Accelerating Healing: Understanding EMDR Therapy and the Intensity of the Psychotherapy Process

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a groundbreaking approach to psychotherapy that has gained significant attention in recent years. In this blog post, we'll delve into the unique characteristics of EMDR therapy and explore how its intensity can expedite the healing process for individuals dealing with trauma and other emotional challenges.

EMDR therapy is a structured and evidence-based psychotherapy approach primarily used to treat trauma-related disorders. It involves a set of standardized protocols that incorporate bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, to help individuals process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional charge.

EMDR therapy can be intense because it delves deep into traumatic memories and emotions. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR targets the root of the trauma and helps individuals process and reframe these memories, often leading to a quicker resolution of symptoms. This therapy can have very intense emotional and physical reactions - in some cases clients could have a strong urge for vomiting or start choking, feel very cold if for example they process memory connected with sensory experience of coldness... we might need a blanket in a heated room to cope with disturbance of feeling very cold, while processing experience of trauma connected with cold, snow, winter wind…

The intensity in EMDR therapy stems from the rapid desensitization of traumatic memories. By engaging in bilateral stimulation while recalling distressing experiences, clients can experience a reduction in the emotional intensity associated with those memories. With this therapy we aim to go "in the center of the trauma", stimulate desensitization of that experience which is usually complex - we have a picture as a memory, movement, smell, temperature, sense in a body, emotion, thoughts and so on.

When such experience is reprocessed, enabling individuals to make sense of their experiences and integrate them into their overall life narrative. This process can be emotionally challenging but ultimately liberating. Our mind is usually avoiding trauma and it can be very demanding emotionally to go through it. 

Trauma is „freezed“ in memory network because, when it happened, we were not

able to process it form different reasons yet while in therapy session, we can experience is strongly but differently due to therapiest presence and safe environment.

The intensity of EMDR therapy can lead to accelerated healing. Many clients experience significant improvements in a shorter time frame compared to traditional therapy approaches. This can be especially beneficial for those who want to regain control of their lives swiftly.

EMDR therapy's intensity is a powerful catalyst for healing, particularly for those grappling with trauma and its emotional aftermath. If you're considering EMDR therapy, embrace the potential for rapid healing, but also be prepared for the intensity it may entail, as it paves the way for profound transformation.

However our psychic body is always protecting us – in trauma and in therapy and if we are not ready to dive deep in traumatic experinece, we always have our „protector“ with us. Therapiest i salso there to explore when are we ready for trauma processing.

When I hear from my clients – „I don't feel like talking about that…“ but we have good connection and they have internal resources for difficult emotions , usually we will go together in to the trauma.