An Introduction to Dissociation and EMDR

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What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization
and Reprocessing), as with most therapy
approaches, focuses on the individual’s
present concerns. The EMDR approach
believes past emotionally-charged
experiences are overly influencing your
present emotions, sensations, and
thoughts about yourself. As an
example: “Do you ever feel worthless
although you know you are a
worthwhile person?”

EMDR processing helps you break
through the emotional blocks that are
keeping you from living an adaptive,
emotionally healthy life.

EMDR uses rapid sets of eye
movements to help you update
disturbing experiences, much like what
occurs when we sleep. During sleep,
we alternate between regular sleep and
REM (rapid eye movement). This sleep
pattern helps you process things that
are troubling you.

EMDR replicates this sleep pattern by
alternating between sets of eye
movements and brief reports about
what you are noticing. This alternating
process helps you update your
memories to a healthier present
perspective.

What is different about EMDR?
• EMDR focuses on the brain’s

ability to constantly learn, taking
past experiences, and updating
them with present information.
• Adaptive learning is constantly
updating memory network
systems.
Past emotionally-charged
experiences often interfere with
your updating process.
• EMDR breaks through that

•

interference and helps let go of
the past and update your
experiences to a healthier
present perspective.

• EMDR uses a set of procedures to

organize your negative and positive
feelings, emotions, and thoughts,
and then uses bilateral stimulation,
such as eye movements or
alternating tapping, as the way to
help you effectively work through
those disturbing memories.

What is
EMDR?

(Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing)

EMDR Consulting
www.emdrconsulting.com

Is it necessary to tell my therapist all
the details about my problems in order
for them to be processed?
• No, it is not necessary to talk about all
the details of your experiences for
them to be processed.

Will I get emotional?
• Yes, you may. Emotions and

sensations may come up during
processing; although, you will be
prepared and your therapist will help
you safely manage them. Once they
are processed, they rarely come back!

Is EMDR like hypnosis?
• No. During EMDR processing, you
are present and fully in control.

Is EMDR a brief treatment?
• EMDR, as with all treatment

approaches, will help you accomplish
your treatment goals.
• The length of time that it takes is
dependent upon the complexity of
your problems.
Frequently, EMDR is only one of
several treatment approaches that
will be used to help you reach
your treatment goals.

•

What does an EMDR session look like?

Overall Treatment Planning

• You have come to treatment expressing concerns.
• Your therapist will help you understand the dynamics of the presenting concerns and

how to adaptively manage them.

• An overall treatment plan will be developed that will accomplish your goals.
• Within that treatment plan, EMDR, along with other therapy approaches, will be used

to accomplish your treatment goals.

The EMDR session:

• You will be asked a set of questions to access and activate the negative experience and

the desired adaptive resolution.
Sets of rapid eye movement (or other forms of bilateral stimulation) will be applied.
•
• You will be encouraged to just “free associate” and allow the brain to work through the

•

experience.
Sets of eye movements will be alternated with brief reports about what you are
experiencing.

• EMDR processing will continue until the past experience has been updated to an

adaptive present perspective.
• With long standing issues, this process may take multiple sessions.

Using what you’ve learned

• Once the disturbing experiences have been updated, you and your therapist will work

together to integrate these new insights and perspectives into your daily life.

Provided by EMDR Consulting: www.emdrconsulting.com