Understanding EMDR and Its Neurological Workings

Trauma can have a lasting effect on the brain. Maybe you lived through a traumatic event, and ever since then, you’ve never quite felt like “yourself.” Perhaps you survived several forms of trauma throughout your childhood. Now, you’re not sure who you would be without these experiences. You fear that exposure to trauma could have a permanent, negative effect on your life. You might even be avoiding therapy because you assume that you’ll have to talk about your trauma in detail, and you don’t want to take on the emotional burden of sharing these details with a stranger.

Thankfully, there are alternatives to traditional talk therapy for trauma treatment. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can help you process trauma with guided, bilateral stimulation. Let’s explore the neurological science behind EMDR.

Why Do the Effects of Trauma Linger?

The effects of trauma don’t simply disappear when the event is over. In fact, the symptoms can persist for years afterward, especially without treatment. Why this does happen? It’s hard for your brain to process traumatic memories, so they become “stuck.” When you’re reminded of the event, you can feel like you’re reliving the moment over and over again. This causes ongoing emotional distress, and it can lead to anxiety, depression, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). EMDR allows people to fully process and integrate these memories so that they can move forward.

Bilateral Stimulation

Rather than asking people to talk about their trauma in detail, an EMDR therapist uses bilateral stimulation to guide people as they reflect on difficult memories. The therapist will move their fingers to guide their client’s eyes while the client focuses on a distressing memory. This stimulates both hemispheres of the brain, which lets people gradually let go of harmful beliefs connected to these memories while gradually building new meanings around them.

Memory Reconsolidation

EMDR enables trauma survivors to reconsolidate their memories. When someone recalls a memory during an EMDR session, they “retrieve” it from long-term storage in their brain, giving them an opportunity to reprocess the event and integrate it into their self-perception while letting go of negative associations.

Over time, this strengthens the connections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, which are emotional centers of the brain that facilitate cognitive processing. This approach enables people to develop more empowering, adaptive beliefs around their past. Overall, this helps people grow beyond what happened to them, so they can start becoming who they are.

Influencing the Brain’s Stress Response

Trauma can have a detrimental effect on the brain’s stress response. When you’ve lived through trauma and you encounter a stressful situation, you might have trouble staying in the moment and addressing the problem at hand. Instead, you can up reliving your past trauma, which only deepens your stress. EMDR can decrease hyperactivity in the amygdala while increasing the volume of the hippocampus, which can contribute to a healthier, more measured stress response.

Who Can Benefit From EMDR?

EMDR isn’t just beneficial for people with PTSD. Many people who have lived through trauma do not develop PTSD, yet they still struggle with mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and phobias. They may not realize that trauma is at the root of these conditions, especially if they grew up in environments where they were encouraged to suppress emotions or if their troubles were repeatedly dismissed or minimized. EMDR is worth exploring for anyone who wants to overcome the effects of past trauma.

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Are you curious about the benefits of EMDR therapy? It may be time to connect with a therapist. Reach out to us to schedule a free consultation and learn more about our services.