Maple Park IL EMDR Therapy

After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s Maple Park, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDR therapy for anxiety and PTSD at our Maple Park, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

Let’s Chat


    Counseling ServicesEvaluations

    What Our Clients are Saying.....

    How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

    1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
    2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
    3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
    4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
    5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

    EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

    EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

    Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

    To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

    Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

    Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

    Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

    After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

    1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
    2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
    3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
    4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

    After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

    Phase 5 – Body Scan

    The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

    Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

    The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

    For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

    This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

    Will EMDR Hurt Me?

    Contact our Maple Park, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

    That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

    • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
    • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

    Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

    According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

    More information is available at our Maple Park, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

    How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

    If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

    At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

    Mt. Morris IL EMDR Therapy

    After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

    EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s Mt. Morris, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

    There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDR therapy for anxiety and PTSD at our Mt. Morris, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

    What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

    Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

    Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

    Let’s Chat


      Counseling ServicesEvaluations

      What Our Clients are Saying.....

      How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

      1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
      2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
      3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
      4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
      5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

      EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

      EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

      Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

      To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

      Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

      Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

      Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

      After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

      1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
      2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
      3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
      4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

      After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

      Phase 5 – Body Scan

      The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

      Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

      The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

      For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

      This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

      Will EMDR Hurt Me?

      Contact our Mt. Morris, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

      That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

      • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
      • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

      Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

      According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

      More information is available at our Mt. Morris, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

      How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

      If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

      At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

      St. Charles IL EMDR Therapy

      After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

      EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s St. Charles, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

      There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDR therapy for anxiety and PTSD at our St. Charles, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

      What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

      Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

      Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

      Let’s Chat


        Counseling ServicesEvaluations

        What Our Clients are Saying.....

        How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

        1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
        2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
        3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
        4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
        5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

        EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

        EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

        Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

        To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

        Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

        Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

        Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

        After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

        1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
        2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
        3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
        4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

        After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

        Phase 5 – Body Scan

        The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

        Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

        The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

        For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

        This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

        Will EMDR Hurt Me?

        Contact our St. Charles, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

        That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

        • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
        • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

        Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

        According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

        More information is available at our St. Charles, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

        How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

        If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

        At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

        Stillman Valley IL EMDR Therapy

        After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

        EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s Stillman Valley, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

        There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDR therapy for anxiety and PTSD at our Stillman Valley, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

        What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

        Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

        Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

        Let’s Chat


          Counseling ServicesEvaluations

          What Our Clients are Saying.....

          How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

          1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
          2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
          3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
          4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
          5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

          EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

          EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

          Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

          To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

          Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

          Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

          Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

          After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

          1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
          2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
          3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
          4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

          After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

          Phase 5 – Body Scan

          The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

          Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

          The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

          For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

          This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

          Will EMDR Hurt Me?

          Contact our Stillman Valley, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

          That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

          • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
          • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

          Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

          According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

          More information is available at our Stillman Valley, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

          How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

          If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

          At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

          Streamwood IL EMDR Therapy

          After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

          EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s Streamwood, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

          There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDR therapy for anxiety and PTSD at our Streamwood, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

          What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

          Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

          Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

          Let’s Chat


            Counseling ServicesEvaluations

            What Our Clients are Saying.....

            How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

            1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
            2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
            3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
            4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
            5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

            EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

            EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

            Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

            To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

            Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

            Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

            Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

            After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

            1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
            2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
            3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
            4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

            After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

            Phase 5 – Body Scan

            The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

            Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

            The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

            For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

            This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

            Will EMDR Hurt Me?

            Contact our Streamwood, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

            That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

            • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
            • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

            Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

            According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

            More information is available at our Streamwood, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

            How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

            If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

            At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

            Wayne IL EMDR Therapy

            After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

            EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s Wayne, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

            There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDR therapy for anxiety and PTSD at our Wayne, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

            What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

            Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

            Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

            Let’s Chat


              Counseling ServicesEvaluations

              What Our Clients are Saying.....

              How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

              1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
              2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
              3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
              4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
              5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

              EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

              EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

              Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

              To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

              Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

              Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

              Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

              After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

              1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
              2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
              3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
              4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

              After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

              Phase 5 – Body Scan

              The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

              Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

              The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

              For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

              This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

              Will EMDR Hurt Me?

              Contact our Wayne, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

              That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

              • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
              • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

              Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

              According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

              More information is available at our Wayne, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

              How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

              If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

              At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

              West Chicago IL EMDR Therapy

              After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

              EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s West Chicago, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

              There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDR therapy for anxiety and PTSD at our West Chicago, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

              What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

              Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

              Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

              Let’s Chat


                Counseling ServicesEvaluations

                What Our Clients are Saying.....

                How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

                1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
                2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
                3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
                4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
                5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

                EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

                EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

                Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

                To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

                Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

                Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

                Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

                After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

                1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
                2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
                3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
                4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

                After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

                Phase 5 – Body Scan

                The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

                Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

                The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

                For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

                This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

                Will EMDR Hurt Me?

                Contact our West Chicago, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

                That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

                • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
                • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

                Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

                According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

                More information is available at our West Chicago, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

                How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

                If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

                At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

                West Dundee IL EMDR Therapy

                After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

                EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s West Dundee, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

                There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDR therapy for anxiety and PTSD at our West Dundee, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

                What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

                Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

                Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

                Let’s Chat


                  Counseling ServicesEvaluations

                  What Our Clients are Saying.....

                  How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

                  1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
                  2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
                  3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
                  4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
                  5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

                  EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

                  EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

                  Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

                  To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

                  Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

                  Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

                  Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

                  After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

                  1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
                  2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
                  3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
                  4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

                  After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

                  Phase 5 – Body Scan

                  The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

                  Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

                  The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

                  For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

                  This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

                  Will EMDR Hurt Me?

                  Contact our West Dundee, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

                  That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

                  • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
                  • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

                  Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

                  According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

                  More information is available at our West Dundee, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

                  How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

                  If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

                  At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

                  Ashton IL EMDR Therapy

                  After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

                  EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s Ashton, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

                  There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDR therapy for anxiety and PTSD at our Ashton, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

                  What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

                  Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

                  Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

                  Let’s Chat


                    Counseling ServicesEvaluations

                    What Our Clients are Saying.....

                    How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

                    1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
                    2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
                    3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
                    4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
                    5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

                    EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

                    EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

                    Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

                    To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

                    Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

                    Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

                    Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

                    After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

                    1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
                    2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
                    3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
                    4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

                    After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

                    Phase 5 – Body Scan

                    The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

                    Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

                    The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

                    For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

                    This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

                    Will EMDR Hurt Me?

                    Contact our Ashton, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

                    That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

                    • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
                    • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

                    Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

                    According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

                    More information is available at our Ashton, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

                    How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

                    If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

                    At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

                    Oregon IL EMDR Therapy

                    After suffering a traumatic event, the after-effects can be profound. The person who was involved has a chance to relive their traumatic experience through vivid recollection and imagery, making them feel like they are going through the event over and over again in great detail. The result of this trauma is classified as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

                    EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a new way that many people are looking to fight the symptoms associated with PTSD. At Braden Counseling Center’s Oregon, IL location, EMDR therapy is available to those who are in need.

                    There are several ways that we can treat trauma at Braden Counseling Center. However, we are proud to provide EMDRtherapy for anxiety and PTSD at our Oregon, IL branch, as well as at our other locations.

                    What is EMDR Therapy Exactly?

                    Rapid eye movement therapy is a very structured process. The first thing we will do is to get the individual to focus briefly on their traumatic memories. While they are focusing on those memories, they also experience rapid eye movements known as “bilateral stimulation.” This technique gradually reduces the traumatic memory, and its vividness, until the recollection begins to diminish. The problematic symptoms associated with the memory should also fade.

                    Bartlett IL EMDR Therapy

                    Let’s Chat


                      Counseling ServicesEvaluations

                      How EMDR Therapy Can Help PTSD

                      1. In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy is also effective against anxiety, nightmares, depression, grief, and the effects of bullying and abuse.
                      2. EMDR is a particularly good option for those who have trouble talking about their trauma.
                      3. Compared to talk therapy, it is a quick form of treatment.
                      4. It helps people cope with trauma and stress before it grows out of control and becomes unmanageable.
                      5. It will also transform negative or self-limiting beliefs, causing the person to feel more positive about themselves.

                      EMDR Therapy Broken Down in Phases

                      EMDR therapy requires a certain amount of preparation to determine the best course of action. You will need to attend multiple sessions and meetings, as the process involves several different phases.

                      Phases 1 & 2 – History and Treatment Planning

                      To begin with, your therapist will learn their client’s full history as it relates to the trauma. From this information, the therapist can then begin to develop a treatment plan that identifies specific targets such as past memories, triggers, and treatment goals. After this initial phase, the next step is to explain the treatment to the client. This includes teaching different imagery, stress reduction techniques, and other ways to both cope with stress, and to reduce it, between sessions.

                      Phase 3 – Memory Targeting

                      Components of targeted memory include things such as images, cognition, effects, and body sensation, which are all identified and assessed when the targeted memory is activated. Evaluation of the changes that come with your emotions and cognition are measured with units called Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD).

                      Phase 4 – Identifying and Focus

                      After memory targeting is complete, the client is then asked to identify four things:

                      1. The visual image related to the memory in specific detail.
                      2. Negative beliefs they have about themselves.
                      3. Related emotions and body sensations they are feeling.
                      4. A positive feeling the client has about their life.

                      After these four are visualized by the client, they will be asked to focus on the memory so that desensitization of the memory can occur. After this, during the “installation phase,” the client is asked to hold their concentration on their positive belief, so we can mute the negative thoughts, and introduce positive thinking.

                      Phase 5 – Body Scan

                      The client will be asked to think about the positive belief they had, as well as the physical signs that they see in themselves while going over the traumatic event. The purpose is to observe and identify stress, so we can offer additional procedures in order to process it effectively.

                      Phase 6 and Beyond – Closing and Re-Evaluating

                      The session ends once our therapist has assessed their client on whether or not the targeted memory has been sufficiently processed. The therapist will give their client instructions and techniques they can use at home in order to cope with what they have just relived. They will be able to use these techniques until the next EMDR session takes place.

                      For the next session, the therapist will need to evaluate their client’s state-of-mind as it stands at that moment. This is to determine whether progress has been maintained, or if any new memories or triggers have surfaced since the last session. If they have, the new target memories will be used for the new session.

                      This whole process is repeated until the traumatic event is no longer vivid, and no longer creates any stress within the client.

                      Will EMDR Hurt Me?

                      Contact our Oregon, IL office today if you still have doubts on whether there are dangers associated with rapid eye movement therapy. It is considered a safe form of treatment with far fewer side effects than medication.

                      That being said, there are still some side effects that could be experienced from EMDR therapy:

                      • Once the session is done, there can be a lingering heightened sense of awareness. This can cause temporary light-headedness and/or vivid and realistic dreams.
                      • As the treatment takes several sessions, it can initially be very triggering and emotionally stressful for clients. This will lessen as the treatment continues and starts to take effect.

                      Are There Facts to Back up EMDR?

                      According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), EMDR therapy has been shown to be very effective for trauma symptoms and symptoms of PTSD, both acute and chronic. It is particularly effective for individuals that have difficulty vocalizing their trauma, since the treatment involves visualization rather than talking. However, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand how EMDR therapy can affect us over a lengthy period of time.

                      More information is available at our Oregon, IL office, but as you will see, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by going with EMDR for PTSD. Braden Counseling Center is always available for anyone that shows symptoms of suffering from PTSD.

                      How Can I Contact Braden Counseling Center?

                      If you would like to learn more about EMDR therapy, or any of the other therapies and counseling services that we offer at the Braden Counseling Center, then please contact us today.

                      At the Braden Counseling Center, our experienced staff is looking forward to working with you. We hope to help you move past the traumas that you have faced in your life and start you on a path toward happiness and fulfillment.

                      What Our Clients are Saying.....