Austin Mindful Therapy's approach to EMDR (or "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing") is exceptionally gentle, body-centered, and thorough. Our clinicians take additional steps to ensure that you are comfortable, prepared, and confident in the process, which allows your EMDR sessions to move faster and create the lasting effects desired. We also offer attachment-focused EMDR for children and adolescents.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a gentle, neuro-biological form of therapy that directly addresses and significantly reduces or eliminates the "fight or flight response" in the brain caused by stress and trauma.
Symptoms of PTSD include: restlessness, increased startle response, a sense of "nervousness" or being unable to relax, difficulty falling or staying asleep, nightmares, intrusive (unwanted) thoughts and memories, irritability, and depression. It is possible to experience some symptoms and not others, and to experience a trauma response without being fully diagnosed with "PTSD." Many adults and teens learn to self-medicate using drugs or alcohol to avoid PTSD symptoms, and children who have experienced trauma are at a much higher risk for substance abuse in the future.
Many varied life experiences can create trauma responses in children and adults. Some types of trauma are obvious such as a physical and sexual assault, an unexpected loss, or a natural disaster. Some traumas, however, fly under the radar, but continue to cause symptoms into adulthood for many people. These types of traumas may include a vehicle accident, the end of a relationship, school or work bullying/harrassment, mis-attunement of a caregiver in childhood, emotional neglect, moving (loss of social network), or witnessing violence (at home or elsewhere) are some examples.
EMDR physically changes the brain in a short period of time, allowing you to become more focused, centered, and at peace in your day to day life. EMDR helps to permanently eliminate common chronic symptoms such as panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories, suicidal thoughts, self injurious behaviors, anxiety and emotional reactivity following traumatic or stressful experiences.
EMDR is also highly effective in targeting and removing long-standing emotional blocks such as: unhealthy thought patterns, compulsive behaviors, anxiety and depression, body image issues, phobias, and social anxiety.
What do clients say about EMDR with us?
"I feel lighter."
"I feel like myself again, I have more energy."
"I notice I handle things better now, I don't get upset as easily."
"It doesn't bother me at all anymore. I know it happened, but it feels small and far away."
"I wish I had done this a long time ago."
Who benefits from EMDR?
Adults benefit from EMDR much faster than with standard talk-therapy (about 6-8 sessions). You can utilize EMDR in addition to other forms of therapy. The therapeutic experience is personalized to meet your goals, needs and comfort level.
Children and teens do exceptionally well with EMDR and experience the benefits quickly (often in just 2-3 sessions significant improvement occurs). In childhood, it is very common for trauma & PTSD to be misdiagnosed as ADHD (and some children have both). If you are raising a child who has experienced a traumatic event, and is having trouble in school due to attention or mood, we are happy to assess further and see if EMDR and other interventions can help.
If you are already working with a therapist, you can also use EMDR as an additional treatment, while you continue with your current therapist. We are happy to consult and work as a team with your current counselor or psychiatrist or to provide stand-alone services as your primary therapist.
