How might Attachment-Focused EMDR help me?
A successful treatment of Attachment-Focused EMDR does require an investment in time, commitment and money. How many sessions you will need will depend upon what you bring. I work on the short as well as longer term, and sometimes the work is about prioritizing.
In terms of the specifics however, I believe it is the involvment of bi-lateral processing which leads to real, lasting change. The brain has literally been re-worked in ways which change how you think and feel, in ways also 'felt' in the body. EMDR is holistic, a 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' therapy, working with the mind, emotions, body and nervous system.
Looking at things literally, the 'D' and 'R' refer to 'Desentisisation' and 'Re-processing.' 'Desensitisation' means the upsetting nature of your trauma, whether in flashbacks, or unresolved painful feelings - is 'desensitized,' significantly reduced. 'Re-processing' means that the deep patterns in how your brain has organised your sense of self in relation to the world, are 're-processed,' changed.
So here are some specific ways Attachment-Focussed EMDR may help:
- Feeling less stress, distress, panic, catastrophization. Feeling much more calm, peace, groundedness, empowerment.
- Upsetting feelings (shame, loneliness, despair, sadness etc) are much reduced, balanced by self-compassion
- Negative mindsets ('it was my fault, I'm not good enough, I'm not ok) disappear, replaced by new, balanced perspectives, a rise in self-esteem, self-worth
- PTSD symptoms decrease or disappear.
- Regaining a control over unhelpful behaviours or habits (eg around smoking, binge-eating, addictions etc)
- Feeling more connected to your body, its sensations. Able to listen to its wisdom.
- Feeling some relief from physical symptoms, connected to the chronically-imbalanced nervous system.
- Feeling more 'centred' grounded in the present, and able to navigate tricky workplace or personal relationships better.
- Feeling more peaceful in life generally, less burdened by the past, seeing it from a wiser perspective, with more clarity about the future.
- Having a stronger sense of self, who one really is, the 'authentic self.'
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