So what is EMDR Therapy?
At some point in life we each discover something that we become passionate about. Maybe it’s a hobby, or a new way of doing something. Regardless, whenever we experience that “light bulb moment” it changes how we do what we do or even what we do.
For me that light bulb moment and passion is EMDR therapy. I have seen it work (just like the research has proven it does) and I would love to tell everyone about it! I see it change people and relationships in a way that years of talk therapy cannot do. To clarify, talk therapy is wonderful! But there are certain things in life that you will have to continue to remind yourself of and ground yourself around if you simply talk about. That can get old when we think of having to constantly remind yourself of your worth for the rest of your life due to an unhealthy childhood or relationship.
I completed the training in EMDR because I noticed just that. That clients would come into my office and talk through what they are experiencing. We would work through it and then they would leave and feel the exact same way as before, for the most part. They wanted changes to happen. They wanted to be able to actually believe what they “knew” to be true in their minds. I found myself continuing to remind my clients to remind themselves of coping, logical thinking, etc. When I learned about EMDR I knew it was just what I as a therapist needed to help my clients, as well as just the thing my clients needed.
So what is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. Informally speaking, it is a type of therapy that allows us to take what we “know” in our logical brain, and the make connections in our whole system so that we REALLY KNOW. For example, have you ever said something similar to, “I know I’m enough” but your daily thoughts and actions are contradictory to that logical belief? EMDR may be helpful for you, if so.
My clients have often referred to EMDR as “magic” because something that they have worked so hard to accept, suddenly happens. Now let me be honest. EMDR is not magic. But it can truly help to reduce your symptoms and let you settle past trauma that you may not have even known impacts you today. It is especially helpful for trauma, and can also be helpful for anxiety, panic, depression, phobias, OCD, and other issues that interfere with your life.
This type of therapy is probably more common that you realize. Please reach out to us if you feel that EMDR could be helpful to you. We’d love to walk you through the process and help you with next steps.
-Katie Marble, LPC, MHSP
Katie is a Licensed Profession Counselor in the state of Tennessee and is certified in EMDR therapy. She sees clients Monday-Thursday at Alice Stricklin Counseling. To book with Katie call 615-784-9209.
EMDR testimonials from Katie’s clients:
“Katie made sure that I had established grounding techniques before we began EMDR. For me, it was an intense process, but Katie made sure that we went at a pace I could cope well with during sessions, and I had a great support team for working through the triggers I was dealing with before, during and after sessions. EMDR was a tool that helped me feel physical release from traumas in my past, as well as a new understanding of my personal history. Katie and I worked to reframe experiences I have had and to project solutions that helped me realize I'm no longer in the vulnerable positions I was in when many of my traumas took place. I thank God all the time for the freedom I have found in my body and mind due to the tool of EMDR and Katie's expertise.” - Client #1
“Having Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, I had tried multiple types of medication and therapy to help control it with very little success. A friend who was well-versed in EMDR mentioned it to me as they felt like I was dealing with symptoms of unsettled trauma. With little faith, I decided it could not hurt and scheduled my first session. I was apprehensive at first as I did not want to be hypnotized or out of control. This has truly been a life-changer for me. I did not feel that I had anything traumatic to process but found quickly that the brain gets stuck on processing some events in your past. Katie has been a wonderful EMDR specialist who has helped explain the what and the why as well as guided me through putting countless memories to rest. I am doing things now that were impossible when I started EMDR, I have a new level of confidence that I thought I had lost forever, and great coping skills to continue to push further from home. EMDR is getting to the very root of the problem and fixing it for good, one memory at a time.” - Client #2