If you haven’t heard of EMDR therapy, you’re not alone. This type of therapy is still relatively unknown, but its benefits are vast. EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that can help treat psychological trauma. In this blog post we will be going over what EMDR therapy is as well as discuss the top 10 benefits of how EMDR can help improve your mental health. Let’s get started!

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy is a type of talk therapy that involves activating both sides of the brain in order to process and heal traumatic memories. Through guided eye movements, EMDR helps to rewire neural pathways in your brain to help you better cope with emotional trauma. This type of therapy has been proven effective for treating PTSD, anxiety, depression, phobias, and other mental health conditions.

How EMDR Can Help?

EMDR Therapy can be highly beneficial in a multitude of ways. With that being said, here are the top 10 benefits of EMDR treatment:

Benefit #1 – Reduce Anxiety and Panic Attacks

There is no doubt that chronic anxiety and panic attacks can be debilitating, but with EMDR there is hope. EMDR helps to reduce anxiety by processing the negative emotions associated with the traumatic experience. This is done through a series of eye movements which helps to reprocess the traumatic memory, allowing you to gain better control over your emotions overtime. This in turn, can help to reduce the severity and frequency of panic attacks correlated with your anxiety.

Benefit #2 – Reduce Negative Emotions

Traumatic experiences can leave us feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions such as guilt, shame, feelings of abandonment, fear and sadness. EMDR helps to reduce these overwhelming emotions by processing the painful memories associated with them. This helps contribute to a more positive outlook on life, while simultaneously reducing negative emotions.

Benefit #3 – Increase Self-Confidence

EMDR can help increase self-confidence by boosting a person’s sense of self-efficacy. Through the therapy, individuals can learn to trust their own ability to make decisions and take action without feeling overwhelmed or helpless. This increased confidence in oneself can help individuals become more assertive as well as better able to handle stress. Additionally, it can be beneficial for those who suffer from anxiety and depression since it can help them to gain a more positive outlook on life. As a result, individuals feel more in control of their lives and have the confidence to reach for their goals.

Benefit #4 – Improve Sleep Quality

Traumatic events can cause us to experience poor quality of sleep due to nightmares or general restlessness. However, by engaging in EMDR therapy we can address the underlying traumatic memories and reprocess them. This in turn can help to improve our sleep quality by reducing the intensity of the nightmares or restlessness experienced.

Benefit #5 – Improved Concentration

Traumatic experiences can cloud our ability to concentrate on tasks and impair our ability to work at maximum efficiency. Fortunately, EMDR therapy can help reduce this fog and improve concentration. By addressing the root causes of trauma, EMDR can help us focus on our goals, duties, and being more productive allowing us to put less emphasis on our past trauma, and allowing us to better focus on the present moment to make clearer decisions and think critically. Overall, with EMDR we are able to clear our heads of distracting thoughts, allowing us to concentrate better and get more work done.

Benefit #6 – Improved Relationship Dynamics

Traumatic experiences can result in difficulty forming or maintaining healthy relationships. EMDR helps to reprocess these memories, allowing us to gain a better understanding of our emotions and how they affect our relationships. This in turn can help to improve relationship dynamics by providing the tools needed for better communication and closeness.

Benefit #7 – Improved Quality of Life

When it comes to improving your quality of life, EMDR therapy can be a powerful tool. By helping to reduce and manage symptoms of trauma, anxiety, and depression, EMDR can help you feel more in control of your life. Additionally, it can help you identify negative thought patterns and replace them with positive ones. As a result, people often report feeling better equipped to handle difficult situations and improved overall well being after going through EMDR therapy.

Benefit #8 – Improved Emotional Regulation

When it comes to managing our emotions, EMDR treatment can be highly beneficial in improving emotional regulation. By using bilateral stimulation, EMDR helps us to process and integrate traumatic memories that can lead to improved emotional regulation. This means that we are better able to manage our emotions in a healthy way and respond appropriately to stressful situations. It also helps us let go of negative patterns of behavior and think more positively about ourselves and our lives. With increased emotional regulation, we are better able to cope with difficult emotions and create healthier relationships with others.

Benefit #9 – Improved Coping Skills

When an individual has strong emotional intelligence and has addressed their past trauma, they become more capable of coping with difficult situations in the present moment. Not only do they have an easier time understanding and managing their own emotions, but they also are better at recognizing the emotions of others in order to better navigate challenging scenarios. This improved coping ability gives them the tools to manage stress, respond appropriately in social settings, and develop resilience when faced with adversity.

Benefit #10 – Reduced Stress

Last but not least, the effects of traumatic experiences can lead to long-term stress. Luckily, EMDR therapy helps to reduce stress levels by allowing the client to work through and process past experiences with a trained therapist. By using eye movements, tapping on certain pressure points, and/or listening to audio tones, EMDR helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories in a more positive manner. This helps the client gain insight into how past events have shaped their current emotions and behaviors, and they are better equipped to cope with future stressors.

Conclusion – How EMDR Can Help

In conclusion, in regards to the question about how EMDR can help, we see that EMDR therapy is a powerful tool for addressing the effects of traumatic experiences. By reprocessing the memories associated with the event, EMDR helps to reduce the intensity of the negative emotions associated with it. This in turn can lead to numerous benefits such as improved self-confidence, better sleep quality, improved concentration, improved relationship dynamics, and improved quality of life.

Ultimately, If you need professional help or trauma counselling, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with our team at Cedarway Therapy today! We would be more than happy to assist you! You can also check out our Google Business Profile here to visit our in-person location.

Good luck!