EMDR Therapy in Saint Paul, MN

Once you are ready to engage with EMDR Phases 4-8, the session begins by checking in on the target determined in Phase 3, such as a memory or image. The therapist will ask you to identify the negative cognition associated with the target image and to rate its distress level on a scale from 0 to 10. You will then choose a positive cognition you'd prefer to associate with the image, rating its believability from 1 to 7. Describe any emotions or physical sensations tied to the target. After collecting this baseline information, you and the therapist will agree on a "Stop signal" for pausing the work if needed. You focus on the target image while bilateral stimulation begins through eye movements or tactile stimulation. After about 30 passes, stimulation stops, and you share your current thoughts, emotions, or sensations. This cycle of noticing, bilateral stimulation, and checking in continues until the distress level is reduced to 0.

Once your distress level is 0, you move to the installation phase, reinforcing the positive cognition associated with the target image. Bilateral stimulation is added to both the positive cognition and the image, with check-ins until your belief in the positive cognition reaches 7/7. You then scan your body for any lingering physical distress related to the target, addressing these sensations through appropriate interventions. The session concludes with you reflecting on your experience with the therapist. If the target is not fully resolved, you contain the unresolved aspects of the memory for the next EMDR session. You then access your Calm Safe State to regulate your nervous system, check in with your therapist, and close the session.

EMDR therapy happens through eight distinct phases over the course of time, each carefully crafted to guide you through a healing journey.

Phase 1: Getting to Know You and Your History 

During this initial phase, your therapist will spend time getting to know you and understanding your history. Together, you'll plan the treatment, establishing a comprehensive background that will guide the therapy process.

Phase 2: Preparation 

In this phase, the focus is on preparing you for the EMDR process. This involves establishing trust in the therapeutic relationship, educating you on the EMDR method, and building skills and resources to help you tolerate emotions and sensations that may arise. It's a time for creating a safe and supportive environment.

Phase 3: Assessment 

Here, the therapist helps you narrow in on the specific event, memory, or problem to target. You'll gather information, including the image that represents the worst part of the memory, the distress level (rated 0-10), the negative cognition associated with the image, the preferred positive cognition, its validity (rated 1-7), and the emotions and body sensations tied to the target.

Phase 4: Desensitization 

This stage involves engaging with the target while incorporating bilateral stimulation, such as eye movement or tactile stimulation. The objective is to bring down the distress score to 0 or neutral, helping to desensitize the traumatic or distressing memory.

Phase 5: Installation 

Once the distress is reduced, the focus shifts to installing the positive cognition until it reaches a believability score of 7/7. This reinforces the new, positive beliefs about yourself or the event.

Phase 6: Body Scan 

During this phase, you scan your body for any lingering physical distress related to the target. If needed, bilateral stimulation is used to help any residual sensations dissipate, ensuring a comprehensive healing process.

Phase 7: Closure 

Even if the target memory isn't fully resolved, the session ends by reinstating calmness using the Calm Safe State resource developed in Phase 2. This ensures that you leave each session feeling regulated and secure.

Phase 8: Reevaluation 

In the final phase, your therapist checks in with you about your experience and observations from the EMDR process. Together, you'll assess whether the previous memory has been fully processed or if it needs further attention. If appropriate, you might move on to the next target within the broader memory network.

Through these eight phases, EMDR therapy provides a structured yet compassionate approach to healing, helping you move from distress to a place of peace and empowerment. If you're considering EMDR therapy, don't hesitate to reach out for more information and support. You deserve to feel your best, and EMDR could be the path to get there.

A therapist plays a crucial and supportive role throughout your EMDR therapy sessions. They hold the emotional space for you to engage safely in the EMDR protocol, ensuring that you feel secure and understood. When moments arise where you might feel stuck, overwhelmed, or even dissociative, the EMDR therapist actively intervenes to guide you back to a balanced state, offering interventions and support as needed.

Their aim is to help you make meaningful connections and enhance your adaptive information processing network, paving the way for healing. Throughout this journey, your therapist remains empathically attuned, providing constant emotional support and maintaining their own regulation to create a safe environment for you to access and process past distressing experiences. This compassionate and welcoming approach is designed to foster a sense of peace and empowerment as you move through your healing journey.

Immediate intervention is key—the earlier, the better. With specific protocols designed for recent and ongoing events, we can help ease your nervous system. Early access to EMDR therapy is vital for preventing traumatic memories from taking root in your mind and body. This proactive approach not only reduces immediate distress but also paves the way for a quicker, more effective recovery. Our tailored techniques for recent and ongoing traumas ensure you receive timely, compassionate care that addresses your unique situation.

YES! EMDR is great for getting to the root belief systems that a person holds as a result of chronic childhood trauma. Whether it's beliefs like "I am not good enough", "I am not safe", "It’s my fault", or "It’s my responsibility", these deep-seated notions can be targeted through EMDR by focusing on a handful of memories. This method offers a ripple effect for the entire network of beliefs, as new, more adaptive information is brought into the system. Restoring and repairing childhood trauma often calls for preverbal trauma treatment as well, ensuring that even the earliest and most formative experiences are addressed. The comprehensive approach of EMDR allows for a profound healing journey, bringing peace and safety back into your life.

YES! EMDR has great research supporting recovery from PTSD, or rather PTSI (post-traumatic stress injury), as a result of engaging in this protocol. This therapy is able to target the moment the injury was incurred and reinstate peace and normalcy within the system with new learning and meaning. By processing the traumatic event at its core, EMDR helps to desensitize the painful memories and diminish the associated distressing images, sensations, and emotions. This allows individuals to reshape their understanding and emotional responses, fostering a renewed sense of calm and resilience. With each session, you will discover that the debilitating grip of past traumas loosens, leaving room for healing and empowerment. In a nurturing environment, you rebuild your confidence and learn to trust in your own strength, making EMDR a powerful tool in the journey towards recovery and emotional well-being.

The sooner you dive into the EMDR recent events protocol after an incident, the better. Tackling distress early can stop it from entangling with other neural patterns, preventing it from getting deeply ingrained in your brain. But let's be real, not everyone rushes into therapy right after something happens. Often, the push to start EMDR therapy comes when you realize you're not living your best life—maybe you're dealing with annoying triggers, or symptoms are messing with your relationships, goals, and self-view.

Once you notice that disruptions are impacting your quality of life, EMDR therapy might be a good fit for you. The eight-phase process works best if you can handle the present moment and stay calm within your "window of tolerance." This means experiencing emotions and disturbances without getting too worked up or too numb. When you get to this point, EMDR therapy can provide a supportive and organized way to help you heal and regain your peace and sense of control.

EMDR therapy can be incredibly beneficial, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. If staying anchored in the present moment is tough for you or if you have dissociative disorders like DID or DIDNOS, jumping into the standard 8 phases of EMDR is not the right approach. Rather our providers will tailor your work to gain more cohesion and internal connection prior to engaging in trauma accessing and managing trauma processing. EMDR might be a bit challenging. These conditions can disrupt the processing and make it hard to get the results you want. Plus, if you often find yourself dissociating and have trouble coming back to the present, EMDR might not be the best fit for you right now. 

If you're pregnant, it's important to be careful, as revisiting certain memories can bring up strong emotions. The intensity of these memories and the distress they might cause should be taken seriously. Talk about these factors in detail with your therapist to make sure you're safe and your therapy is effective. By paying close attention to these considerations, EMDR can continue to be a helpful and supportive part of your healing journey.

EMDR therapy can work wonders for many, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. If someone is dealing with current hallucinations or delusions, EMDR might not be the best fit since staying grounded in reality is crucial for the process. For individuals with true narcissistic personality disorder, the introspection required by EMDR could be tough. It demands empathy and self-reflection, which might not mesh well with narcissistic traits.

If you have a traumatic brain injury (TBI), be cautious with EMDR as the cognitive load might be too much. Also, if you're still in an abusive or unsafe situation, EMDR therapy might not be safe since it requires a stable environment for it to be effective. If this sounds like you, make sure to talk to a qualified EMDR therapist in Saint Paul, MN to find the best path for your recovery.