Modalities
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based approach to healing trauma that effectively rewires the brain and nervous system. EMDR is used to effectively treat "shock" trauma such as from life-threatening/body-violating violence, as well as patterns of repeated social trauma such as with abuse, bullying, neglect, or emotional invalidation.
When trauma occurs, it can get locked deep into emotion-related areas of the brain and body. It can get pushed behind “walls” so we can go on with life. But later on, we often get “triggered.” (Or, we may restrict our life to prevent this.) The walls may crack. We may feel and act as if the trauma is still happening. We get warped back in time. Suddenly we cease function effectively. We might freeze, lose our words, lash out, shut down, act impulsively, panic, or just feel awful. It might then take us some time to recover. We might feel ashamed of "overreacting." We might feel trapped or cut off from parts of ourselves. If this becomes chronic, we may end up confused about who we really are.
EMDR helps to heal these patterns of emotional/behavioral reactivity by gently evoking them within a safe environment, and working through them in more adaptive ways. This can help release thwarted nervous system responses and restore us to a more calm, natural rhythm. The mind undergoing EMDR is building a "bridge" between traumatic memories and more adaptive mindsets. The person can "feel" this happening in real time, in the EMDR session.
With this bridge in place, people often find that when a particular trigger occurs, it feels much "calmer." In some cases, triggers disappear altogether. Insight and problem solving stays online. Energy is restored. The past is left in the past, and we can live more fully in the present.
EMDR
Mindfulness and Somatic
Simply "thinking about" or "understanding" is usually not enough to change things. The missing ingredient is mind-body connection. When we add in the body, then change has a place to land.
Mindfulness is a state of mind-body that involves simply noticing “what is” without overlays of judgment or analysis. Somatic techniques involve body-centered practices and mindful awareness of what is being experienced within the body. EMDR is considered a somatic approach. Often less “formal” techniques we may use include various modes of breathing, body scans, grounding, self-touch, and movement done with awareness.
By honoring the body as much as the brain, we honor the full extent of our capacity to heal and grow in ways that are meaningful and long-lasting. We become more fully human “beings.”
Strengths Based
A Strengths-Based approach is opposite of the more problem-focused lens of Western medicine. It is more of a mindset than a modality. In this mindset, it is not that we ignore “problems;” it's that we allow ourselves to look more deeply. We validate painful experiences, but with compassion and willingness to seek exceptions. This often involves leaning into the paradox of acceptance of “what is” as a bridge into “what truly can be.”
I believe that many of our biggest challenges ultimately derive from a place of goodness that may have become misled at some point along the way. i.e., We generally “mean well” in some way. If we focus only on the problems, we will miss all the goodness and lose access to much of the energy and wisdom that could be part of a more effective, long-lasting approach. This is why, regardless of therapeutic modalities employed, this practice strives to maintain a Strengths-Based stance.
CBT
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is based on the premise that feeling bad often results from distorted thoughts, and it is possible to change our thoughts (without invalidating reality) such that we can feel better and show up to life better. CBT shares a similar frame to EMDR, in many respects, except that CBT (1) is not inherently trauma-focused and (2) is more cognitive-based (as opposed to somatic). For many folks, CBT is all they need or want. For other folks, CBT can serve as a bridge into EMDR.
While CBT initially involves a conscious process, in time it generally becomes more and more automatic. One day at a time, depression and anxiety start to lift.
Other Supportive Modalities