EMDR

IFS (Internal Family System) &

Attachment Informed

What is EMDR?

EMDR is an evidenced based psychotherapy that helps to process and reduce negative images, distressing emotions, beliefs, and physical sensations associated with traumatic memories or stressful events that become stuck and unable to resolve themselves. These can contribute to a range of mental health problems.

The aim of EMDR is to assist your mind to process traumatic or stressful memories which you currently still experience physically and mentally to a point of resolution. After the process you will still remember the event, but the emotional charge will have dissipated.

The mind can often trick us into believing we are still reliving these memories and not just remembering them.

Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. Stress responses are part of our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts. When we experience a disturbing event the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create an overwhelming feeling of being back in that moment, or of being “frozen in time.” EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories and allows normal healing to resume.

EMDR was initially developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a therapeutic approach, EMDR is also effective with a variety of other mental health conditions.

Attachment Informed EMDR not only focusses on your current distress or problem you may be experiencing but explores your early formative years to find out how you developed emotionally, and how this could be affecting who you are now.

Often what happened to us when we were younger creates patterns of feeling and thinking which habitually can still be experienced now. If when we were young, we received the love, safety and nurturing then the chances are that we would develop the resilience to cope with adversity. But what if we didn’t receive what we needed when we were younger, do we still have the same level of resilience to cope?

Attachment informed EMDR is a journey to heal those psychological wounds and finally develop into who you would like to be today, tomorrow and for the rest of your life.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a unique approach to healing trauma and emotional distress.

In Internal Family Systems therapy, we understand the mind as composed of various parts, each with its own personality, feelings, and motivations. Some parts may carry burdens from past experiences or traumatic memories, while others serve protective roles to shield us from pain. The goal of IFS is to develop self-awareness, compassion, and harmony among these parts.

Blending IFS with EMDR involves integrating these two approaches to address trauma and emotional wounds more effectively. In therapy sessions, we explore the internal landscape of your mind, identifying different parts and understanding their roles and interactions.

The main aim of IFS therapy is to help these parts work together harmoniously, fostering greater self-awareness, compassion, and inner peace.

This integrated approach honours the complexity of your inner world while empowering you to process and release traumatic experiences, fostering greater resilience, self-awareness, and well-being.

How does EMDR work?

EMDR is performed using Bilateral stimulation which involves following with your eyes the therapist’s fingers alternating from left to right. This has the effect of the mind being able to establish a connection with the original distressing event. Other forms of bilateral stimulation can be used such as tapping or using auditory if preferred.

The process starts with the client recalling a traumatic event or stressful situation. Bilateral stimulation engages the natural tendency of the mind to process the event to resolution. At each stage of the session: thoughts, images, emotions, and physical sensations become more manageable to deal with.

Who can benefit from EMDR?

EMDR therapy helps adults and children of all ages. EMDR was primarily used for people experiencing PTSD but is effective in overcoming other conditions such as anxiety, panic attack, depression, grief, phobias to name a few.

EMDR can be effective with any traumatic or stressful situation that you have experienced either in the past or worried about in the future.

What to expect in a session,

EMDR is a structured therapy. Initially your case history will be taken, I will then discuss an overall treatment plan with you. A specific focus of the distressing event is then identified, that is currently triggering your negative memories and physical sensations.

Because experiencing distress from trauma can be emotional and upsetting, time is taken before the EMDR process starts to learn stabilisation techniques I call resources. You will learn to create resources for yourself such as relaxation techniques and creating an imaginary or real place in your mind where you are able to feel calm and safe. Only when you are ready, will the process of EMDR begin.

When the EMDR process begins, it is not necessary to talk in depth about the traumatic or painful memory. The aim of the process is for you to give feedback on what you are seeing, remembering, or feeling after each set of bilateral movements.

An analogy often used to describe the EMDR process is for you to imagine that you are sitting on a moving train looking out of a window. You are observing and giving feedback about what is happening or occurring in your mind and body but not getting emotionally involved in the content. With each set of bilateral stimulation, the negative memory and feelings initially experienced of the original event starts to change. This is the mind’s ability to start to process memories together in order to reach a healthy resolution. The process is completed when you are no longer distressed about the original event.

Is EMDR evidenced based?

EMDR is recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the World Health Organisation (WHO), which also recognises it as an effective treatment for children.