EMDR Psychotherapy

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) psychotherapy is based on the innate ability that we all have for self-healing. It is based on the connection between the past, present, and future, as old experiences shape our beliefs, reactions, and behavior, and thus our course in life.

EMDR is like a key that opens the door to the past: it searches for pivotal experiences and, through desensitization and reprocessing using bilateral stimulation, projects them onto a mental screen and archives them in the appropriate place, without the emotional charge that accompanied them. The person continues on their path without carrying old burdens.

The therapy is divided into phases: memory processing begins after the initial phase, which includes a) taking a full history and establishing therapeutic goals, b) explaining the process in detail, and c) stabilization through somatic and cognitive exercises. Then, a memory to be processed is selected, and the therapist begins bilateral stimulation, either by guiding the person’s gaze back and forth with their hand or through other visual stimuli using specialized devices. Tactile bilateral stimulation is also widely used today, which can be done by the therapist or by the person themselves.

EMDR helps in the healing of psychological wounds and traumas, and has been used successfully in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and other emotional disorders. It is a relatively short-term therapy, with an average of 8-12 sessions, but its effects can be long-lasting.