EMDR Therapy

EMDR Therapy Process

EMDR Therapy is conducted by a qualified psychologist and is typically carried out over 3-6 sessions or 6-12 depending on the complexity of the trauma. 

The treatment consists of eight different phases and involves the following process:

Medical history and interview

During the first phase you will be interviewed by a qualified psychologist where they will ask you information about your personal history and develop a treatment plan. 

Preparation for treatment

After your treating consultant has completed the first phase of treatment, you will then learn coping strategies and relaxation techniques to manage any emotional distress you may experience during your sessions. 

Assessment

Throughout the assessment phase you will be asked to identify a specific traumatic memory and describe the any physical sensations, negative thoughts or emotions you may be experiencing. 

Desensitisation and reprocessing

Your consultant will guide you through eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation to help reprocess the memory and reduce it’s emotional intensity. 

Installation

The goal of this phase of the assessment is to replace any negative associations with the negative memory that has been experienced with positive ones. 

Body scan

You will make a self assessment to identify if there are any lingering tension or discomfort that you feel when thinking of the targeted memory. 

Closure and stablisation 

Your consultant will begin to close out the session ensuring that you feel stable and walk you through any grounding techniques if necessary. 

Re-evaluation

The final phase of treatment will include a review by your consultant to determine whether or not further processing is required.