What Most Surprised me About EMDR: That it Actually Works
A photo of Alison Ballou using EMDR therapy to help her overcome some previous falls from horseback riding.
When I first heard about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy several years ago, I was honestly not sure what to think. The idea that people could experience healing from deeply traumatic experiences by moving their eyes back and forth while recalling that trauma (though not even necessarily talking about it in depth) seemed strange, to say the least. I began trying to find out more about it. I wondered – did it really work? It turns out, there is a lot of evidence that EMDR works! The American Psychological Association and World Health Organization list it as a treatment for PTSD and other trauma-related disorders. There have been numerous studies documenting its effectiveness. People who are treated using EMDR often experience decreases in PTSD symptoms. They also frequently experience changes in their negative thoughts and feelings about not only the traumatic events they have experienced but also about themselves as people and the world around them.
As I learned more about the effectiveness of EMDR, I wanted to try it for myself.
Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash downloaded 11/6/23
I had had a few scary falls from horses, and my confidence in myself as a rider was shaken. There was one horse, in particular, that I was scared to ride again. I would not have met the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis, but my past experience was manifesting itself in the present as intense anxiety.
I was afraid to ride faster horses in general and that horse in particular. I decided it was worth it to me to try EMDR with a counselor. I hoped to experience anecdotal evidence demonstrating EMDR’s effectiveness, but at the same time, I was skeptical that it would work. However, I was ready to give it a try. We did some preparatory work together, and then during my reprocessing sessions, revisited my memories of my scariest fall. As I reprocessed those memories, we explored the negative thoughts I was having about myself and riding. We also looked at other, earlier memories in which some of those negative thoughts might be rooted. After my two sessions of reprocessing, my nervousness remained but was present at a much lower level of intensity. I was able to ride and even jump that horse again!
A photo of Alison Ballou successfully jumping her horse after using EMDR therapy and skills to help overcome previous fears and traumas.
As I completed my own training to be able to offer EMDR to clients, I learned more about how EMDR works.
The Adaptive Information Processing model posits that traumatic experiences overwhelm our brain’s ability to process information. When we are prevented from fully processing these experiences, our memories are coded in unhelpful ways, which causes the negative symptoms we experience in our lives. The bilaterial stimulation (often the counselor directing the client to move their eyes back and forth) activates the body’s natural healing strategies. These strategies allow the brain to integrate memories of traumatic events, such that they can be stored in less emotionally intense forms, which reduces the distress they cause.
Having recently completed my EMDR training, I am excited to be able to offer EMDR to clients now. I am passionate about helping people heal from trauma, and EMDR provides an effective strategy to pursue that healing!
EMDR Therapy in Missouri
Our therapists here at Aspire Counseling love evidence based practices like EMDR, ERP, DBT, CPT, and more! We work with teens, college students, and adults experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, grief, disordered eating, stress and much more. We offer EMDR services at our Lee’s Summit MO location, and Columbia MO location, or virtual to anyone in the state of Missouri!
Reach out today at 573-328-2288 ext. 1, or email us at info@aspirecounselingmo.com to begin your free 30- minute consultation with one of our amazing Missouri therapists.
About the Author
Alison Ballou, PLPC, of Aspire Counseling believes in the power of EMDR, and how beneficial it can be to those struggling with trauma.
Alison Ballou is a PLPC at Aspire Counseling. Alison specializes in trauma, anxiety, adoption support, LGBTQ+ mental health, depression and more. She has a supportive, caring therapy style and connects well with a variety of counseling clients. Alison enjoys and believes in the power of EMDR therapy. Alison sees clients in person at our counseling office in Columbia, MO as well meeting with clients who reside throughout Missouri using online counseling sessions. When Alison isn’t working at Aspire Counseling, you can most likely find her horse riding!