How EMDR Therapy Supports Healing from Trauma, Anxiety, and More

EMDR Therapy can be a path to healing

As a therapist who is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), I often get asked by clients whether their presenting problem could be helped by EMDR therapy.

EMDR offers a pathway to healing that can change lives, not by erasing memories but by transforming how they're stored and experienced.

If you're struggling with trauma, anxiety, or any of the conditions listed below, consider exploring EMDR therapy. Developed to treat trauma, EMDR has been shown to be effective with a range of traumatic experiences and anxieties. Studies have shown that clients with the following concerns have responded well to EMDR therapy:

• PTSD: EMDR is well-known for its effectiveness with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It helps in processing traumatic memories, so they no longer cause distress or trigger symptoms like flashbacks or hypervigilance.

• Childhood trauma: Individuals who've experienced abuse, neglect, or other adverse childhood experiences can find relief through EMDR therapy by reprocessing these memories, reducing their long-term impact on current life.

• Attachment trauma: Those with insecure attachment styles due to early relational trauma can work through these patterns with EMDR therapy, potentially improving current relationships.

• Generalized Anxiety: Those with constant worry or anxiety might benefit from EMDR therapy, especially if their anxieties are rooted in past experiences or traumas.

• Phobias: EMDR therapy can help dismantle the fear response associated with specific phobias by reprocessing the experiences or memories linked to the phobia.

• Grief and Loss: EMDR therapy can assist in processing the complex emotions associated with loss, helping individuals move through stages of grief more fluidly, especially if there's unresolved trauma or guilt associated with the loss.

• Performance Anxiety: Musicians, athletes, or anyone experiencing performance anxiety (including sexual) might benefit from EMDR therapy to reduce the impact of past failures or critical incidents that fuel their anxiety.

• Pain Disorders: Chronic pain often has an emotional component; EMDR therapy can help in managing the psychological aspects of pain, potentially reducing its intensity or frequency.

Why EMDR Therapy Helps Many Clients Heal

EMDR therapy appeals to many clients because it is often more efficient than traditional talk therapy. For those who struggle to discuss the details of traumatic experiences, EMDR can also feel less intimidating — the process does not require extensive verbal recounting of painful memories.

At Better Being Group, our licensed therapists specialize in EMDR therapy as part of a comprehensive, trauma-informed approach to treating PTSD, anxiety, and related conditions.

We offer online therapy in 42 states, including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, and Colorado, along with in-person sessions at our Bryn Mawr, PA office for those near Philadelphia.

Curious if EMDR therapy is right for you? Contact Better Being Group today to schedule an assessment and explore how EMDR can support your healing.