What is EMDR? EMDR at Lukin Center: Non-traditional Therapy, Healing Results Reprocess painful memories using guided eye movements. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy that helps people heal from traumatic events and disturbing life experiences. EMDR allows you to re-process your memories by reliving trauma in small doses. By revisiting traumatic or distressing experiences in manageable segments, EMDR assists in the gradual release of negative emotions and sensations that are often tightly bound to these memories. The therapeutic power of EMDR extends beyond traditional talk therapy. It is a dynamic approach to healing that can significantly speed up the recovery process for those suffering from emotional distress and past traumas. By directly engaging the brain’s inherent ability to process and heal from adverse experiences, EMDR presents a path toward emotional freedom and psychological well-being. EMDR can help accelerate healing from emotional pain and past trauma. At Lukin Center, we’ve helped hundreds of EMDR patients find relief from deep-rooted emotional and psychological stress. Though it’s a fairly new and non-traditional type of therapy, EMDR is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization, and the Department of Defense as an effective treatment for trauma. Our clinicians are specially trained to incorporate EMDR into treatment. By offering EMDR as part of our suite of services, we are dedicated to ensuring that our clients receive the most advanced, evidence-based treatments available. All taking place within a supportive and nurturing environment. EMDR at a Glance Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Proven, non-traditional therapy Uses rapid, rhythmic eye movements or other stimuli Helps your brain heal from trauma or troubling past events Just as your body heals from an old injury, EMDR Therapy helps your brain heal naturally from traumatic events. What Can You Expect from EMDR at Lukin Center? EMDR can either be used as a treatment modality on its own. Integrating EMDR may boost the effectiveness of other methods, therapies, or medication. Combining EMDR and other therapies can significantly enhance the recovery journey. It enriches the traditional focus on cognitive restructuring and behavioral interventions with a layer of emotional and trauma processing. EMDR isn’t talk therapy. Your Lukin Center therapist won’t ask you to unpack the details about your distressing memories. The focus is simply on helping your brain resume its natural healing process and working through memories that might be “stuck” in negative patterns. The goal is to enable the brain to resume its natural healing process, akin to the way a body physically recovers from physical injury. It allows for the resolution of traumatic memories and an alleviation of psychological distress. A typical EMDR session might look like this: your Lukin Center therapist will direct your attention by moving their hand back and forth like a pendulum, playing musical tones, applying light tapping, or using other kinds of gentle stimuli. As you follow the movements, your therapist will ask you to recall a painful or disturbing memory. Memories that include the body sensations and emotions you felt at the time of the event. As you continue to follow the therapist’s direction, you’ll be guided toward shifting away from the painful or troubling thoughts you’ve been holding and moving toward more productive and pleasant ones. Over time, you’ll be able to remember or talk about your specific event without the negative feelings and reactions that made it difficult to live with. At Lukin Center, we take great care to match you with a highly trained EMDR therapist you can like, trust, and collaborate with. Want to see how EMDR works? Watch this demonstration or this interview with Dr. Lukin. Is EMDR Right for You? EMDR helps patients spanning various ages process personal trauma, and trauma looks different for everyone. Recognizing that trauma manifests uniquely in each individual, the Lukin Center adopts a personalized approach to therapy. Your Lukin Center therapist might suggest EMDR techniques to help you address a diverse array of issues, including: Phobias, Stress, and Panic Attacks Chronic Illness and Medical Concerns Bipolar Conditions and Depression Conditions involving Dissociation Food-related Disorders Grieving and Loss Lack of Self-esteem Physical Pain and Discomfort Performance Anxiety Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma and stress-related issues Sexual Abuse Personality Disorders Sleeping Disorders Substance Dependency and Abuse Anger, Aggression, and Violence You’re in Great Hands Here As with all psychotherapy, it’s important to find an experienced therapist you feel safe and comfortable working with. With EMDR in particular, it’s important to work with someone who is specifically trained in the technique. Select Lukin Center staff hold advanced training and certification in EMDR therapy, and like all of our therapists, they’re dedicated to ongoing training and education to make sure you get the best treatment experience possible.
