EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a therapy approach that helps individuals process memories and negative experiences by stimulating the brain's natural healing mechanisms. It involves a series of steps throughout an 8 phase treatment protocol. Beginning with history taking, assessment, preparation, and stabalisation, before moving into processing, desensitisation, reprocessing, body scan, closure, and finally re-evaluation. 

EMDR starts by first exploring your history and establishing stabalisation, which means supporting you with ways to feel calm and emotionally regulated in the present. We then focus on processing past disturbance or distress that impacts on present experiences. It works with how memory is stored and looks at how past experiences that have not been processed to a helpful adaptive resolution, can continue to trigger distress in the present time. 

Think of your memory like a filing system with various compartments, and unprocessed distressing memories are like a large file that's doesn't fit into the appropriate compartment of 'past experiences'. It's like it stays in the 'in-tray' covered in post it notes that demand continued attention in the present day. This unprocessed file can get in the way and influence how we see other new files and information coming in. The negative feelings, body sensations, beliefs, and thoughts that we experience in the past situation, are like 'post it' notes, sticking to many other new files coming into the 'in-tray'. So a small disagreement with a current partner can become caught up in a past file with the post it note 'I'm in danger' for example, which could then result in reactions that are out of proportion to the present situation.

EMDR is like taking this old file, sorting it through and removing the unhelpful notes, whilst re-organising it with tabs of all the adaptive information we naturally have. This re-processing or organisation, means it is then filed away in the appropriate compartment of archives, with all the other memory files.  

Bi- lateral stimulation is left to right movement of eyes, hands, feet, and/or sounds. This supports the desensitisation and enhances the brains Adaptive Information Processor to do what it's naturally designed to do.

What triggers an emotional response in the present is not always obvious and not always in our conscious awareness. That's why EMDR can assist in finding the unprocessed material.  EMDR was originally developed for PTSD but has more recently developed to support in overcoming various areas of distress such as anxiety or depression, as well as attachment and relationship issues. 

Mindfulness integrates well throughout many different therapy modalities andis a wonderful place to start with self-help. It can sound easy but can actually be a little tricky to do, especially if we are used to having busy minds that are not familiar with slowing down; approach with compassion, patience and kindness towards yourself. There is no right or wrong as it is a practice of just noticing whatever comes up. Sometimes it is more helpful to experience it with guidance. There are lot's of free access places and I highly recommend you try out The Mindfulness Movement video's.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96dJA0zAxmo

Integration of Therapy Approaches