To consider EMDR therapy, just like anything else, research is needed to be involved when thinking about choosing an EMDR therapist that is right for you. However, this is very new for you, selecting a therapist and all, so you are unsure how to determine what therapist is the right fit for you and your needs.
Three tips for choosing the right EMDR are selecting a reputable therapist, making sure you like your therapist and ensuring that the therapist is responsive to you. However, there are still those who do not understand EMDR therapy to determine whether it is suitable for them or not.
Let’s continue reading to learn more about what EMDR is, what an EMDR therapist can help you with, who it can benefit from, the different phases, and finally, three tips for choosing the right EMDR therapist.
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What is EMDR, and What Does the Therapist Help With?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and is a psychotherapy technique between therapy and client to help the client relieve any held in trauma that they have not adequately processed. The therapist will incorporate the use of sounds, sensory smells and sight, or any other trigger to cause the client to re-experience that trauma and properly process them.
An EMDR therapist helps the client resolve traumatic experiences that have been unprocessed and are just negatively ingrained in the brain. Depending on the severity of the client’s trauma and their comfort level with what is happening during these therapy sessions, EMDR therapy sessions can last a few sessions, while for others, more.
Eye movement therapy can be beneficial in unpacking trauma for many. Let’s continue reading to learn more about who benefits from EMDR therapy.
Who Benefits from EMDR Therapy?
The general use of EMDR within therapy sessions focuses more on the trauma that a person has either experienced or is still currently going through. EMDR therapy benefits many of those who have faced traumatic experiences, which can include those who suffer from:
- Anxiety (one of the most common EMDR Therapy uses is on anxiety)
- Depression
- PTSD
- Issues with your self-esteem and confidence
- Eating disorder
And many more. When deciding that EMDR is the best fit for you and you have chosen yourself as an EMDR therapist, you will now embark on the various phases that go along with EMDR.
Continue reading to learn about the eight phases of EMDR and check out these EMDR books after you read this article.
What are the EMDR Phases?
To properly treat EMDR through the act of therapy, there are eight phases that all EMDR therapists tend to follow. Let’s continue reading to learn more about the eight phases of EMDR therapy.
Phase 1: Introduction of Client’s History and Treatment Planning
The first two sessions typically begin with the client and therapist getting to know each other and the client’s personal and family history. Along with learning their history, the therapist will also ask the client what brings them to the therapist, and from there, a treatment plan is being developed and put into place for the client.
Phase 2: Preparation
After developing a treatment plan for the client, the therapist will then explain the concept of EMDR along with the terms and expectations during and after. During this phase, you are establishing a rapport with your therapist. Your therapist will also explain relaxation techniques that can be used both during and after each session if you feel emotionally disturbed after bringing up the traumas in your life.
Phase 3: Assessment
Next, you will identify and evaluate what specific memory is disturbing you emotionally. The client will need to think of a memory gathered from speaking with the therapist about the client’s history and developing the treatment plan. After that, the client will think of a negative statement based on that memory but then will reverse and think of a positive statement that they want to believe.
Next, the therapist will help the client evaluate how much they believe the positive statement they verbalized and the negative self-statements to determine how disturbed the client is feeling.
Phase 4: Desensitization
The therapist will now incorporate side-to-side eye movements, sounds, or taps while the client focuses on the specific traumatic event. These movements and noises will continue until the client’s disturbance rating drops to one or zero. Typically, it is expected that other thoughts and feelings can come about while this is happening.
Phase 5-7: Installation, Body Scan, and Closure
After finishing the desensitization phase, the client will now try to strengthen their positive beliefs until they feel as though it Is true. This will give the client a sense of control, and their positivity will progress further as long as they believe it.
After the installation phase, next is the body scan phase. The therapist will ask the client to think of the event and their positive belief while scanning their body from head to toe. Studying the client’s body from head to toe allows the therapist to notice any tensions within the client’s body. If there is, then the body will be reprocessed.
Phase seven is closure. With the closure, the therapist will assist the client in returning to a state of calm back to the present moment. The closure phase intends to end the session feeling better than when you first entered the session.
Phase 8: Reevaluation
Phase Eight, the last phase, is what will begin each session between the therapist and client. At the beginning of each future session, both client and therapist will reevaluate how you are coping with the treatments and whether it is effective, what have you uncovered within those memories that were focused on in the previous session, and what memories you would like to target for the next time.
So, with knowledge of what steps are entailed between the client and EMDR therapist, you will also need to consider finding the right EMDR therapist that is best suited for you and you feel as though you can trust.
Let’s continue reading to learn about how to choose an EMDR therapist.
How do I choose an EMDR therapist?
Choose an EMDR therapist, and there are many ways to do so. Beneficial ways to choose can include their availability based on your location or if you want to conduct them online. Based on your wants and needs in a therapist and their availability, that will be implemented into your decision to choose an EMDR therapist. You could also opt for a Leading Edge Seminar to try this practice.
However, more tips can be considered when choosing the right EMDR therapist.
Let’s continue reading to learn more about three tips that can be used to choose the right EMDR therapist for you.
3 Tips for Choosing The Right EMDR Therapist
Before seeing an EMDR therapist, it is essential to consider certain aspects of finding the right one for you.
Read more to learn about three tips that you can implement in choosing an EMDR therapist that best fits you and your needs.
Choose a Reputable EMDR Therapist
Is the therapist well-trained? What are their credentials? How long have they been an EMDR therapist? These are questions that you can ask the therapist to gauge a better idea of whether you feel as though they are qualified enough to become your therapist.
Make Sure That You Like Your Therapist
When consulting with an EMDR therapist, make sure you like and trust them. Conducting sessions, especially when you are vulnerable, should be between you and someone you feel you can trust and become comfortable with.
For some people, many aspects of a therapist make them trustworthy. Gender, for some, matters along with if they are younger or older and many other cultural aspects that ensure that the client is as comfortable as they possibly can be.
Ensure Their Responsiveness
If you want a consultation or an appointment with your EMDR therapist, ensure that they respond promptly. If there is a response time within more than two business days, they may not be for you. You want a therapist who will respond in less time to show that they are interested in working with you.
If you do get a response from them over the two business days due to their business, ask them, if possible, for other reputable referrals.
After you have considered these tips, next, you can search online to find the results of EMDR therapists. A suggestion can be, too, for some, to search near them.
Let’s continue reading to learn about what happens when you search for “EMDR Therapist Near Me” through an online search engine.
What happens when I search "EMDR Therapist near me”?
When you search for “EMDR Therapist near me,” there will be immediate results of different therapy services within your city or state. Through these results, you will be able to click on each outcome, and via your continuous research, you will be able to see the therapy services therapists and what they offer.
Another way to determine whether your results are legit is to search for testimonials within each outcome’s website and see if they mention EMDR either through the website or testimonials.
Final Thoughts
So, again, if you are interested in finding an EMDR therapist, then these are the tips that you can go by when looking for the right therapist for you. There are so many reasons to talk to or use a therapist. EMDR is just one form of healing utilizing therapy services. You have also learned about EMDR therapy, what an EMDR therapist does, and the eight phases, if you want to learn about their salary and career check out this article.
