for finding and utilizing EMDR and Cognitive behavior therapist psychotherapist:

  1. Whether you are looking for Therapist that performs Cognitive behavior therapy or EMDR therapy, it is good idea to over online-reviews about the therapist.
  2. Since Covid-19, it is hard to find any therapist who is available to provide therapy. Therefore, you may need to make some real effort to be able schedule therapy sessions. Be ready for it.
  3. Discuss and make some realistic therapy goals with your therapist what you would like to accomplish during therapy.
  4. Make phone calls and talk to therapist if you could because you would be able to sense the energy of your therapist. Not all therapists are equally effective meaning the therapist with value of serving their clients the best with proper attitude is really helpful.

Disclosure: However, this blog is for informational purposes only. You need to use your own discretion and get medical and psychological help if needed.

Meet the Author

Amir Siddiqui

Following a series of disappointments as a young man, Amir Siddiqui became depressed and suicidal. He spent the next eight years pursuing personal growth and completely turned his life around. Now he aims to help people overcome negative mindsets to live happy, healthy lives.

Amir was born in Pakistan and immigrated to the United States in 1994. He lives in Virginia, where he loves nature, particularly forest bathing, kayaking, and sailing. He also enjoys meditating and yoga.

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