Have you or your child experienced something scary or traumatic that keeps you from moving on in your life? Often these memories get stored differently than regular memories in the brain and keep you from sleeping or cause irritating symptoms like flashbacks or body sensations when you don’t want them.
EMDR
What is EMDR?
EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a type of therapy developed to help people heal from trauma or adversities from abuse, PTSD, bullying, grief and loss, abandonment, and many other life changes. It can be used to help with symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, phobias, and more. I use EMDR therapy with children, teens and adults when appropriate for your needs.
EMDR was originally used with war vets experiencing PTSD. If you or your child has experienced something scary that you just don’t seem to be able to get past then EMDR can be helpful. I have experience using EMDR with people who have had physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, children who have been in the foster care system, children and adults who have had medical trauma, and more.
Has your child changed schools recently? Have you moved into a new house? Are you going though a divorce or separation? Sometimes even positive changes have unforeseen consequences for us or our kids. EMDR can be a great way to explore how these changes are having an impact on daily functioning.
Ongoing anxiety can often have underlying causes from early childhood fears or things you may never have thought about. EMDR therapy can be a way to explore and help process what may be underneath your anxiety.
All kids act out from time to time, but when the methods used to work no longer seem to be effective, play therapy can help. Often there is something your child is trying to communicate with their behavior and I will partner with you to find out what that might be. This is very difficult to do when you are in the middle of the unwanted behaviors.
Examples can be physical or verbal aggression, excessive skin picking or hair pulling, cutting, poor peer relationships, oppositional behavior, or anything you are unable to manage on your own.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR therapy starts the same as any other approach. I will meet with you and your child for an assessment of what your concerns are and what else might be happening in your life or your child’s life. With this information a treatment plan that best fits your concerns will be created.
For Kids:
Ana Gomez calls EMDR Eyes Moving to Digest and Recover. We take a big scary memory and break it into small parts keeping what your brain needs and getting rid of the rest, kind of like chewing up a big steak.
EMDR therapy sessions are typically one on one. If your child is receiving EMDR services the update from parents continues to be important. The more we can work together the better the outcomes will be for your child. Sessions typically start at once per week and will decrease when appropriate.
If no appointments are available, or you have additional questions, please feel free to email me at kara@nurturefamilytherapy.com.