EMDR Therapy: Demonstration & Step-by-Step Walkthrough

In this captivating continuation of EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), delve into the transformative journey alongside Timothy Meyer, LCSW, a distinguished Psychotherapist and Assistant Director at the esteemed Lukin Center. This profound episode unfolds as a demonstration of the intricacies of EMDR, a meticulously substantiated therapeutic approach, on none other than Dr. Elissa Gross, a fellow Luminary within the Lukin Center fraternity.

Building upon the foundational insights shared in our preceding installment, Dr. Meyer thoughtfully expounds upon the multifaceted dimensions of EMDR, expounding not only on its core tenets but also elucidating its manifold advantages. The current presentation is meticulously calibrated to unravel the intricate tapestry of EMDR's procedural journey, enabling viewers to visually traverse each pivotal phase.

For an in-depth introduction to the realm of EMDR, we invite you to revisit our inaugural episode by clicking the link below:

Further enrich your understanding of this transformative modality by exploring our comprehensive resources:

As an affirmation of your enthusiasm for our content, we encourage you to subscribe to our enriching podcast series, "Last Session of the Day," available on leading platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts:

Broaden your insights into EMDR therapy with these exceptional literary recommendations:

For therapists seeking an enriched understanding of EMDR, we recommend:

[BrandyGraf]

This worked for me. About 30 years of visualizing my sexual abuse at every waking moment to not at all.

[tonypro]

Emdr really works. It has helped me heal from trauma that was affecting my daily life and how I always felt. I feel so much lighter and happier. Thank God.

[joeyesposito]

One of the main reasons the eye movements work, is due to our survival instincts. Lateral eye movements aren't available in certain nervous system modalities such as flight. To get away, focus of attention is straight forward. An encounter with an actual threat offers no space or time to stop and look around. When we perform this lateral eye movement, the autonomic brain (vagus nerve, limbic system, ect..) calms down. The prerequisite understanding here is, 90% of our behavior is learned and embedded into the tissues. The Psoas muscle, a major hip flexor for example, is responsible for these fight or flight reactions even before conscious thought. A sensory input response may trigger a traumatic event from the subconscious. We may bee safe, but the autonomic brain thinks it's happening again. By tripping the autonomic lizard brain it into believing we are in a safe environment, through lateral eye movements, we retrain the neural network to stop expecting "something must be wrong here". It should go without saying that these fight/flight/freeze/fawn responses are just in incidents which require them to be enacted for survival. It is only when we become unregulated that these stressors become a concern. Tigers and bears were a threat when we were cavemen. But now those tigers don't exist, yet we respond to modern day stress signals as if they were. This perpetuates violence and abuse - a discharge of unvalidated, incomplete sensory input related to threats.

[terrydavis]

I am a therapist (not trained in EMDR) and I’ve also personally been through EMDR. It felt awkward at first, because sometimes nothing came to mind and I felt like it “should.” Then, thoughts and images started coming up, images I didn’t think meant much when I thought about them before. These images were associated with thoughts/beliefs and feelings about my traumatic event that I couldn’t bear, and so I always focused on other images of the traumatic event when working with other therapists throughout the years. Just a few EMDR sessions felt like all of those years of therapy wrapped up into a short period. I also felt that I could subscribe to the process and the results more because the therapist wasn’t offering their own interpretation of what I brought up - just guiding me through the steps. The interpretations were my own. Side note: the process looks very simple here in the video (or in person), but what’s happening physiologically and unconsciously is much more involved - and it’s one of the most validated, evidence-based forms of therapy out there (and there are hundreds).

[charissawoodside]

EMDR using the hand buzzers worked for me. I was diagnosed with Agoraphobia at 18 and I couldn’t leave my house, drive, grocery shop, get my hair cut, etc. At 41 after starting EMDR I was given my life back. I can do everything now that I could not do. I still have some limitations such as flying or driving too far alone but I am able to do so much now alone and I have my life back 🙏🙏🙏

[brightspark]

I worked in a prison system as a mental health clinician. In my first year I was harassed by some of the correctional officers. One day they sent me up to long-term segregation/isolation to see a person and they said was suicidal. They had just taken away his television on the weekend of the Super Bowl. He was threatening to cut his own throat open. But nobody told me what they did. He ended up doing what he promised and I witnessed it. It affected me for almost a year until I sought EMDR therapy. I just recalled the whole incident without any dysregulation! It's been over 10 years! And I'm training soon to provide it.

[Ducatibiker]

I've just started this after ptsd from accident, feels really odd at first but even after a few sessions I feel I can start to get my anxiety down, hope everyone gets where they need to be 👍

[AmeliaRose]

As a psychotherapist I can say that this is evidenced based, based on a plethora of research. In addition, one of my patients had a watch that tracked REM sleep. It registered him in REM sleep during our session. He was using the butterfly tap as well.

[felineoverlordservant]

I prefer the vibrating paddles to the eye movements but Emdr was the catalyst that snapped me out of a 3 decade long dissociative state after trauma splitting as a child. I had the strongest wall built up around my heart and mind. The “I’m completely fine. I don’t feel hurt at all. Just let me be angry and bitter” wall. Emdr broke that wall down in a split second during my 4th session. The 1st 3 sessions I didn’t feel much of anything, I was completely numb from my head to my toes but during that 4 session, I crumbled and it took me a week in isolation to process what had happened.

[purplecleo]

Thank you to the woman who was the client in this scenario, I am learning about EMDR from the prospective of a client and it is helping me to see what to expect and not be worried about a sense of the unknown with this modality.

[lukincenter]

Phases one and two involve assessment and preparation. It is very important that before any bilateral stimulation starts, the therapist and client go over an assessment to fully understand what is happening and also implement resources and skills to ensure that we can take care of ourselves in and out of session while working through painful life events.

[Ikaros]

EMDR is highly efficient against PTSD flashbacks. If you are reading this, you need to know that the flashbacks are not created by the higher parts of your brain. That is, it`s not created by " you" but comes from your subconsious mind in the form of image`s and emotions that are for the most part supressed. They come up in your mind and makes you " zoome out", like you are in a trance or a half dream like state. They also appear in nightmares that go on repetition again and again and again.

What they are doing in the video is working on these memories. One memory at the time. one EMDR session lasts about 45-60 minutes, and it might take two sessions to work on a single memory. After the session the memoire will no longer be " intrusive" you can still think of it, but it will no longer be " hyper realistic" and " hyper emotional". That is you can think of them in a more distant, calm, rational way.

After you have done working on a memory. The mind will start to bring up new memories that is supressed. Some are linked with other memories that go over time. If you have CPTSD ( Trauma from early childhood) then the traumatic memories from early childhood ( 1-8 years) are the ones that are critical to work on.

[tmartin_]

I have been seeing an individual therapist who specializes in EMDR. I was diagnosed with complex PTSD earlier this year. I started seeing her beginning of Feb 2023 and we are just now starting the EMDR, as she said she feels I am strong enough! So fascinating how powerful our brains are!

[Jane_is_Tired]

I went through similar childhood trauma. Watching this video was weird because in my mind I was answering his questions too and her answers were always the same as mine. This is why it’s so important for people who have trauma to find each other. Talk to each other. And truly realize the meaning of “you are not alone.” Because it’s so much more than that. I never met this woman yet I feel so connected to her. She shows me that I am normal. That I am not bad. That I am not what my brain tells me I am. Because I look at her and can see so clearly that she is sweet and kind and good yet she thinks she isn’t. And it helps me believe maybe the same is true of me. That even though all I see is bad, maybe I am also sweet and kind and good. To my trauma people out there... find each other! Connect! Talk and share and listen! It is the one of the most healing things you can do.

[Ashley__Rose]

This lady is brave for doing this to be put on YouTube

[robbiesmoonmusic]

As someone applying for a masters program to become a psychotherapist, I’ve been researching modalities and EMDR is so intriguing to me. This video was so informative and it is so cool to watch this woman have old memories surface for reprocessing after simple bilateral eye movements. What a brave and selfless woman to share this vulnerable experience with us for our educational purposes. I appreciate her deeply.

[YourEnergyDoctor]

There were distinct facial pattern changes with each step as more and more was released. At the completion the patient's eyes were brighter and more open. She showed less tension and more energy in her face. Her body movements were lighter and easier. I always love to watch a client's transformation when they release old images and belief patterns! It is truly miraculous!

[deborahanne]

I just read the book "The Body Keeps the Score" and it references EMDR. Thank you for this video. I was concerned it was the same as hypnotherapy. Which is not something I feel comfortable with.

[DanDavidsonHickoryRootsBand]

I used emdr for ptsd couple years ago. Really helped. I would like to go back again now that I have watched this. Highly recommend it. Bilateral stuff is great because it always comes back to centeredness

[MsMichigan]

Someone had spoke of this type of therapy just today, thinking it may help with my PTSD. Looking forward to exploring this further with my therapist. Thank you for the demonstration.