EMDR in Columbia, MO

Sometimes, you get stuck in cycles of negative thoughts and beliefs about yourself.  Or maybe you feel held back by something in the past.  Perhaps you feel triggered by things in your daily life or live with more anxiety than you think is healthy. You’ve heard that EMDR can help.  Maybe your friend, psychiatrist, or doctor told you about this therapy that’s different but having amazing results. If any of this sounds familiar, you are in the right place!  At Aspire Counseling we are proud to offer Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR is an effective trauma treatment that can provide quick relief of trauma and anxiety symptoms.

The Power of EMDR

At Aspire Counseling, we know that you want to feel empowered to be a better, more confident version of yourself. In order to do that, you need to overcome the negative thoughts, anxiety, and other mental health concerns that have been holding you back. The problem is that nothing you’ve tried so far has helped you find relief. This has left you feeling somewhat hopeless. We believe you deserve to feel better.  You deserve help that truly works. Our therapists have a deep understanding of trauma, anxiety, and the patterns that can leave a person feeling stuck.  And we are confident that we can help you not only cope with your past but to get to a place that the things you’ve been so bothered by no longer feel as upsetting.

Common Questions about EMDR

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy, or EMDR, is a set of standardized trauma and anxiety treatment protocols. Jessica, our founder, was amazed by the stories she heard from clinicians as well as clients and set out to do some research (because by the way, evidence-based treatment is kind of her thing…).  She was blown away by the amount of research done in recent years demonstrating how effective EMDR can be.  Thus…Stephenie (Aspire Counseling’s very first EMDR therapist and a passionate advocate for this treatment) was invited to join our practice so we could provide this amazing treatment.  While Stephenie is no longer in private practice, we’ve since added several other EMDR therapists.

What Mental Health Concerns Can EMDR Treat?

EMDR is used to treat a variety of mental health issues including:

• Panic attacks

• Complicated grief

• Dissociative disorders

• Disturbing memories

• Phobias

• Pain disorders

• Social Anxiety

• Performance anxiety

• Depression

• Stress

• Sexual and/or Physical abuse

• Sexual violence including rape

• Nightmares

How Exactly Does EMDR Work?

It appears that EMDR has a direct effect on the way the brain processes information. This is very beneficial to someone who has experienced a trauma, as their brain cannot process information as it normally does.

To these people, a moment in time becomes “stuck” in their minds, and they experience the trauma, the sounds, smells, and images over and over again. This, in turn, affects how they see the world around them and relate to other people.

After a successful EMDR session, the brain can once again process information normally, and the person no longer relives the trauma. While they still remember that the event happened, they are not physically, mentally, or emotionally upset by it.

What is perhaps most interesting about EMDR is that it appears to be very similar to what occurs naturally during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. For this reason, EMDR can be considered a physiologically based therapy that helps individuals deal with distressing events in a new and less disturbing way.

What Will I Do in an EMDR Session?

EMDR is an integrative psychotherapy approach that incorporates eight phases of treatment. How long it takes an individual to experience the benefits of this therapy depends on their personal history. Treatment typically targets three different areas: past memories, present disturbance, and future actions. The goal of this treatment is to process information and experiences differently. Each session aims to leave the patient with healthy emotions, understanding, and fresh perspectives that will ultimately lead to healthy and useful future behaviors and interactions.  Learn more about the outline of EMDR treatment and what happens in an EMDR session here.

How Long Does it Take EMDR to Work?

It’s hard to say exactly how long any mental health counseling intervention will take.  How many sessions will be required will be based on the type of problem, personal circumstances, and the degree of the trauma.  Some clients have reported a significant decrease in their PTSD symptoms after only a few sessions!  Other clients, for instance, those who have experienced multiple, complicated traumas throughout their life, need EMDR sessions for several months.

At Aspire Counseling, our trauma therapists work hard to meet your individual needs.  This means that our therapists combine the research-based EMDR protocols with their own experiences and most importantly YOUR needs.  We individualize your treatment to you.

One example of this is session length. EMDR sessions can last anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes. Our therapists will work with your needs and sessions.  We want to stay as true as possible to this well-researched treatment, but we will also work at the pace you would like and meet at times that best fit your schedule.

Where Can I Learn More About EMDR Therapy?

The best place to learn more about EMDR is the EMDR International Association.  They have a wonderful website full of great information about EMDR! Jessica also wrote a blog post comparing evidence-based trauma treatments offered at Aspire Counseling. Jessica was going to write another, more comprehensive blog post about EMDR therapy when she realized that a good friend and colleague in Colorado had already written A Client’s Comprehensive Guide to Beginning EMDR Therapy, so we highly recommend you check that out!

Why Should I come to Aspire Counseling for EMDR Treatment?

At Aspire Counseling, our therapists value finding a balance between following well-researched trauma treatment protocols (in this case EMDR), the clinical experience of our therapists (our EMDR therapists are passionate about this treatment and have learned little tips and tricks along the way), and most importantly the needs of YOU, our client!

We help clients from all over Mid Missouri feel better.  During EMDR, you’ll do the hard work (and yes, we know it’s scary to come into our office and scary to face your fears) of counseling in a comfortable, supportive office space or online from the comfort of your home anywhere in Missouri.  We put a lot of effort into making our counseling office a safe space so your healing journey is as easy as possible.  We want to help you find healing as quickly as possible, so everything from the time we take on your first phone call, the free consultation your therapist will offer, the tools we offer when meeting online or our comfortable office environment are all designed to help you heal.