Trauma Treatment and EMDR: How Does it Work?
Our Nervous System
In the human body, the autonomic nervous system is in charge of governing all automatic muscle functions that are not conscious, such as your heartbeat, breathing, and digestion. This portion of the nervous system has two parts or exists in two states. The parasympathetic portion is the rest and recovery state of your body, which you would ideally exist in most of the time. It includes a resting heart rate, normal breathing, and healthy digestion of food.
The sympathetic portion of the autonomic nervous system is in charge of what many of us refer to as the “fight, flight, or freeze” response. This kicks in automatically when we perceive immediate danger. It releases adrenaline in our bodies, accelerating our heart rate and breathing and increasing our pain threshold. It also shuts off non-essential functions like digestion and cognitive rationale in order to deliver more blood and oxygen to our arms and legs for fighting or fleeing.
The mind zeros in on our immediate surroundings to help us survive, but it shuts off much of our logic function until a later time.
The fact that our brain toggles back and forth between these two states is essential for survival. However, problems arise when the separation between the two states is not clear. Unfortunately, it is common when experiencing trauma and carrying around traumatic memories, that a portion of the sympathetic nervous system stays on even when we are at rest. It might be a small amount, but it can still have a drastic effect on our brains and body. People may not realize that they have experienced trauma, but can begin to experience depression and anxiety disorders and generally live in a state of stress that can lead to physical pain, lack of sleep, difficulty making decisions, and increase the likelihood of illness, disease, and cancer.
Methods of Treatment
Trauma treatment comes in multiple forms. Traditional talk therapy is aimed at guiding the client to a conscious realization of previously subconscious attitudes and behavioral patterns that arise from a lived experience. It is believed that by moving from the subconscious to the conscious, the client will correct the attitude and change the behavior, which will then lead to an improved emotional state. However, there is another mode of therapy called Eye-Moment, Desensitization, and Reprocessing (EMDR) which aims to access the individual’s “adaptive information processing network”* to ultimately decrease the sympathetic nervous system response and the distressing emotions that come with traumatic reactions. In calming the nervous system and addressing the emotions first, the client then naturally experiences a shift in core beliefs and attitudes and is able to choose new behavior.
Engaging the Brain
EMDR does this by re-engaging the traumatic memory while keeping the entire brain “online.” As mentioned earlier, trauma shuts down non-essential, rational functions in the moment itself. If we get stuck in traumatic memories, it can drastically affect our internal narrative about our world and our own personal identity. EMDR allows the client to face the traumatic experience again while making sure cognitive, rational function is being utilized. It does this by re-processing traumatic “hot memories” while engaging both hemispheres of the brain. This is referred to as bilateral stimulation, and it is the eye-movement portion of the treatment.
The treatment was originally developed to have the client move their eyes back and forth, from left to right, while discussing their trauma. This can also be done by holding small “tappers” in your hands that vibrate back and forth in sequence. Both of these techniques introduce small electrical signals to pass back and forth across your brain. This guarantees that while the client re-engages the historic trauma, they have a “foot in the present,” which calms the nervous system, changes attitudes about the event, and improves the emotional response to a distressing event.
Start Working with An EMDR Therapist in St. Paul, MN
Take control of your healing journey today. Connect with an EMDR therapist in St. Paul, MN, and discover how to calm your nervous system and reprocess trauma effectively. Reach out now to start reclaiming your peace and well-being! Start your therapy journey with Sage Leaf Wellness by following these simple steps:
Contact us today for personalized EMDR therapy tailored to your needs.
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Other Healing Services at Sage Leaf Wellness
At Sage Leaf Wellness, we are committed to helping you heal. EMDR therapy in Saint Paul, MN, is an effective treatment for PTSD. In addition to EMDR, we use many other theories and methods. The team at SLW is passionate about finding the right fit to gain the best outcome for your healing. Our services include Anxiety Therapy, Trauma Therapy, Marriage and Couples Counseling, and more. Hop over to our scheduling link to set a free consultation or appointment today!
*The “adaptive information processing network” and the concepts of this article are based on the work of Dr. Francine Shapiro.
Shapiro, F. (2017). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols and procedures. (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press. ISBN-13: 9781462532766