Trauma-Focused Therapy
EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a powerful, evidence-based therapy designed to help individuals process traumatic memories and reduce their lasting impact on mental health and recovery.
Trauma-Focused Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a powerful, evidence-based therapy designed to help individuals process traumatic memories and reduce their lasting impact on mental health and recovery.
Understanding EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a specialized psychotherapy approach developed to help people heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories in a way that reduces their emotional charge.
During EMDR sessions, clients briefly focus on traumatic memories while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation, typically through guided eye movements. This process helps the brain reprocess the memory, allowing clients to heal from trauma without having to talk about it in extensive detail.
EMDR is recognized by major health organizations including the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association as an effective treatment for PTSD and trauma-related conditions.
The Process
When trauma occurs, memories can become "stuck" in the nervous system, causing them to be re-experienced with the same intensity as when they first happened. EMDR helps the brain process these memories so they can be stored as part of the past rather than feeling present and threatening.
The therapist helps you identify a specific traumatic memory or distressing event to work on, along with the negative beliefs associated with it.
While focusing on the memory, you'll follow the therapist's fingers with your eyes or experience other forms of bilateral stimulation like tapping or sounds.
Your brain naturally processes the memory, reducing its emotional intensity and allowing you to develop more adaptive beliefs about yourself and the experience.
The bilateral stimulation activates both hemispheres of the brain, similar to what happens during REM sleep when the brain naturally processes memories and emotions. This allows traumatic memories to be integrated and stored appropriately, reducing their power to trigger distress.
Trauma and addiction are deeply interconnected. Many individuals with substance use disorder have experienced traumatic events that contribute to their addiction. Unprocessed trauma can fuel substance use as individuals attempt to numb emotional pain, avoid triggering memories, or cope with symptoms of PTSD.
EMDR is particularly effective in addiction treatment because it addresses the root causes of substance use rather than just the symptoms. By processing traumatic memories, clients often find that their urges to use substances decrease naturally as the emotional pain driving those urges is resolved.
At Luna, EMDR is integrated into our comprehensive treatment approach. We recognize that lasting recovery requires healing from trauma, not just abstaining from substances. EMDR provides a pathway to this deeper healing.
Treatment Structure
EMDR therapy follows a structured eight-phase approach to ensure safe and effective trauma processing.
The therapist gathers your history and identifies traumatic memories to target.
You learn coping skills and relaxation techniques to manage distress during processing.
The target memory is identified along with associated negative beliefs and body sensations.
Using bilateral stimulation, you process the memory until it no longer causes distress.
Positive beliefs about yourself are strengthened and associated with the memory.
Any remaining physical tension related to the memory is identified and processed.
The session is safely ended, and you're given strategies to maintain stability between sessions.
At the beginning of each session, progress is reviewed and new targets are identified if needed.
Treatment at Luna
Our therapists are specially trained in EMDR and experienced in using this modality to treat trauma and addiction. They create a safe, supportive environment for processing difficult memories.
EMDR is integrated with other evidence-based therapies including CBT, DBT, and attachment-based therapy. This comprehensive approach addresses both trauma and addiction simultaneously.
We understand that trauma processing requires careful pacing. Your therapist will work at a speed that feels safe and manageable for you, ensuring you're adequately prepared before beginning memory processing.
EMDR at Luna is adapted to address complex trauma, including childhood trauma, developmental trauma, and multiple traumatic experiences. Our therapists use specialized protocols when working with complex cases.
Learn more about our trauma-informed approach to addiction treatment.
Discover Our Approach
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