EMDR TREATMENT

(Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Residential Treatment

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro in the nineties in which the person being treated is requested to recall distressing images/memories; the therapist then directs your client in one form of bilateral sensory input signals, such as side-to-side eye movements or hand tapping. It is included in a lot of evidence-based guidelines for your treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

EMDR has been controversial; critics have argued that a person’s eye movements in EMDR does not include/involve true traumatic healing that goes deep into the psyche. Even though several meta-analyses have observed EMDR to be just as powerful as the trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of PTSD. These findings have been tentative given the reduced amounts in the research workers, high-risk rates of researcher bias, and high dropout rates.

Medical Uses Of EMDR Residential Treatment

The person being treated is asked to recall distressing images/memories to generate one of many sorts of bilateral sensory inputs; such as eye movements or hand tapping. The 2013 World Health Organization practice guideline states that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with EMDR reduces stress and strengthens beliefs related to the traumatic event. As opposed to CBT with a trauma focus; an EMDR therapy session will not involve (1) detailed descriptions of the event(s), (2) direct challenging of beliefs, (3) extended exposure or (4) homework.

A 1998 meta-analysis found that EMDR was effective as exposure therapy and SSRIs. A 2005 meta-analysis implied that traditional vulnerability therapy and EMDR have equal consequences immediately following treatment and at follow-up. Two meta-analyses in 2006 observed EMDR to be at the very least equal in effect to unique exposure therapies. Another 2009 review concluded EMDR to be of equal efficacy to other vulnerability remedies and more effective than SSRIs and problem-centered therapy treatment.

A systematic review comparing EMDR with other psychotherapies in the treatment of chronic PTSD observed EMDR to be as successful as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TFCBT) and more effective compared to the other non-TFCBT psychotherapies. Caution was urged in interpreting the results due to low numbers in included studies, the risk of researcher bias, high drop out rates and overall really low quality of evidence for those comparisons with other psychotherapies.

Another systematic review examined clinical trials of EMDR with and without the eye movements; finding that the effect size was larger when eye movements were used. Again, interpretation of this meta-analysis was tentative. Aside from ensuring adequate evaluations on treatment quality, there were also other serious methodological issues with the studies in the therapy context. The 2009 International Society for Traumatic Stress categorized EMDR as an evidence-based treatment for PTSD in older people.

EMDR is included in a 2009 practice guideline for helping people that have undergone trauma. EMDR is often mentioned as being a component in the treatment of sophisticated post-traumatic Stress disorder. In a 2017 meta-analysis of controlled trials in people with PTSD; it was found that EMDR was the same efficacious as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and more advanced than the wait list or placebo outcomes.

The consensus regarding the underlying biological mechanisms involved with EMDR that has the most attention and research support is, (1) working memory and, (two) orienting response/REM sleep responses. In addition, brainwaves during EMDR treatment shows improvements in brain activity, specifically the system showed its greatest level of outcome before commencing EMDR treatment. A slowing of brainwaves during the bilateral stimulation (eye movement) is somewhat similar to what occurs during sleep.

According for the 2013 World Health Organization clinic guideline: EMDR is based on the idea that negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are the result of unprocessed memories. EMDR treatment involves standardized procedures that include focusing simultaneously on (1) spontaneous associations of traumatic images, thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations and (2) bilateral stimulation that is most commonly found in the form of repeated/rapid eye movements.

A study in 2002 reported that the actual eye movement/tapping in EMDR is not the effective part of the treatment that is actually helping. Also that the effectiveness of EMDR was exclusively due to having properties similar to CBT; as far as addressing desensitization and vulnerability.

When a traumatic or distressing experience does occur; it can overwhelm normal coping mechanisms with the memory at hand and associated stimuli being inadequately processed and kept in an isolated memory network. When we are experiencing a disturbing thought, our eyes are involuntarily moving fast. When we utilize EMDR eye movements whilst thinking about a traumatic thought, anxiety was not immediately reduced. EMDR therapy was primarily developed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Traumatic events upset the excitatory/inhibitory harmony in the brain; causing a pathological change in the environment.

Since 1999, EMDR was controversial within the psychological community. Shapiro (the creator of EMDR) had been criticized for repeatedly increasing the amount and expense of training and certification; allegedly in response to the results of controlled trials that cast doubt on EMDR’s efficiency. This included requiring the completion of an EMDR training program in order to be capable of administering EMDR properly. However, only after researchers using the initial created instructions identified no gap among no-eye-movement control groups and EMDR as creating experimental groups.

Further changes in training requirements and also the definition of EMDR included requiring level II training when researchers with level I training still located no difference between eye-movement experimental groups along with no-eye-movement controls along with deeming alternate forms of bilateral stimulation (for example, finger-tapping) as versions of EMDR at the time a study found no gap between EMDR and a finger-tapping control group. Variations in definition and training for EMDR has now been created when confronted with diverse data.

In a 2000 review; it was argued that the eye movements did not play a fundamental role. That the mechanisms of eye movements had been speculative at best, and that the theory leading to the benefit of eye movement is therefore not amenable to scientific inquiry. It went on to consider EMDR as pseudo science, citing non-falsifiability as one of the hallmarks of pseudoscience that EMDR met. As discussed in 2013 by Richard McNally, one of the earliest and foremost critics: Shapiro’s (1995) Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment sparked dynamic debate when it first appeared on the scene in the late 1980s.

Skeptics questioned whether the defining ingredient, bilateral eye movement, owned any therapeutic efficacy beyond the imaginal exposure component of EMDR. A 2001 meta-analysis suggested that EMDR with a person’s eye movements was no more efficacious than EMDR without the eye movements. Thus implying what is beneficial in EMDR is not new; and what is new, is not efficient.

All of us will undergo some form of trauma during our lives. We are going to experience a close someone who either dies too soon, or might undergo a car crash, natural disaster or violence, etc. Millions of people work jobs where they are exposed to traumatic situations. Trauma causes natural feelings of unease and stress. As time moves on; the majority of men and women overcome these feelings on their own simply by talking with friends and loved ones. However, people often have a problem overcoming experience of acute trauma without professional help.

Post-traumatic stress disorder causes prolonged side effects including flashbacks, nightmares and panic. Men and women with PTSD intentionally avert places and things that remind them of their traumatic experience(s). They often lose interest in ordinary routines, feel unnecessary blame or remorse along with turning to substances abuse to self-medicate. In response to all this, psychologist Francine Shapiro created EMDR in 1987 to show the brain how to properly cope with upsetting/triggering traumatic memories.

Addiction specialists will additionally use a combination of behavioral therapies and medications to help men and women in recovery. EMDR allows patients to reprocess traumatic memories, understand how you can deal with these; and disassociate un-necessary emotions. EMDR is one of two treatments recommended from the World Health Organization to treat PTSD. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated EMDR to be powerful in treating minor and severe indicators of PTSD.

EMDR is a psychotherapy used to treat PTSD. Psychotherapies emphasize counseling approaches that explore mental health issues through personal interaction. Our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center believes eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy helps individuals overcome trauma. After EMDR therapy; our clients report feeling alleviated. They stop experiencing flashbacks from activates and recall memories with not as much stress or uneasiness. Eye movements are the most distinguishing facet of EMDR; but the therapy involves some other beneficial approaches. During EMDR therapy, our therapist asks you to think of a particular distressing memory and then to center on our therapist’s moving hand. Our therapist will direct your eye movements, and in other occasions may incorporate auditory/visual and/or tapping stimulation.

Some research shows eye movement allows the brain to get internal associations connected for the memories to be released. Our clients might be asked to think of empowering phrases, so they can form healthy associations with the memory when it’s eventually accessed. EMDR therapy occurs in five stages. Thus, EMDR therapy helps patients overcome issues way beyond the initial trauma. EMDR will help you figure out how to manage your life better in order to prepare for a better future.

Phase 1 Of EMDR Residential Treatment 

The initial phase of EMDR treatment involves creating a client rapport. Our therapist attempts to find targets for reprocessing, for example past traumatic events related to troubling childhood memories. You then get a preview of future skills and behaviors to replace your current unhealthy way of thinking and acting. Initial EMDR therapy could also focus on events leading up to the traumatic event.

Phase 2 Of EMDR Residential Treatment

In the second phase, the therapist educates you of numerous stress-relief methods of how you can best use these abilities between sessions in your everyday life.

Phases 3 Of EMDR Residential Treatment

In the third phase, EMDR therapy focuses on specific traumatic events called targets; which is related physical and emotional feelings. Once a target is established, you then define an optimistic impression and begin with EMDR therapy thinking of the memory while focusing on our therapist’s outside stimuli. Next, you clear your mind and become conscious of the thought, feeling or memory that appears. The methods are repeated before you feel no more stress. Then you think of the optimistic feeling for future reference.

Phase 4 Of EMDR Residential Treatment

Phase 4 emphasizes closure from replacing a negative emotion or thought with a traumatic event memory.

Phase 5 Of EMDR Residential Treatment

In phase five, our therapist will help you examine ongoing advancement and discuss likely future events that may possibly require distinct coping methods, expertise or responses.

How Can Residential EMDR Treatment Work For You?

EMDR theorizes that the brain processes the various components of an event in an adaptive state associated with learning. Memory is stored in a network containing thoughts, images, memories, emotions and feelings. When a person experiences a traumatic event, she or he only stores initial thoughts, images, emotions and feelings before the process is disrupted. EMDR allows the brain to process your thoughts, images and emotions and feelings that were not properly processed during the traumatic event. The traumatic memory is targeted and connected to new skills and favorable emotions; allowing the brain to learn and also precisely store the information.

How Long Does EMDR Inpatient Therapy Take?

The severity of PTSD and every person’s history of trauma affects how long it will take EMDR to succeed. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology indicated that 80% to 90% of people recovered from PTSD after only four to seven sessions. Numerous research studies from the late 90s and early 2000s discovered clients underwent relief from minor signs of PTSD immediately after four or six sessions; but combat veterans required around 12 sessions to treat acute symptoms.

Clients that experienced numerous traumatic memories; like for instance a history of child abuse or repeated vulnerability to violence, required considerable therapy sessions. Persons with co-occurring substance use disorders and PTSD may require additional therapeutic sessions to overcome trauma and to master how to live without alcohol or other drugs that they had previously used to self-medicate.

How Efficient Is EMDR Residential Treatment?

EMDR and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are the only therapies recommended from the World Health Organization for the treatment of PTSD. The recommendations are all backed with numerous research studies that indicate CBT and EMDR are the best residential therapies for treating PTSD. Researchers have published plenty of scientific studies investigating the effectiveness of EMDR. Scholars and scientists have performed meta-analyses (comprehensive reviews of research in the field) of these scientific studies to outline aggregate findings.

The findings of these EMDR Treatment studies include:

A 1998 meta-analysis of clinical trials involving PTSD treatment published in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy designated EMDR and CBT as the best current treatments for PTSD. A 2012 analysis of clinical trials involving children and teens undergoing EMDR therapy demonstrated that preliminary scientific research has had promising results but that research involving teenagers with PTSD is limited.

In a 2013 meta-analysis of research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry concluded that CBT, EMDR and exposure therapy can efficiently treat PTSD; and therapists can use a number of medications to assist treatment. Nearly 30 years later introducing the therapy; Shapiro reviewed the support for EMDR in an article published in The Permanente Journal. She concluded that 24 randomized clinical trials affirmed using EMDR therapy for emotional trauma and seven out of ten scientific studies observed EMDR was significantly more effective than trauma-focused CBT.

She wrote 12 scientific reports on eye movement whereas the clients reported instantaneous reductions in negative emotions and vividness of troubling images after their EMDR therapy sessions. In a 1994 article published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs; researchers contended EMDR could resolve problematic memories contributing to substance abuse and lower the repercussions of sleeplessness triggers.

A 2014 study of 12 patients with co-occurring PTSD and drug or alcohol addiction discovered that EMDR therapy in combination with psychotherapy treatment was able to produce similar healing results to cope with the symptoms of PTSD, but did not treat/address their addiction. The findings indicate that EMDR can be an effective complement to a comprehensive substance abuse treatment plan for patients influenced by trauma and addiction, but it should not be the only real treatment for addiction.

Risks And Downsides Of EMDR Residential Therapy

Numerous scientific studies have found that EMDR is actually a secure and efficient therapy. However, some clients can experience distressing outcomes. For example, a 2016 research exploring the effectiveness of EMDR among people with PTSD found that certain participants experienced intense emotions and increased emotional instability. The study said these reactions could have already been caused from the combination of EMDR plus a procedure the researchers used to measure the clients’ responsiveness with the traumatic memory.

Research published in the Encyclopedia of Social Work stated that the intense levels of emotion associated with the procedure can be detrimental for some patients; including certain men and women with substance abuse issues and those with dissociative disorders. The study explained that the severity of medical conditions like seizures and neurological disorders may be worsened by EMDR. In addition, some scientists have criticized the efficacy of EMDR; as some experts in the discipline of psychology have stated that practicing clinicians rely on anecdotal reports of its effectiveness rather than on scientific evidence.

While research has shown that EMDR can be an effective treatment for PTSD, a meta-analysis of EMDR research detected overwhelming evidence suggesting that eye movements usually are not needed or a useful element of trauma therapy. And traumatic feelings, some critics contend, may persist soon immediately after completing a therapy session. In the 1990s, various studies examined EMDR’s effectiveness in treating combat veterans experiencing trauma and noted mixed or slight results. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs and also the International Society of Traumatic Stress Research criticized those studies for providing an insufficient amount of data within their EMDR treatment studies.

Traumatic experiences is one of the absolute most common contributors to alcohol or drug use disorders in the United States. However, many treatment centers usually do not provide any trauma-specific counseling. The 2014 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services identified that 32% of all facilities in the United States offered programs customized to people who had experienced trauma. An additional 40% of residential treatment centers reported, “sometimes” using trauma-related counseling during addiction treatment.

However, the survey does not define which types of trauma-related counseling these rehab centers used. The quantity of facilities that offered EMDR was probably lower compared to complete quantity of inpatient dual diagnosis centers that offered some form of trauma-related counseling. When choosing a rehab facility, clients with a history of trauma and also with their caregivers need to ensure that the treatment facility offers trauma-specific counseling like EMDR therapy or trauma-specific CBT.

Our PTSD And Trauma Drug Rehab Center’s Are Expert EMDR Residential Specialists

EMDR therapy is a powerful approach to treating symptoms of PTSD. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is the practice of helping guide someone’s trauma through irregular visual stimulation. Generally speaking, it seems there is a relation in the rhythm of someone’s eye movements, very similar to when they experience REM sleep; and also the association of the traumatic memory. Having clients recall such memories, similar to the majority of therapy, while still stimulating their own vision can help reprocess how that memory is stored and reduce the intense feelings associated with that memory.

It has been demonstrated to become a successful treatment to help clients recover traumatic events, negative reactions along with other triggers. EMDR consists of two treatments and a normal exercise. Demonstrating EMDR’s efficiency includes a professional focusing on the client’s past, current and future in relation to their traumatic events.

However, that doesn’t mean all of our clients really do. If you think EMDR is something that will help you or someone you love make certain to contact our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center today! Finding the most suitable residential EMDR rehab treatment is all about finding the correct team and location. Give us a call and let us help you find the best fit for your personal needs.

Whilst no one knows exactly how or why EMDR works in the brain; there is evidence that reinforces its usefulness. For some reason, the eye movements are able to soften the feelings associated with emotionally charged memories or injury. EMDR has shown signs that were positive in people who experience violent relationships and PTSD. PTSD is one of the most common root causes of addiction and because of this, much more inpatient treatment centers have been investing in treating a client’s co-occurring disorder than ever before. The most popular notion is to treat one’s addiction at the root cause to not only help them recover but also to prevent them from relapse farther down the road.

EMDR treatment is done with the use of visual or tactile stimulation. This is actually very favorable among men and women who may not simply take well to medication or are at elevated risk for abusing another substance following detoxification. Even though there is equipment that is specially designed for your use of this therapy, most therapists nonetheless use a pen. There is no rigorous proof that one method of EMDR is better compared to another; plus it seems to become an event of personal taste.

Whilst EMDR therapy might seem simple; it is not something that should really be attempted at home. Good use of this treatment means talking with the client and bringing up their past traumatic memories. Not only is this a painful process but nevertheless it can activate intense feelings and erratic behavior as you re-live those moments. Not knowing what you’re doing in EMDR treatment can result in relapsing or worse. Therefore, it is important you see the clinical and medical professionals at our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center that are in a position to perform this safely. EMDR is becoming much more common place in treatment facilities offering holistic and alternative treatments. Call us today to see if residential EMDR treatment is right for you?

How Does Our EMDR Drug Rehab Help Treat Addiction?

The use of EMDR in residential addiction treatment results in the fact that a lot of addiction is connected to  trauma. The belief is by simply treating this trauma, the person suffering from addiction will have less of the compulsion towards substances. There are 5 phases of EMDR treatment. Phase one includes identifying emotional distress; phase two consists of imagery and more stress reduction techniques; phases 3 has the patient establish negative self-beliefs, colorful visuals and related emotions; stages 4 and 5; the client seeks self-calming practices and the therapist examines the client’s advancement.

Therapists using the EMDR therapy technique help a patient’s addiction from the trauma-informed point of view. This allows them to examine each instance and look at the root cause and contributing components to your addiction. Because of this, EMDR is able to complementary engage in addiction treatment. People who suffer from substance use disorders will also have a diagnosis of PTSD. This makes EMDR as a front-line therapy and logical choice that can greatly help a client and cut back their risk of relapse.

How Our Residential EMDR Therapy Heals Trauma And Addiction

Life experiences, both negative or positive, have a significant influence on our thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. Adverse life experiences such as abuse, neglect, violence, or emotional distress may have significant consequences later in life like mental disease or addiction. In treating individuals who suffer from addiction; it is crucial to deal with any co-occurring trauma, PTSD, or related ailments within the setting of a drug and alcohol rehab center. This is because in most instances, these traumatic events or encounters may play a role in your addictive behaviors. Therefore, the addiction cannot be overcome without addressing these core issues.

The Impact Of PTSD And Trauma If Left Untreated

Research shows that trauma plays an important part in how we live our lives. One notable study research, which was one of the largest investigations of child abuse, neglect, and also well-being later on in their lifetime discovered the following prevalent factors:

Emotional Abuse

Physical Abuse

Sex Abuse

Regular Daily Challenges

Poor Parenting

Substance Abuse

Mental Illness

Parental Separation or Divorce

Incarceration

Emotional neglect

Physical Negligence

Of those who participated in the analysis, nearly two-thirds of participants reported experiencing at least one of the things listed above. More than one in five members reported experiencing even more. The analysis found that participants who claimed experiencing five or more of the aforementioned issues were 10 times more likely to suffer from substance abuse later in their life. This study was instrumental in showing the significant relationship between trauma and addiction; especially regarding destructive childhood experiences.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was created in the late 1980s and is an interactive psychotherapy method used to treat trauma and PTSD; which might be usually co-occurring disorders in those struggling with addiction. The emotional distress many people encounter is typically a result of disturbing lifestyle adventures.

The goals of EMDR therapy are to treat the trauma, alleviate the symptoms, and assist with the overall recovery process. Comprehensive research has determined that EMDR is very effectual in treating clients with PTSD together with people with one or more of the following symptoms:

Flashbacks

Disturbing Fantasies

Repression of Traumatic Events

According to the EMDR International Association, complete EMDR treatment involves memories and future growth challenges. Residential EMDR Therapy incorporates the following stages of treatment:

History and Treatment Planning: The therapist assembles your life history and develops a more appropriate treatment plan.

Preparation: The therapist sets expectations for treatment and helps you build self-control techniques which you can use during sessions.

Assessment: The therapist and you together, discover a memory to concentrate on during your specific sessions. You pick an image that best represents the memory and makes a statement that expresses a negative self-belief associated with the event. The therapist afterward encourages you to make a healthier statement that contradicts the negative belief and is associated with an internal awareness of control.

Desensitization: The therapist guides you through a set of eye movements or other forms of stimulation to be amenable to whatever occurs. After each series of eye movements, the therapist instructs you to permanently clean out whatever memory you are currently focused on.

Comparison Awareness: The goal of this phase is to increase the potency of your positive impression associated with the selected memory by pairing the positive impression with all the negative views.

Body Scan: The therapist asks you to visualize the memory once more and take notice of any tension that remains in your body. If there is tension, the therapist will help you target each of these sensations for reprocessing to reduce and eliminate any remaining negative physical sensations and emotions associated with the memory.

Closure: you use the self-control techniques learned during earlier stages to restore an internal state of balance. You are instructed to keep notes or a journal of any disturbances experienced in-between sessions.

Re-evaluation: At the beginning of each session, the therapist checks to make sure advancement has been maintained and defines some other new target regions that require treatment throughout your residential EMDR alcohol and drug rehab program.

Through these phases of treatment; you work with a therapist to both process and resolve your traumatic experiences by way of a learning state that allows disturbing and traumatic encounters to be stopped with appropriate emotions in the brain. The negative signs like flashbacks and disturbing behaviors will dissipate as you replace your negative associations with healthy emotions, better understanding, and also perspectives relating to past memories.

EMDR’s Role In Inpatient Addiction Treatment

EMDR therapy is often used alongside cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) processes in a residential drug and alcohol rehab setting. Depending on the client’s treatment plan and also the EMDR rehab center providing the treatment; EMDR methods may be used in both individual and/or group settings. In using EMDR therapy to resolve trauma and addiction; a therapists technique for each client’s situation is conducted via a personalized trauma-informed perspective, which allows them to appropriately address the root causes and contributing aspects of the client’s addiction.

EMDR provides a multitude of advantages for individuals in drug and alcohol rehab including:

Alleviating Emotional Symptoms of PTSD and Trauma

Alleviating Physical Signs of PTSD and Trauma

Decreasing or Eliminating Stress from the Disturbing Memories

Improving Self-esteem and Self-efficacy

Resolving Current and Anticipated Future Activates

Adverse lifestyle experiences don’t have to determine a person’s behaviors, thoughts, and beliefs. With the help of EMDR as well as other cognitive behavioral treatments; an individual can overcome these traumatic experiences and fully heal from the devastating consequences of negative life experiences and addiction.

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, is a type of psychotherapy that was originally designed to address individuals who had experienced some form of trauma or seriously disturbing emotional event(s). Shapiro was working with clients who had undergone some form of abstract trauma and noticed that when they had lateral eye movements while discussing their experiences and feelings, they documented feeling a much greater respite from their stress.

Lateral eye movements are simply explained as movements of the eyes. Shapiro developed a technique where clients followed her fingers back and forth and then discussed their feelings as well as memories of their personal trauma. Since she developed the procedure of EMDR, she borrowed principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The only element of EMDR therapy that is unique is the use of eye movements or of other types of attention-grabbing strategies, such as the use of sounds or finger tapping to get the client to focus their attention while discussing their feelings about emotionally laden experiences.

EMDR was originally designed to treat individuals who had undergone stress as a result of traumatic experiences; including for people diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or equivalent issues. Since the procedure has been developed; EMDR is applied to other therapeutic issues including substance abuse that has been related to trauma and stress. Over time Shapiro developed an organization specialized to the ongoing development of EMDR. The technique is currently employed over many distinct issues that usually are not related to the stress associated with the experience of a traumatic event.

EMDR therapists have their clients focus on some type of outside stimulation, such as their finger and maintain focus on the stimulus moving back and forth at the therapist’s discretion of moving their fingers side-by-side. This is the rapid-eye-movement component of the EMDR procedure; but in some cases, eye movements usually are not used and clients are instructed to concentrate on finger tapping or some other outside stimulus. As the client’s attention is on the outside stimulus; the therapist and client discuss the client’s memories and beliefs, and attempt to use a cognitive-behavioral way of restructuring the client’s beliefs about troubling memories or other issues.

EMDR therapists feel that this process retrains the brain and allows you to become desensitized to memories of stressful or traumatic events, or to beliefs that result in behaviors that are dysfunctional; such as substance abuse. Shapiro and her colleagues contend that this process is based on the findings of behavioral neuroscience; however, many of the explanations for its use of the eye-movement component of the procedure are questionable.

EMDR does use established therapeutic principles from different psychological paradigms and incorporates these into the overall process; however, the principles were established before the development of EMDR, and a lot of them are based on the principles of cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, or other established principles from psychotherapy in basic.

The use of the therapeutic alliance is a rather essential component of EMDR. The therapeutic alliance refers to the commitment of the therapist and the client to work together to help them take care of their personal issues. Also the therapeutic alliance has a long history of research based evidence that identifies it as one of the absolute most crucial elements of productive therapeutic outcomes. The use of the therapeutic alliance is an important aspect in treatment outcomes and has been known long before the development of EMDR.

The use of exposure techniques, which involve physically or mentally confronting stressful issues or disturbing beliefs (using imagery), was established by behavioral psychotherapists as a main way to treating issues with anxiety long before EMDR was produced. Having clients visualize and verbally discuss their feelings is simply a method of vulnerability therapy using imagery. This process had been in use long before the development of EMDR.

Clients create a variety of stressful or anxiety-provoking situations and then learn relaxation procedures. The therapist and the client work together to have the client imagine the stressful situation whilst engaging in relaxation procedures. This allows the client to control their feelings of stress or anxiety better; and eventually they have the ability to tolerate the stressful situation(s) on an everyday basis.

Once the client can handle the stressful situation; they proceed with the upcoming anxiety-provoking event and repeat the process. This process continues till the client can tolerate the maximum anxiety-provoking or stressful situation on their own. Systematic desensitization was used long before the development of EMDR.

EMDR therapists use this technique in conjunction with the eye-movement component. Other components used in psychotherapy that was established before the development of EMDR include meticulously assessing your client’s situation before applying therapeutic techniques, developing concrete goals for therapy, using relaxation methods like diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, assigning homework endeavors, and also reevaluating therapeutic progress. Many proponents of EMDR, including the national organization that is devoted to the practice of EMDR, converse of these components for the ongoing progress of EMDR.

Clients who have alcohol use disorders and are treated with EMDR are exposed to all of those principles within the organized system that EMDR uses to treat with all types of problems. EMDR classically uses an step-by-step approach to guide the therapist in addressing the demands of their client. EMDR would be classified as an action-oriented psychotherapy whereby clients actively engage in treatment and do not passively listen to recommendations, interpretations, or instructions of the therapist. This strategy (often referred to as a phase method) for treating an individual with an alcohol use disorder is outlined below.

The therapist gathers information by assessing the client’s needs and the issues that caused your client to attend therapy. The therapist will continue to rate the client throughout treatment; however, in early stages of treatment; the idea is to determine specific issues or targets that ought to be formally handled. The therapeutic alliance is reinforced by having the therapist explains the goals of the therapy; further developing goals with the client and also giving your client resources to immediately use. Including teaching your client innovative relaxation techniques and also the use of mental imagery to deal with stress and even cravings for alcohol.

The specific targets of this alcohol addiction treatment are identified, and are rated in provisions of the subjective stress to the client, and also the overall goals of the treatment are developed. The next step is to use the actual EMDR procedure by having the client focus on stressful memories, dysfunctional behaviors or irrational attitudes and follow along with the therapist’s finger with their eyes whilst the therapist goes back and forth. During this process, cognitive restructuring methods are used to modify the client’s outcomes.

The client and therapist will evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment and continue to work on issues that ought to be settled. Reassessment of progress continues, and the client begins to rate their satisfaction with their progress. Areas could be re-addressed and the therapist and client begin to work on terminating the therapy. The overall advancement is re-evaluated. If the client is satisfied with the therapy, treatment is terminated, but the client can return at any time if needed.

During the reassessment stages of the EMDR treatment, the therapist and client can start over if it is determined that more intensive work has to be done. EMDR uses an exact methodical and structured way of addressing the issues of the client. Individuals with substance use disorders identify the reasons for their substance use; how their alcohol or other substance use makes them re-evaluate the dysfunctional aspects of their alcohol use and learn to replace their dysfunctional beliefs that foster the use of alcohol to more realistic beliefs that encourage sobriety. An EMDR therapist concentrates on helping the client restructure their faith and actions associated with the experience of trauma and work on treating the individual’s substance abuse issue.

The Pros And Cons Of Residential EMDR Treatment

Many EMDR therapists will make the assumption that addictive behaviors are related to prior encounters of trauma, plus they will attempt to discover what kinds of trauma or stress the individual has experienced ahead of their development of their alcohol-use disorder. Though the Important organizations that define and identify treatment methods for addictive behavior; such as the American Psychiatric Association, recognize that individuals who undergo trauma or stress have been at an increased risk to develop a form of substance use disorder.

Any individual that is identified with any type of mental health disorder is at an increased risk to develop a substance use disorder, like an alcohol-use disorder. Any individual who is diagnosed with any sort of substance use disorder is at an increased risk to be identified with a mental health disorder. Hence, regardless of the contentions of most that substance abuse is often used to self-medicate existing issues, the complete understanding of the relationship among substance abuse and other mental health issues indicates that these relationships are extremely complicated; and there is no single explanation concerning why they co-occur together. It has long been proven that treatment for individuals who have co-occurring disorders (a substance use disorder and some other psychological disorder) can only succeed if these conditions are treated at the same time.

Therefore, in case a therapist is using EMDR methods to treat co-occurring conditions; such as a trauma and stress-related disorder, and also an alcohol use disorder, then they are simply following a long-observed standard treatment strategy to deal with their situation. EMDR therapists have not discovered anything new when they treat substance abuse and PTSD concurrently.

Many residential drug rehab center specialists use EMDR. There seems to be no side effects associated with residential EMDR treatment. There are signs that EMDR is at the very least as effective as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in treating trauma and stress. The EMDR process is quite structured and coordinated. Because EMDR is an evidenced-based therapy, many insurance companies cover the treatment therapy sessions. An EMDR therapist requires technical training before they can be licensed in use of the techniques.

Other treatment experts that use EMDR residential therapy report research evidence that it is effective in treating issues with substance abuse. For instance, two research reports in the Journal of EMDR Research share favorable outcomes for the treatment of substance abuse in individuals with trauma and stress-related issues, and those without a formal diagnosis of this sort of disorder. However, these studies usually do not qualify as independent research, but could possibly be interpreted as discerning publications.

A previous pilot study using a very small selection of members reported in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs found that residential EMDR treatment for trauma had been more effective; but it was not as effective for the treatment of substance abuse in these same individuals. The results of the analysis cannot be reversed because of the small sample size; but usually do suggest that a lot more independent research that investigates how treatment with EMDR has an effect on use of alcohol or other drugs is necessary. The aforementioned studies do not include any independent research.

Why Use The Eye Movement Technique With EMDR?

There is absolutely no question that the overall approach used by Residential EMDR therapists is useful in treating trauma and stress; but there are significant concerns and questions if the procedure offers anything else or is truly advantageous. One of the big issues with EMDR is the independent research along with EMDR practitioners that often recognize the eye-movement component of the therapy is not essential for that treatment to be effective.

For instance, other types of attention-focusing methods are sometimes substituted for your own eye-movement component; such as the use of sounds and sometimes the therapist tapping on their finger. Replacing a person’s eye movement component with all such processes does not seem to influence the outcome of the treatment.

The Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology book attempts to differentiate empirically validated types of treatment from the insufficient empirical validations. It investigated the research on the finger/eye movement technique and concluded that the eye-movement component does not contain anything to established treatment principles used by EMDR therapists.

Articles published in Scientific American came to the same conclusion. These results indicate that EMDR therapists are just using behavioral and cognitive-behavioral strategies to attain their therapeutic success. The eye-movement component provides nothing to these already established techniques.

Meta-analytic research is considered to provide a far more reputable evaluation of a therapeutic procedure than any single independent research study. Meta-analytic research combines the results of numerous research reports to determine whether the research demonstrates an overall impact for your own therapy procedure. Meta-analytic research has come to the same conclusion that the eye-movement component of EMDR does not offer any incremental validity; yet, it does not contain anything for the presently established methods and principles that EMDR uses in its treatment strategy.

This means that EMDR is more advanced than no treatment at all (a confident finding), but inspite of the claims of its own supporters; EMDR cannot offer anything in addition to already established treatments. This would employ the treatment for substance use disorders with the treatment for other sorts of disorders.

The disadvantage to residential EMDR drug rehab is that the eye-movement component of the therapy, thus valued and cherished by its own practitioners, will not seem to add anything to established treatment principles. In addition, further research has to be done in order to determine the effectiveness of EMDR in the treatment of substance abuse, such as for alcohol abuse disorders.

When it comes to individual subjective experiences of therapy; it is certainly likely that some individuals with alcohol use disorders could find the coordinated process used by EMDR therapists beneficial. Mainly due to the special attention that they get, and also the engagement in the process of treatment that occurs with EMDR to be especially satisfying. If expense is not an issue, anyone who wishes to be part of EMDR treatment should be in a position to heal from the therapy sessions.

Conversely, Shapiro (originator of EMDR) had noticed that lateral movements of their eyes were associated with low emotional responses to distinct kinds of unsettling or disturbing thoughts or memories. She also started to experiment with individuals who had experienced some specially devastating trauma in his or her own lives; and who had adjustment issues or were diagnosed with a formal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis.

During the EMDR method, the therapist has the client reflect on specific facets of traumatic experiences that are associated with the many stress/emotional reactions whereas the customer follows the hand motions of this therapist with their eyes. The therapist typically goes back and forth with their fingers in front of the visual field of their client during the session, and the client using only their eyes, also follows this movement.

The eye movements are broken down into saccadic eye movements; that can be fast and/or jerky movements that redirect a client’s line of sight in order to place their vision on a moving object. Proponents of EMDR; such as Shapiro and her followers claim that inducing those movements though reflecting on earlier traumatic experiences helps individuals to reprocess the experience along with curbing the emotional response especially if it is severe. However, EMDR also incorporates a range of other principles from behavioral therapy and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy).

Who Is Able To Practice Residential EMDR Drug Treatment?

Because the formal process of residential EMDR treatment is rather protracted and complicated; only therapists who are specifically trained and certified in the procedure are qualified to perform EMDR therapy. Our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center is licensed and highly trained to offer world-class residential EMDR therapy. Give us a call today to see if we are the right fit to help you overcome your trauma and PTSD!

There are two major qualifications to practice EMDR:

The therapist needs to be licensed by the state they reside in.

The therapist needs to have specific training and complete/full certification in EMDR.

EMDR was originally designed to treat the trauma that results in emotional adjustment in individuals. The proponents of EMDR have also gone on to argue that it is useful in treating a number of other mental problems/disorders that have components of anxiety, depression and maladjustment to them. Give our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center a call today to start your residential EMDR drug rehab therapy!

Although the “EM” in EMDR reflects the notion of attention movements; not every therapist using the EMDR technique incorporates the eye movement component. As will probably be revealed later on, this is actually just an issue for the theoretical foundations of the specific approach. EMDR does include the following components in its overall treatment package that have empirical validation for their usage:

Session Assignments and Homework:

The majority of cognitive and behavioral therapies require that clients in therapy complete certain practice assignments during the therapy sessions. Also that they complete assigned homework given to them from their therapist. The principle of giving homework to clients to practice newly acquired skillsets in an effort to deal with some kind of emotional issue has a long history in psychotherapy.

The notion of developing a Strong Therapeutic Alliance:

EMDR practitioners attempt to develop a strong working alliance with the client and the therapist since this is a main contributor to the accomplishment of their treatment. This is a longstanding part of powerful therapy that dates far back in the history of psychotherapy.

The notion of Vulnerability Treatment:

As part of the client’s reprocessing component of EMDR; individuals are required to reflect on aspects of their traumatic encounter that are particularly distressing for them. The process of this sort of reflection, especially when individuals have been instructed to visualize, try and discover characteristics of the experience and involve all of the sensations (is borrowed from a behavioral psychology therapeutic procedure called exposure therapy). Exposure therapy has a long history of use with behavioral therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to assist individuals who have experienced traumatic events to desensitize themselves emotionally to all of those events.

The fundamental premise behind vulnerability therapy is that when people feel anxious, fearful or depressed from being a result of some particular stimulation; having them re-experience the stimulus/event or remain in the presence of the stimulation eventually results in their stress peeking and then leveling off. Repeating this process of exposing a person either directly or during mental imagery results in the individual’s anxiety levels steadily decreasing to the point whereby recalling the ability no longer delivers any significant distress. Individuals can likewise be taught breathing and relaxation exercises during exposure to facilitate the process. A big component of EMDR is always to have the person re-collect crucial details of the traumatic event when undergoing a person’s eye movement component of the treatment.

CBT works on the notion that many dysfunctional behaviors, like substance abuse or psychological disorders like depression, are fueled through an irrational and dysfunctional belief system. CBT accomplishes these core irrational beliefs through a therapeutic process. This helps the individual restructure them more in line with fact. The process of EMDR is for the therapist to help the client develop an alternative attitude and value system regarding areas of the traumatic experience.

A Highly Detailed Outline Of The Process Used In Residential EMDR Therapy

During the overall EMDR process, the therapist focuses on the individual’s latest situation and attempts to understand the history of the individual; however, the focus is not on days gone by as far as an outcome of the treatment concerns itself with how an individual is reacting now in the world. The true delivery of EMDR can change from treatment provider to treatment provider; however, in its classic presentation, EMDR is accomplished within eight major actions or stages. These phases will be lightly explained.

The 8 Phases Of Residential EMDR Treatment Are:

Phase I-Both History and Background of the Client and the Preparation of an Individualized Treatment Plan: This phase will come about within the initial couple of sessions, but many therapists continue to gather information regarding the history and background of the client throughout the full process. In this phase of treatment, the therapist and client will define exactly the specific “targets” to be treated in therapy. These can include traumatic events or even other presenting problems.

Phase II-Treatment Preparation: During this phase, the treatment alliance is developed, and the therapist explains EMDR to the client. The therapist will instruct the client in some particular strategies that can help them to deal with the outcomes of trauma. All these techniques are typically breathing, relaxation and other therapies that can help deal with the stress.

Phase III-Assessment Stage: This phase can be very protracted and involves a significant bit of interaction between the client and therapist. Typically, various targets have been identified, and also their emotional effects on the client are evaluated. The client and therapist work together to build up more functional ways to existing emotional reactions. Then, the client and therapist work together to create methods of rating existing feelings of stress and alternative desired methods to dealing with the stress.

Phase IV-Desensitization Stage: During this phase, the work of using a person’s eye movement desensitization procedure is paired with re-evaluating the traumatic events and their emotional experiences. In addition, positive emotions are inserted with recollections of past experience that resulted in distress (during phases III-VI, most of the vulnerability and cognitive restructuring comes about).

Phase V-The Instillation Stage: During this period, additional reprocessing is done in order to instill positive feelings regarding your customer’s perception of previous events together with the client efficacy in dealing with everyday encounters.

Phase VI-Human Anatomy Scan: During this phase, the therapist and client go back and try and evaluate any remaining tension related to stress that is associated with all the targets determined in early sessions and reprocessed on the course of treatment.

Phase VII-Closure: During this period, the customer’s reactions are reassessed to make certain they have responded favorably to their EMDR residential treatment. Also your client feels immensely better as a result of the treatment.

Phase VIII-Re-evaluation: During the final phase; the therapist and client re-evaluate the process to make sure that the goals of treatment have been achieved and that the methods for coping are working properly. If any issues need to get addressed, the therapy proceeds to the appropriate stage and works. If the goals of the therapy have been accomplished; then the treatment is terminated.

The General Acceptance Of EMDR Treatment At A Residential Facility

EMDR has a number of rather loyal followers, and there are a range of publications, websites, therapists and a journal devoted to this. However, EMDR is a therapy that includes a range of detractors. As mentioned previously, one of those first issues that many researchers and psychologists point out concerning EMDR is that a person’s eye movement component of the treatment provides nothing regarding the power of the treatment outcome. These critics maintain that EMDR simply repackages established treatments below a brand new name and at an alternative and often more expensive price level.

Incremental validity denotes the notion that unique components of the new types of therapy add more value to existing components used to treat certain disorders. If someone develops a new therapeutic technique, subsequently the most common method to estimate the value of the new technique is that the new procedure should bring something different and more powerful than the existing processes or it is not a form of treatment. This is especially valid when the new form of treatment is packaged as something special and often comes with a high price tag compared to existing forms of an intervention. The research implies that the eye movement component of EMDR adds nothing useful to the established techniques that the therapy incorporates.

As mentioned above, a person’s eye movement component of EMDR treatment is sometimes replaced with other activities, for example like finger tapping. The results indicate that the treatment remains equivalently powerful in such scenarios. This suggests that the eye movement component of EMDR provides little for the established methods used in the procedure. So, there is definitely an issue regarding packaging EMDR as something different, as therapists might charge higher rates for administering EMDR then they are for other forms of treatment.

The second big issue with EMDR is one that reinforces the above issue. First, it is relatively established that EMDR treatment generates advantages in individuals compared to individuals who have no treatment at all. Even though some might consider this evidence that EMDR is a powerful form of treatment; it is important to note that individuals who receive placebo treatments will often fare much better compared to individuals who have no treatment at all.

By definition, a placebo is some kind of substance or intervention that has no therapeutic effect for the issue being treated. Placebos are used in certain forms of research designs to determine the effectiveness of the particular intervention beyond expectations of getting beyond undefined issues that influence abstract perceptions. Research demonstrating that EMDR is far better than doing nothing, does little to encourage that the notion of EMDR being a great treatment or that it adds something unique.

Supporters of EMDR point out a range of reports that demonstrated its effectiveness in treating emotional trauma. The Cochrane Review; a prestigious research source, reviewed the research findings regarding EMDR and concluded that treatment with EMDR was generally comparable to other forms of the therapy that usually do not include a person’s eye movement component for trauma and stress-related disorders.

EMDR is a form of treatment that has been initially used to help individuals with trauma-related issues and disorders to address the outcomes of their traumatic experiences. This technique has gained popularity and has been used to handle other psychological disorders. While research supports the notion that EMDR is more advanced than no treatment at all. EMDR is generally comparable to other forms of treatment for trauma-related issues. There remains serious concerns regarding its utility as a separate form of treatment.

Nonetheless, individuals who choose to get Residential EMDR Treatment, will most likely not experience any damaging or detrimental impacts of the treatment (other than perhaps the treatment being a lot more expensive than equal forms of treatment). Some individuals may find the treatment approach and the intensive level of intimacy with the therapist to be advantageous with their requirements.

Thus, while the use of EMDR raises some professional and moral concerns in the therapy community; there is not any reason to think that it is damaging or that it cannot be used to assist individuals that have severe emotional results as being a result of experiencing some kind of injury. As often, individuals are free to engage in any form of treatment that they feel is best for them and to determine whether or not to remain in treatment if it is not beneficial to your own requirements.

What Is Residential Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy?

Developed back in 1989 by Francine Shapiro, EMDR is only currently starting to gain acceptance across the United States being a dependable treatment method for healing addiction. Internationally, significantly more than 100,000+ clinicians currently use EMDR sessions for its treatment of anxiety, PTSD, depression and other mental health disorders. In the previous 25 years, millions of clients have received EMDR treatment for many kinds of reasons and the numbers keep climbing. It really is surprising that addiction experts have taken this long to follow the trend.

The question is, will EMDR work for healing addiction? We have seen some proof that it works for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but what about those of us that have struggled with substance addiction issues for many years? Immediately after swinging round the revolving doors of traipsing in and out of rehab every few years. Those of us who are really serious about staying clean would like to find out a lot more about EMDR Therapy. Give our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center a call today to get started on your personal journey.

Addiction experts and recovery researchers are feeling confident when it comes to using EMDR treatments being a means for healing addiction. But, there is considerable evidence this therapy works for other disorders such as stress. Word on the street is this process can be revolutionary when treating those that battle substance abuse problems as well.

When explained from the clinical viewpoint, EMDR Therapy can sound very complicated. Let’s skip all the psycho babble and complicated mumbo-jumbo, shall we? Basically, inpatient EMDR treatment is your implementation of rapid eye movements in conjunction with past memory recall. You will find eight stages to your complete EMDR cycle, which happens on the course of many sessions spanned over a couple of weeks.

EMDR treatments offer a special kind of integrative therapy in contrast to any of the traditional talk therapies that have become so common in recent decades. In the past, the regular model for dealing with issues like PTSD, anxiety or depression has involved a patient talking as a result of their issues with a therapist or licensed psychologist, a process also called psychotherapy.

Why Is EMDR Better Than Traditional Psychotherapy?

The regular psychotherapy process includes delving into the past and grappling with painful memories of previous encounters by recalling these events during conversation. The therapist then offers solutions to perceiving such situations to alleviate suffering caused from the trauma associated with them. The problem is, this form of therapy has turned out to be slow-going. Anyone who has seen a therapist is aware of how long psychotherapy can take. It can be years and thousands of dollars before you begin to see any real progress.

EMDR, although categorized as a form of psychotherapy, is very different. This process was designed to silence the distress caused by painful memories following a few brief sessions. According to the EMDR Institute, one of the main goals of EMDR therapy is always to produce a speedy and effective change, whereas your client maintains stability during and in between sessions.

EMDR treatment is a highly effective instrument for trauma resolution because it works on the brain in a profound method. It re-formulates negative beliefs through an exceptional type of brain stimulation. Just like with other sorts of psychotherapies, EMDR includes delving into days gone by and grappling with painful memories by recalling events. The significant difference is that EMDR involves the use of rapid-eye-movement exercises at which other psychotherapy treatments do not.

In an ordinary EMDR Therapy session, the therapist will have you focus on some kind of external stimulation such as his or her finger. This is several inches from your eyes. As you concentrate on the issue, then the therapist’s finger will go back and forth very quickly from left to right creating a bilateral (side-to-side) eye moment that stimulates both the left and right hemispheres of your brain.

For example, you can focus on a troubling memory, and the impression associated with that memory and replace it with a new and empowering view.

EMDR Retrains The Brain To Process Trauma Differently

This is what Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is all about; retraining the brain to think about trauma in a more healthy manner. The traumatic memories become more clear allowing the client to fully processes it. Where the mind may only identify with all the trauma, immediately following EMDR; nevertheless, it is equipped to soothe itself with a new perspective.

Folks who have undergone EMDR residential treatment say there is absolutely no way to explain the experience with words. You just have to see it for yourself. According to those people that have experienced EMDR Therapy, the rapid-eye moment stimulation does something to the brain. Some state it repairs a loop where there was once a negative cycling pattern to where now they currently no longer have an issue or a negative memory associated with the experience.

How Does Residential EMDR Drug Rehab Help With Addiction?

When most rehabs currently offer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) because of the initial alternative for treating addiction (in conjunction with Detox and process groups), many are now considering inpatient EMDR therapy as an automatic option for treating incoming clients. The main reason addiction experts feel EMDR treatment is effective when treating addiction is because trauma seems to perform a role in addiction-related issues. Because EMDR is proven to be effective for treating trauma, it seems to reason that a person would certainly gain from this treatment.

Research shows that most people that have addiction issues may also be trauma victims. Addiction along with the trauma is somehow inseparably connected. The addicted person is hooked because she or he is looking to numb the pain of their trauma. Give our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center a call today to heal from your addiction!

Traumatization may have taken place in your life and the drug use and addiction developed as a direct result of that trauma. Assault, robbery, police brutality and rape are all real consequences of using prohibited drugs. In either scenario, it is important to comprehend that injury and addiction are a co-occurring disorder.

The idea is that if the trauma is healed; then there will not be any continued need for substance abuse. By getting to the core of the addiction and reprocessing it as a result of EMDR Therapy; theoretically the brain can be rewired. Wherever there is no trauma, there is no addiction.

The Connection Between PTSD And Trauma

In the event you do have trauma, you will most likely also have PTSD. As well as in which you have PTSD, you will almost certainly have addiction. PTSD is a stress disorder brought on right after the survival of a trauma based incident. It can result from physical assault, a critical automobile accident, a tornado or some experience that causes the brain to become confronted with abrupt and overwhelming stress.

Though PTSD is often associated with combat veterans who fall prey to the condition from serving in war. PTSD has an effect on millions of Americans who have not set foot on the battlefield. It is crucial to remember that PTSD and addiction usually go hand-in-hand. Individuals with PTSD will switch to alcohol and drugs such as heroin, cocaine and prescription medications to alleviate the pain caused from the signs of PTSD.

More and more often, individuals with PTSD are undergoing EMDR sessions and experiencing favorable results from the treatments. Not only are the clients benefitting from their post-traumatic stress; they are also seeing good results when it relates to their own addiction. When the PTSD is under control, so too is the addiction under control. As a general rule; EMDR seems to be a healthy treatment for healing addiction and trauma. There seems to be no significant negative consequences.

EMDR has gotten higher marks from some huge names in recent times when it comes to treating PTSD. The American Psychiatric Association has encouraged EMDR Therapy as an effective treatment for people who suffer PTSD. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs strongly recommends EMDR for combat veterans with PTSD. It really is not any wonder that one report indicated that 80% of all combat veterans who completed 12 90-minute EMDR Therapy sessions underwent stress relief from their symptoms.

Even though EMDR sessions are being applauded across the therapeutic community; many state there is not any true proof to back up this statement as a viable treatment option for substance abuse. Others insist that EMDR is a miracle treatment that should be offered to everyone with the addiction issue. If you are considering attending a residential treatment program that offers EMDR, give our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center a call today to discuss your options.

Here is a brief list of the benefits and issues associated with EMDR Treatment:

PROS:

There is no medication involved, which means no horrible side-effects.

Significant evidence showing how EMDR treats trauma, which many argue is at the core of addiction.

Does not require a significant time commitment.

Is relatively inexpensive when compared to typical psychotherapy sessions.

Is covered by most all medical insurances.

CONS:

Some experience the rapid-eye movement as being uncomfortable and embarrassing.

Many say the memory recall is extremely painful and emotional.

Many complain of extreme exhaustion as a side effect.

Can be costly when paying out of pocket instead of your insurance.

In the event you’re interested in learning more about EMDR Therapy, feel free to fill out our form or give our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center a call today. In case you might be considering inpatient residential treatment; find out if EMDR Therapy is ideal for you before you select a center. Not every rehab offers this technical kind of treatment the same. You’ll need to make certain you hook up with the right residential treatment center in case you opt to proceed the EMDR route. EMDR treatment shows actual promise when it comes to healing addiction. In the event you continue to struggle with addiction issues, you really should consider speaking with one of our professionals.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy was originally discovered as a way to work with traumatic events. EMDR was designed by the American Psychologist Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., in the late 1980’s, primarily as a treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD. EMDR therapy is an eight-phase treatment, which identifies and addresses experiences that have overwhelmed the brain’s natural strength or coping capacity (examples include but are not limited by warfare, rape, assault, sexual abuse, etc.) and have thereby generated traumatic signs or destructive coping strategies (flashbacks, stress, insomnia and possible harmful attempts to deal with those symptoms, including isolating behavior and self-medication with drugs and alcohol). During EMDR therapy, patients have the ability to reprocess traumatic information right up until it is no longer psychologically disruptive.

Have you wondered what actually does occur in a residential EMDR treatment session? There are phases of treatment; the initial one being the administering of an exhaustive client history followed by a preparation stage. In the quick eye movement portion, the individual focuses on a troubling memory and describes the impression connected with the negative memory. The individual then formulates an optimistic belief that they would like to have about themselves (I am an extremely fantastic person in control of my life).

All of the sensations and emotions that accompany the memory are identified. The individual then goes over the memory whilst focusing on the outside stimulus that creates bilateral (side-to-side) eye movement. After every set of bilateral movements, the individual is asked how they feel. This process continues until the memory is no longer disturbing. The individual is processing the injury with both hemispheres of the brain stimulated. The belief that was chosen is subsequently installed, via bilateral movement, to replace the negative one.

The session normally lasts for about one hour. It is thought that EMDR works because the “bilateral stimulation” bypasses the area of the brain that has become caught due to the trauma and is preventing the remaining side of the brain from self-soothing the appropriate side of the brain. During this procedure, clients tend to process the memory in a way that leads to a calm resolution. This often results in increased insight regarding each equally formerly disturbing events and long-held negative thoughts about the ego that has increased out of this original traumatic event. For instance, an attack victim may come to realize that they were not to blame for what occurred; but are now protected. Once the client rises above the traumatic event(s), they can regain a general sense of safety in their world.

Robert Sickgold, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School, was quoted saying, “we believe that EMDR induces a fundamental change in brain circuitry very similar from what are the results in REM sleep which allows the person undergoing treatment to effectively process and incorporate traumatic memories into general association networks in the brain. This helps the individual to integrate and have an understanding of the memories within the greater context of his or her life.” Additionally, there have already been a number of adaptations of this process through the years and many additional mental issues have now already been shown to be helped by EMDR; one being addiction.

EMDR therapy is currently known as a complete way of psychotherapy and not just a technique as it had been originally conceived. There is a model underlying EMDR therapy, which states that distress and other trauma signs result from the string of unprocessed traumatic memories. If people take in to account that unhealed traumatic wounds perform a significant role in causing or at the least exacerbating the seriousness of substance use and addictive disorders; EMDR therapy can be rather effective.

EMDR is a successful prevention/recovery enhancement strategy that definitely targets trauma. It is often evident that unhealed PTSD along with other trauma-related disorders pose a clear severe risk. Too often EMDR practitioners with little-to-no training in addiction think that by just doing a set of EMDR protocols that they learned, some of that have been designed to target things such as cravings and feeling states, that they can repair the core trauma and thus fix the addictive manifestations. It is hardly ever that straightforward.

Doing trauma reprocessing using Inpatient EMDR Therapy with an addicted client requires a great deal of preparation that is equally trauma-informed along with addiction-informed. This may sound like common sense but a lot of clients and therapists are looking to EMDR therapy for a fast fix and it’s really not that simple. EMDR is meant to provide you an extensive understanding that neither trauma nor addiction develops in a vacuum cleaner. EMDR is the most effective when used as part of an all-inclusive plan for treating addiction that has to also include appropriate social supports and teaching of new lifestyle skills. EMDR is not the quick fix solution to your trauma. The client has to invest and be honest, open and willing as well!

EMDR therapy can play an essential part in addiction treatment since trauma plays a central part in addiction etiology. Folks come into residential addiction treatment with diagnosable PTSD, and in that scenario EMDR is indicated like a front-line treatment. People like our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center sees the role of the trauma regardless of the development of PTSD. We have seen how EMDR therapy can be the lens by which to conceptualize the case and set up the treatment plan, and this method of providing the ongoing treatment.

Some people have the misconception that EMDR is simply waving a finger in front of someone’s face. EMDR therapy is actually more of a theoretical orientation and a process. The initial 2 stages of this routine are all about stabilization and building internal resources; which is what your client requires for lasting healing. The therapist and team can determine readiness for phases one through eight; which is the trauma reprocessing.

When you have worked in the addiction area for any period of time, you can become disheartened or burned out from the seeming revolving door nature of things. One of those populations we have experienced some good results with at our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center are those people who have undergone multiple treatments. Also it works out that the untreated trauma was the obstruct with their overall recovery. In case an addicted person was not especially traumatized in their young years, and they often are; subsequently they almost inevitably have traumatic encounters as the consequence of using. Honoring and validating this for people can go a long way in building trust and safety. EMDR therapy provides a method to center on the issues at hand and have concrete tools to successfully treat the underlying difficulties.

Our PTSD And Trauma Drug Rehab Center Is Utilizing Residential EMDR As Treatment For Your Addiction And Mental Health

At our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center, we’re creating a clinical environment that uses the wisdom of EMDR therapy as a primary case conceptualization, treatment planning and treatment strategy. Our entire program is a combination of some of the best stabilization and resource development modalities, or the first two stages of EMDR. We regularly provide up to date EMDR training for all our certified and pre-licensed clinicians and also educate all of our staff on standard trauma protocols.

EMDR For Residential Substance Abuse Treatment

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy was originally discovered as an approach to work with traumatic events. Through the years EMDR was used to treat eating disorders as they are closely connected to earlier traumas. Many individuals determine trauma as a big event that is instilling a lasting fear in an individual.

A physical attack, witnessing a murder, specialists that served in the war, natural disasters, life-threatening automobile or plane crashes are all illustration of famous traumatic events. However bullying, unpleasant punishment in childhood, mental as well as emotional aftermath of marriage, living in an impoverished, harmful neighborhood, along with emotional and psychological abuse are all cases of traumatic events that are not as recognized by our society. These traumatic events; if not precisely recognized and addressed, can result in eating disorders, depression, PTSD, anxiety disorders and substance abuse.

EMDR therapy is an eight-phase treatment, which identifies and addresses traumatic encounters that have overwhelmed the brain’s natural strength or coping capacity and have consequently generated traumatic signs and coping strategies. Through Residential EMDR therapy, individuals are able to reprocess traumatic information until it is no longer psychologically disruptive. EMDR is now being used to deal with many mental health disorders that are tied to underlying traumatic events. Eating disorders and substance abuse disorders are two major areas in which therapists are using EMDR as a component of inpatient treatment and relapse prevention. EMDR is not only associated with PTSD but is now being practiced because of being a relapse prevention/recovery enhancement strategy that really targets the trauma.

Studies have shown that approximately 25 million Americans are addicted to drugs or alcohol; which comes out to be approximately one in 10 Americans! Unfortunately, only a small percentage of these individuals seek treatment for their substance abuse issues. Studies suggest that 50% of individuals with eating disorders may also be abusing alcohol or illicit substances at a rate of 5X higher than the overall population. All these co-occurring disorders influence males and girls at 60% with binge-eating disorder experiencing lifelong substance abuse troubles.

Studies have shown that many individuals that are diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder started off using alcohol and drugs in order to deal with negative feelings and stressful situations that were associated with past traumas. Therefore, many instances of substance abuse are all directly linked to past upheaval and residential EMDR treatment can be used to uncover traumatic triggers associated with substance abuse. Performing trauma reprocessing using EMDR therapy with a substance abuse client requires a great deal of preparation that is equally trauma-informed and addiction-informed. Our PTSD and Trauma Drug Rehab Center has the certifications, knowledge and experience to help you overcome your PTSD and Trauma at our Residential Treatment Center. Give us a call to discuss your options and get started today!

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR is an evidence-based therapy technique developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987 to address traumatic memories. She posited a theory that when someone experiences a trauma, it is so disturbing to the mind that it overwhelms the brains ability to process and store the information correctly as a memory and the experience becomes “stuck” in the Limbic system (the system responsible for flight, fight or freeze reactions to stress). This and other symptoms is why the need for the best EMDR treatment possible. Our drug rehab is just such a place!

Because it is stuck, the brain has no way to process the event as a past event and reacts as if the event were about to happen or is currently happening. These are referred to as “flashbacks”. The brain becomes reminded, or triggered, into responding as if the trauma were happening right now. Even something similar that even has one small similarity and

the brain reacts as if it were the original, past event, rather than something new. Even though the original memory may be long forgotten, the feelings the event evoked (anxiety, fear, terror, panic, grief, etc.) and even the physical sensations experienced are still “stuck”. EMDR treatment helps the brain use its natural healing process that generally occurs during sleep, in the Rapid Eye or REM stage of sleep.

In REM sleep stage, your brain is able to process events from the current day, or the past, in a safe, almost non-emotional way utilizing dreams. When we sleep, the brain moves information and experiences out of short term storage and into long term storage. Once in long term storage, events and experiences don’t have the ability to cause an overreaction in the brain.

They can be processed as a past event, not one that is currently happening or is just about to happen. EMDR treatment uses a technique of following a therapist’s finger movements that are similar to Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep patterns. This allows your brain to process “stuck” events and experiences while awake and while being asked specific questions about the trauma to activate those specific memories and feelings, while allowing them to shift into a different memory network.

Most addicts have traumatic events either that led to their addictions or that happened because of the lifestyle during addiction. Not only are those memories “stuck”, they are often associated with using drugs and/or alcohol so those events may be triggered by any number of outside stimuli that one would not necessarily consider trauma based. Certain smells, sounds or even visual cues can trigger the trauma event even though the stimuli may only be associated with actual drug using. This can complicate the brains storage system. This is where EMDR treatment can really make an impact.

EMDR can significantly shorten the amount of traditional psychotherapy, or “talk therapy” needed to address trauma. Using EMDR treatment can access and shift those events and feelings rapidly and safely so that the client no longer becomes triggered and the brain is no longer over reactive to simple every day stimuli. The relief for the client is immense and allows them to move forward much quicker.

Some of our clients swear by our EMDR treatment, while others are kinda of spooked out and leery. After all, how can talking about your problems while tracking your therapist’s finger motion with your eyes actually help you heal? We always believe that good questions deserve good answers. However, in this situation the answer is not so simple. 

The first important thing to keep in mind is that EMDR treatment is not a sure fire guarantee. You (the addict and/or mental health client) have to be willing to put in the work. This means you have to be honest and open-minded and willing to finally face your fears. If your brain has stored negative memories and emotions around your past experiences that are still causing you need for our EMDR treatment, then chances are you are going to have to face your trauma head on in order to finally heal from it!

Do not let this discourage you though. This is not meant to keep you from doing the necessary work, but rather to help inspire you and keep things super transparent as you can not just wave a magic wand around and expect a miracle. Now for those that are not afraid to conquer their fears by dealing with their problems head on, our EMDR Treatment has been able to preform miraculous healing in their life. Even to the point of tears. Which should naturally happen. Do not be afraid to finally cry and let out all of your stored emotions out!

Going back to the most easiest way to do that is to steal from the 12 steps of Alcoholic Anonymous when they share, “This is “HOW” you do recovery.” “H” stands for Honesty, and “O” stands for Open-Mindedness and “W” for Willingness! When you utilize all three, you have an incredible chance of healing at a very rapid rate. Let’s briefly break it down so there is no confusion as to “HOW” to do recovery.

When someone is attempting to use our amazing EMDR treatment process, they must be honest! This means that they have to tell the truth and not hold back. They are not providing the cliff notes to their life. They are not holding back certain parts that help protect them but also simultaneously keep them sick. Have you ever heard the phrase, “you are only as sick as your secrets?” So if you hold no more secrets inside, it is actually really hard to stay sick too!

Another important part of the EMDR treatment process with being honest is to trust your therapist as he/she is not a mind reader. Do not wait 30 days to finally let your guard down to start the healing process. It is in your best interest to pretend that you have already known them for many years previously so you can get right to work and talk about the scary things that are holding you back in life.

In regards to open-mindedness. This one seems super easy at first, but in all actuality it is not that easy as you would think as you have to be open minded enough to allow new ideas and concepts to take place in to your mind and heart. This means you must surrender your thoughts and ideas as best approach. Depending on your age, this could mean that you have to be humble enough to tell yourself that you do not know nearly as much as you thought you did. Furthermore, you have to be able to erase years or even decades of upbringing or better put your social construct.

Being open minded means you are willing to try new things that are completely counter intuitive to your nature. If you have always turned right in life and are told to go left, you must be willing to turn a new direction regardless of your perceived fears. You must step in to the dark but only to find the light.

With the third and final way to fully recover, “W” for willingness; you have to generate an attitude of gratitude. One where you have a strong desire to see if what is being told is true. Almost as if you are an investigator (or scientist if you will) taking a closer look and seeing if there is any validity to the claims being presented. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find out for yourself if our EMDR treatment is right for you.

One individual we worked with who we shall call Ted (to protect his anonymity) had just such an experience once he opened up to allowing EMDR reactant therapy in to his life. Ted came from a volatile family life where he learned at a young age to be violent and to use aggression as a means of communicating his frustrations in life.

While in treatment he almost got kicked out a few times. On one occasion during the initial intake, he became super upset when he heard that he was not allowed to keep his Russian mail order anti-depression medications. He felt they were safe for consumption and truly believed that he would become even more irritable without those medications. He tried to explain that they are non narcotic and just a cheaper alternative than using an American pharmacy.

After it was explained to him that there just is no way to know what is exactly in those medications and that he can not have those while in treatment, he was very irritable. He was looking for a way out of the situation he got himself into. A few days later, he became super upset at a fellow client and walked out but within staff field of vision to cool off and was deciding if he keeps walking or stays in the program. Ted decided to stay once he was approached with the idea of utilizing our EMDR treatment methods as it was evident that he has a lot of trauma and turmoil going on in his life.   

After the first 2-3 EMDR treatment sessions, Ted became more relaxed and open to the process. What this actually means is that Ted finally became open and honest and willing to follow the instructions and advice and no longer was hesitant about the way we conduct our EMDR treatment. 

Ted’s very next EMDR therapy session lasted for around 1 hour but seemed like an eternity. The reason being is that Ted finally released years of buried pain and feelings to the surface. Our EMDR treatment did exactly what it is supposed to do! Ted was able to safely let go of his past traumatic memories and re-write history in much safer way.

Directly after his session ended, he had to find a sacred place to soak up what just happened. He was able to go outside alone on a grass hill and cry it out. He cried for almost as long as the EMDR treatment session lasted. He said that a whole flood of emotions surfaced now that he had given himself permission to re-write history and not bottle up (plug) his internal feelings anymore. Ted was able to feel the love he and others have for him as well as feel the pain he has caused others as well as to forgive those that have done him wrong as well. 

If you are skeptical about this story or if EMDR therapy even works…that’s quite alright with us since we treat people like Ted, we understand that it takes time to learn of all of the new and different methods that are out there and available to both those suffering from mental health and/or substance abuse addiction. Keep in mind that EMDR is an evidence-based practice that is widely accepted and growing in popularity.

Granted we also understand that this type of healing is not always for everyone. There are definitely more than one way to skin a cat in life. Also, let us publicly apologize to all the cat lovers out there as this is just a metaphor. We would never desire to harm a cat in any shape or form. But back to the subject at hand now.

Sometimes it takes a long time to develop trust and a willingness to let go of all of the trauma and shame and pain that is literally binding you. After all, you have found a way to survive this way for so long that it has now become a security blanket of comfort if you will. Just keep in mind that this is what is called a “faulty coping mechanism” which in the end holds you back in life and never propels you forward in a healthy direction.

The same goes for drugs and alcohol; which is why so many abuse them to cope with their buried pain and feelings as well. Drinking and drugging never was your problem but a faulty solution to help your problems. The only problem with this is that you now have your same old problems with new using problems on top of your old ones!

Not everyone is emotionally ready to erase and replace their past trauma in a rapid manner. This is why we offer a multitude of other treatment options. We are total experts when it comes to addressing PTSD and trauma. Please do not get frozen in life anymore. You deserve a new life and we can offer it. Let us help you help yourself today! 

Give us a call to see if our PTSD and Trauma Based EMDR Treatment Recovery program is right for you? (949) 386-2715