How EMDR Therapy Can Help Your Anxiety

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidenced-based structured therapy where clients are asked to focus on a distressed memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation, often with eye movements, to reduce the vividness, emotion, and trigger that is associated with the memory.

While EMDR has been an efficient trauma modality, it has expanded to other disorders and symptoms, such as anxiety and phobias, in the last few decades. In this article, you’ll learn how EMDR can help decrease anxiety symptoms.

How does EMDR therapy work? 

According to the EMDR International Association, EMDR works by allowing communication between the amygdala (the part of the brain that signals stress), the hippocampus (the part that assists with learning), and the prefrontal cortex (the part that controls behavior and emotions) to work together in fully processing through the trauma. Hence, the memory no longer has a painful hold. EMDR differs from talk therapy because clients do not have to give full details about their trauma. Studies have shown that it also works faster in reducing distress than traditional talk therapy.

EMDR follows an 8-step structured protocol. The steps are in “What to expect during an EMDR session?”

Will EMDR help anxiety? 

While EMDR has been a popular and effective treatment for trauma and PTSD, it also has a strong efficiency rate for anxiety and panic disorders. Similar to how trauma is reprocessed through EMDR when focusing on anxiety, the client will be asked to focus on the thoughts, emotions, and sensations related to the target memory for when the anxiety is triggered. Similar to trauma processing-- there are underlying distress, fear, and negative cognitions associated with anxiety symptoms that can be reprocessed through the brain using bilateral movement to desensitize the fear stimuli and create a more balanced association with anxiety.

According to the National Institute of Health, 7 out of 10 studies have shown that only 1-2 hours of EMDR therapy is more effective in decreasing anxiety related to health conditions of patients living with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

What types of anxiety can EMDR help alleviate?

• General anxiety disorder (GAD)

• Panic disorders 

• Phobia related disorders 

• Social anxiety 

• Obsessive compulsion disorder (OCD)

• Performance related anxiety 

Can EMDR make things worse?

After completing an EMDR session, it’s possible to experience increased intensity of symptoms symptoms mentally, physically, and emotionally. However, these symptoms are usually temporary. As a person moves through more EMDR reprocessing sessions, the symptoms will eventually decrease. More relief and balance will be created on the other side.

Due to the intensity of EMDR treatment, having a plan for aftercare and resourcing is critical in ensuring that one can manage distress between sessions and that it is normal to experience variance. Healing is not easy, and the only way to overcome the anxious fear stimuli is to go through it, which can feel painful and challenging. Once you’re on the other side, you can feel freedom from the stressors that once presented themselves before. 

Can EMDR therapy be done virtually?

Yes, EMDR can be done virtually due to the various forms of bilateral stimulation that one can engage with through virtual therapy. This includes self-administered taps, and the traditional eye movements, as you follow the therapist’s hand on the computer screen or EMDRIA-approved websites that will be administered the bilateral exercise while in the session with the therapist.

With its versatility, EMDR can be incorporated in or outside the therapy office. Like regular talk therapy, the virtual space you plan on taking the session should be private, comfortable, and have a reliable internet connection. 

Learn more about EMDR therapy and my style, and contact me to schedule a free consultation today.