Have you experienced trauma? EMDR is a form of therapy designed to treat symptoms of trauma.
Trauma is the experience of a very disturbing, distressing or life-threatening event, or series of events. Examples of traumatic events include being the victim of a abuse or severe bullying, witnessing a serious crime, being involved in an accident or natural disaster, experiencing the sudden death of a loved one, or being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Complex trauma involves multiple traumatic situations during childhood such as sexual, physical, emotional abuse or neglect from caregivers. When these events are severe or repeated over time, they can interfere with a child’s capacity to form secure attachments and develop a healthy sense of self. In the face of trauma we feel overwhelmed and have difficulty coping with life. Many people develop post-traumatic stress in response to these types of distressing experiences. Symptoms include:
- Feeling on edge and easily startled
- Experiencing flashbacks or disturbing dreams
- Difficulty winding down
- Sleep difficulties
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling irritable or experiencing angry outbursts
- Feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt or shame
If you have experienced any kind of trauma, engaging in trauma counselling can be an important part of the healing process. Finding a trained professional who you can trust and work with is essential. The team at Mindwell Psychology have specific training, experience and a keen interest in working with people who have experienced trauma of any kind in their lives.
One of the approaches we offer at Mindwell Psychology is EMDR therapy, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a type of therapy that uses eye movements and other bilateral stimulation to facilitate the process of healing from trauma-related symptoms. EMDR is a relatively new form of therapy to treat symptoms of trauma. One of the most exciting things about EMDR is the short timeframe in which people can achieve real change in their symptoms. The premise of this approach is that the brain naturally moves towards healing, in fact we heal from psychological trauma in the same way the physical body responds to a wound or injury. When given the right input, this healing process can be facilitated or unblocked. In essence, EMDR is about activating the mind’s own natural healing processes.