EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing
Several of our clinicians are trained to provide EMDR, a proven method to treat trauma. If you would like to have a better understanding of this treatment modality, please take a moment to watch our video or review the information below.
People often assume that severe emotional distress, including depression, anxiety, or PTSD, requires a long time to heal. Repeated studies show that EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, offers significant benefits and faster symptom relief for conditions that once took years of therapy to make a difference.
EMDR is a psychotherapy approach that treats a variety of conditions. EMDR uses the Rapid Eye Movements that we have in REM sleep to help people work through disturbing events, emotions, or worries. It is believed that during our REM sleep, our nervous system is recovering from either normal, daily events or more troubling past events. This is why people with depression, anxiety, or PTSD often have vivid dreams or nightmares. Frequently, people have a sense of being “stuck” or “unable to let go” of stressful life experiences.
In EMDR therapy, the eye movements are mimicked by the clinician to help individuals “desensitize,” or make less disturbing, the troubling life events that are creating current symptoms such as panic, fear, sadness, anger, and even (behavioral) addictions.
Oasis has brought the option of EMDR therapy to the growing population in Naperville, Aurora, Oswego, Plainfield, and surrounding suburbs. Many clients seen at Oasis have responded very well to EMDR treatment, and are often amazed at how quickly they start to feel better, especially after they have tried traditional talk therapy for years.
For more information, please check out this November 2016 issue of the Daily Herald with a Q&A about EMDR by one of our clinicians. You can also visit the EMDR Institute's website: www.emdr.com, as well as the EMDR Research Foundation: www.emdrresearchfoundation.org.