Posted on

EMDR

“Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing” is a form of therapy that I just recently learned about and I am just blown away. A friend of mine recently posted about how it completely changed her life– she had suffered from intense anxiety for a long, long time. And that was with the usual coping mechanisms! Then she found EMDR and it changed her life.

I didn’t really get what it was at first, so I reached out to someone from my hometown that is now an EMDR therapis, to learn about what it REALLY is and how it works. I am so glad I did! This process is INCREDIBLE and so many people’s lives have changed because of it. Here is what she had to say:

Hi, I am an MSW who specializes in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.  Maybe you have heard of EMDR as an effective therapy for PTSD.  Besides PTSD, EMDR has been found effective in treating anxiety and panic attacks, depression, stress, phobias, sleep problems, complicated grief, addictions, pain relief, phantom limb pain, self-esteem and performance anxiety.  EMDR is effective in resolving any negative thoughts a person might have about themselves.  Common negative thoughts such as “I’m not good enough,” “I’m unlovable,” “I’m not worthy,” “It was my fault,” etc. are beliefs I target and resolve with EMDR.   

The body has the natural ability to heal itself, but sometimes disturbing events can overwhelm the body’s ability to cope.  This is often referred to as a traumatic event.  Some people like to categorize traumatic events as big T traumas such as a motor vehicle accident, exposure to war, physical abuse, sexual assault or losing a loved one versus little t traumas such as neglect, divorce, interpersonal conflict, illness, infidelity, or financial troubles.  I do not like to make the distinction, because what may be a little t trauma for one person might be a big T trauma for another and vice versa.  

When the body’s ability to cope is overwhelmed by disturbing experiences, the memories are not able to be processed by the brain.  Memories and feelings are stored in an emotional form in the limbic system of the brain, which is linked to emotions and physical sensations and is disconnected from the logical part of the brain which uses language to store memories.  This is why EMDR is so effective compared to talk therapy–it accesses the limbic system, reprocessing disturbing memories which are stored in the nervous system and after they are reprocessed, they are no longer disturbing.  My clients report changes in thoughts, feelings and images, which often result in new insights that resolve the disturbance.  The body is also able to release tension that was stored in the nervous system.  

The mechanism that facilitates this healing is not certain, but the theory is that the eye movements or other bilateral stimulation (BLS) such as tapping or auditory stimuli are similar to REM sleep, the portion of the sleep cycle where your brain processes the events of the day.  As I ask my clients to recall disturbing images, I administer BLS and then ask them what they notice.  They may notice a new image, thought, emotion or bodily sensation.  It is not necessary that they report the details of the disturbing memories.  The resolution comes from within the client themselves and I do not make suggestions unless they become stuck.  I sometimes incorporate inner child work if it is needed for healing past childhood issues, and I find this is very effective in helping my clients heal themselves.  

When a client comes to me for EMDR therapy, the first session is very similar to a session of talk therapy.  There is a lot of history taking, but in a very trauma-informed way.  Next, I teach the client coping skills for any anxieties that may come up in between sessions.  I teach grounding skills so that clients won’t experience a full flashback or other dissociation during the session.  Within a few sessions I can usually start desensitization and reprocessing with BLS.  EMDR is generally a brief therapy and some clients only need a few sessions to resolve trauma.  Clients with more complex trauma sometimes require more preparation before desensitization and reprocessing can begin.  If you are interested in learning more about EMDR and the research emdr.com is a good source.  If you want to locate an EMDR therapist near you go to emdria.org and search for a certified EMDR therapist.  If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me at cwallemdr808@gmail.com or you may find me at @emdr808 on Facebook.

Carrie Wallace, MSW

Utah EMDR Therapist

Posted on

ESA- An Observation

We got a bunny last week!!
We were planning on getting one for Easter because my parents have had some baby rabbits the last little while and my little girl started saying she wanted a pet rabbit every time we saw them on FaceTime. But when we went to get one just before Easter, they were ALL GONE EVERYWHERE. They were sold out from every store that would possibly have them. So, the Easter bunny came a few days late.

He is SO fluffy and has the funniest personality.

As I held that bunny and pet it I thought about ESAs: Emotional Support Animals.

I have owned 3 different pets since I was diagnosed with depression in 2017. None of them were specifically acquired to be emotionally supportive, but they have all, in their own way, helped and occasionally hurt. Here are my current observations.

Sassy:

Sassy was a cute, teeny tiny rescue we bought when we bought our first house. We were finally out from under an apartment contract and that was the first thing we wanted to do with our freedom! She was really small, practically potty trained when we got her, and very snuggly. She didn’t love kids, but she didn’t hurt them either so that was good. Because of her size our two year old could handle her on a leash.

When we took long car trips Sassy sat on my lap. It didn’t take long for me to realize that my panic attacks were not nearly as frequent when she was on my lap. In fact I caught myself as one was just beginning and consciously pet her to get out of it. It was AWESOME! Nothing I had tried up to that point had really worked to tame the attacks.

Gabe:

Gabe is a cockapoo we got from a friend of mine dealing with her own intense struggles. They had just lost a dog that had become family, she was newly pregnant and very sick, and let’s just say- POTTY TRAINING A DOG IS NOT GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH. So in an effort to help her, and because that face, we took him in.

We were all really excited, but Sheld was ecstatic, it felt like Christmas for him.

At first things DID NOT go very well. I too was newly pregnant, and sick, and Sheldon was really busy with school, and we were renting a house with all carpet, no fence, and a busy street in front. Potty training, and training him in general under those circumstances ended up being very stressful for me. He never came when we called, he peed on EVERYONE who came to the house, and he barked at anyone who came by. I had heightened anxiety and frustration.

After a couple months though, a visitor mentioned to me how good of a dog Gabe was and for the first time I saw it! He was good! We had finally potty trained him, once he got out when we were gone and we came home to find him on our porch-he isn’t a runner, and he has always been very tolerant of the two toddlers harassing him.

When my depression got the worst he always knew. He’d follow me around and lay at my feet or snuggle up next to me. It is incredible to me how they just know! His nearness often brought me comfort. It always helped to ground me when things got too crazy.
He is such a fun, quirky, and loyal companion. He makes me laugh, protects the home (or at least thinks he does), and is always close by when I’m down.

Cookies:

Meet our newest friend! This is Cookies, who was first named Rabby, and then Cotton, but finally Cookies. He is HILARIOUS. Maybe all bunnies are this way? But watching him explore our house and clean his face and hop has brought me way more joy than I would have imagined! Seriously, even just watching him eat makes me smile.

Also, petting a rabbit is incredibly calming. I have not had very many bad days lately, which is awesome, but I could feel a difference just holding and petting him. There is something to calming a bunny down-you can’t help but be calm.

Once in your arms, as long as they feel safe, they don’t try and jump away. They just sit there and take all the love.

Also, his care regimen is surprisingly simple. We fill his water once a week, and his food every couple days.

He doesn’t love us yet, so that isn’t particularly helpful emotionally, but we just got him. Also, I am allergic to him but it will just help me vacuum a bit more!

Conclusion:

The best emotional support animals are bunnies. But a potty trained dog will do the trick!