Are you unable to turn off the thoughts in your head?
Do you struggle to let go of events from the past, thinking about your actions over and over?
Are you frequently stuck in a feeling that doesn’t seem to match what’s happening?
Are you more unmotivated, sad, irritable or anxious than you feel you should be?
Have you wondered if your memories of the past are accurate? Or are childhood memories missing altogether?
If you are seeking therapy for anxiety, negative memories, or stuck emotions, EMDR therapy may help you move forward.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy modality originally developed to treat “stuck emotions and beleifs” associated with traumatic memories. You can read more about EMDR and the research supporting it’s effectiveness here: EMDR Institute – What is EMDR? EMDR taps into the memory networks where information is stored about our memories and the beliefs about ourselves in those moments.
You aren't alone in your feelings
Anxiety affects an estimated 19% of adults (nearly 1 in 5 adults). The difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, overthinking and analyzing, and restless mind can make getting through your day incredibly challenging. Often, clients with anxiety report that they have no idea why they have anxiety – they’ve always been this way or the symptoms just “appeared.”
With EMDR therapy, you can uncover the source of your symptoms and gain a better understanding of yourself. Most clients are shocked by the connections they make when engaged in EMDR therapy. You can start to make connections between your current state and the experiences of your past. Even better, those connections can help propel you forward into a resilient state.
You get to keep your strengths without keeping the pain and discomfort
Rather than being held back by your symptoms, you can make new connections that help you better understand yourself today. Your internal messages can become messages of strength, resilience, and peace with EMDR therapy. Our work together starts with a thorough history of your current functioning as well as an exploration of the past experiences you feel comfortable sharing. This isn’t just about blaming your mother or digging up painful childhood memories; your work in therapy will be shaped by your own personal needs. We work on building a strong therapeutic alliance, understanding your goals for treatment, and providing you helpful information about memory storage, moods, and the brain’s response to difficult experiences. Our therapy is grounded in the science of the body and brain’s response to difficult life events with a deep understanding of the need to keep you feeling grounded, connected to the here and now, and supported in your exploration of yourself.
What exactly happens in EMDR Therapy?
You are the captain of this ship, but we can be your compass, your tools of navigation to get you where you’d like to be. EMDR therapy takes place in eight phases woven into your talk therapy experience. EMDR therapy takes the pain and distress out of difficult experiences, helps you uncover the source of distressing symptoms, and allows you to make new, healthier connections and associations with material from the past.
If you’re anxious, depressed, irritable or confused by your moods, but therapy hasn’t helped in the past, we invite you to call for a free 15 minute phone consultation. We’ll discuss how EMDR therapy might be more effective for you. Our goal is not to forget your past, but to see your past as a part of your journey that shaped you into a strong, resilient and content person who can have a positive impact on those around you.
But you might still be unsure about EMDR therapy...
I've been in therapy before, how will this be different?
Many therapists start their work with targeting the symptoms before getting a thorough understanding of how those symptoms developed. This approach can be effective for people with mild symptoms and lack of exposure to tools for coping. However, we believe that a thorough history and an solid understanding of your past and present relationships should inform the work with our clients. We won’t spend all of your time reliving the past. We take a targeted approach to gathering the necessary information only after you’ve developed comfort in the therapeutic space. With this information, we can help you find insights into your present day struggles. We find that our clients are often deeply insightful and excited to make new connections.
I'm not sure I have the time or money to try therapy again...
Therapy is both a time and financial investment. You should definitely think through your choice of therapist carefully. What training has your therapist completed in the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma? What’s their understanding of the brain’s response to life experiences? Does your therapist have specific training related to caretaker-child attachment and developmental trauma? Are they engaged in ongoing training and consultation to stay up to date on advances and discoveries in the field of neuroscience? We’re happy to answer these questions and any others you have. We do encourage you to interview providers and feel confident selecting the provider that feels like the best fit for you. You wouldn’t choose a surgeon without doing some research; we think choosing a therapist is just as important of a decision.
I don't want to spend all of my time talking about the past...
Talking about your most difficult past experiences can be incredibly painful and terrifying. The request for details from the past in therapy can feel voyeuristic and intrusive, especially when you’ve just met your therapist. While we do need some history of your symptoms and treatment to start our work, we do no need detail of past traumas. We don’t have to discuss every event of your childhood or blame your parents for your struggles. With EMDR therapy, we can process through emotions with very little discussion of the past at all. We make sure we build a strong foundation of resources and practical tools to help you manage symptoms in the here an now. Present day events are incredibly important to our work and we will spend much of your time learning about who you are today too.
Don't let your anxiety hold you back...
You can feel so much better than you do right now. You are not destined for a life of pain, sadness, anxiety, irritability or flashbacks. There’s so much beauty in the world to be experienced and enjoyed. Let us guide you out of the darkness so that you can truly embrace the here and now!
When choosing an EMDR therapist, be sure your therapist is trained by an EMDRIA approved course and receives regular consultation and continuing education. At Skylands Wellness, we pride ourselves on providing EMDR therapy that adheres to protocols and is affective. We hope that you’ll reach out to us today for a free 15 minute phone consultation.
EMDR therapy is offered in-person in our Succasunna office, convenient to Morris County, Sussex County, and Warren County. We can also offer telehealth EMDR therapy for many clients. Call us to discuss your needs!
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