EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. The acronyme itself provokes curiosity and, despite the confusing name, most clients who have ever tried the method can confirm that it delivered on its promise. Unlike other psychotherapies that require clients to confront their fears and try to talk through their problems one by one, EMDR enables people to truly leave their past misfortunes in the past. This element of EMDR therapy seems to be its most effective feature, as most other approaches attempt to tackle the issues of the present by analyzing the causes from the past, which often proves to be an ineffective endeavor.
What makes EMDR therapy different from regular counselling?
The most significant distinction lies in the fact that the EMDR therapy does not address memories. Counselling/psychotherapy, as it is conventionally understood and practiced by therapists worldwide revolves around talking. Talking is the norm, the hallmark of any therapeutic intervention, during which the client and therapist discuss certain thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy are similar to any other talk therapy in most respects but involve eye movements, primarily the movement of eye muscles. The presence of this distinctive feature makes EMDR therapy appear intimidating, although the patients quickly realize that nothing out of the ordinary happens during the procedure. After the EMDR therapy, the memories remain the same, but the emotional charge that surrounds them is greatly reduced. In other words, all emotional baggage that causes people to suffer will be left in the past forever.
The patients who decide to engage with Therapist EMDR Cheshire services may have different needs and come from different backgrounds, but they are united by the fact that they have a long-standing issue or have recently acquired one. Workplace and school bullying, abusive relationships, medical abuse, anxiety, and numerous other problems affect people’s perception of themselves, their bodies, and the entire world in general. It is impossible to tell for certain what particular memories from the past contribute to the emergence of certain emotional responses in the present moment if a person does not have a complete understanding of how their nervous system works. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that often enough, the body acts before the brain has time to react. This aspect becomes especially relevant and is considered in detail during the EMDR therapy sessions.
Is EMDR only for trauma?
Not exactly. Although trauma is one of the most common reasons for requesting EMDR therapy, this approach can also help people with anxiety, panic attacks, low self-esteem, grief, phobias, and stress. The effectiveness of the procedure varies from person to person, and, for some patients, several courses are necessary before changes become apparent. The positive result can appear after just a few visits to the EMDR therapist. Still, for some people, it may take much longer than scheduled treatment. Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict precisely how a person will change under the influence of a particular therapist. There is always an individual scenario, which cannot be regulated or written in advance charts since there are no roadmaps for human feelings.
The EMDR therapist Rachael Sidley ’s main advantage for me is her ability to work at a comfortable pace. One will not feel like they have to “open up” to a specialist immediately. On the contrary, a patient has the opportunity to control the process and not rush. I believe this approach is vital in general since the modern world has begun to encourage a large number of people to “disclose themselves,” while forgetting that they have all the time in the world for it.
How should someone prepare for an EMDR session?
Preparation is in fact surprisingly simple. You do not need to memorize anything or over-plan the details. In fact, simply getting good rest, wearing something comfortable, and taking some time to yourself after the session can be incredibly valuable.
In EMDR, you are encouraged to focus on your body just as much as your thoughts. Anxiety manifests physically in everyone to some degree, and paying attention to these tells can help immensely in recognizing when you are overwhelmed. Are your shoulders tense? Does your chest feel tight? Are your hands balled up subconsciously? All of these are signs that your body is in 'fight or flight' mode, and that it is becoming overwhelmed. It is not always easy to admit, but paying attention to these little 'cues' is vital in being able to understand how our bodies work.
Why choose Rachael Sidley for EMDR therapy in Cheshire?
Every therapist has their qualities in addition to their professional skills, but, as it seems, personality plays an important role as well. Rachael Sidley, for example, is good at providing high-quality emotional support to people without making them feel overly judged in the process. The visitors of this therapist note that they could share intimate details without being intimidated. Such a quality is indeed valuable since many people have a hard time communicating their problems openly. Although a therapist cannot take away all troubles that a person might face, having a good listener and advisor helps to alleviate them considerably.
It is also important to note that finding the right therapist is not always as easy as it should be. It often requires multiple visits and thorough introspection; therefore, it is worth spending time on it instead of trying to force a partnership. Sometimes it is enough to meet a professional to instantly understand that this is the right or the wrong person to talk to. On the other side, there may be cases when multiple meetings are needed before a patient feels comfortable enough to share all intimate details with their therapist. Thus, the primary goal of a prospective visitor to a therapy clinic is to find an advisor who would not add stress to their problems.