Have you ever noticed that talking to a friend while walking can be more helpful in changing your perspective and coming up with ideas and solutions than sitting and talking? There is a scientific reason for this which is harnessed in EMDR, (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence based approach to treat trauma and its effects:
- anxiety
- depression
- insomnia
- flashbacks
- nightmares
- physical pain
- relational problems
- anger
Sometimes memories and events get “stuck” in a part of our brain that isn’t able to create meaning or usefulness from information and that has no sense of time. This is why some people with trauma have flashbacks and feel as if they’re back in the event itself. Essentially, EMDR can change how memories are stored in the brain, rendering them less intense and removing or lessening negative reactions to the memories and associated triggers.
*S.A.F.E. EMDR = Somatic and Attachment Focused EMDR, an approach with a focus on mindfulness and compassion, developed by Deb Kennard, founder of the Personal Transformation Institute (www.emdr-training.net).
