South Shore Counseling Provides Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Trauma Therapy for Those with PTSD and Other Stress Conditions
Life has its challenges. Overcoming those challenges requires our minds to process the event, adjust/cope with it, and move forward. But traumatic events – events that cause an extreme stress response – can essentially overload the stress and processing response in our brains. They get stuck in this traumatic movement, unable to process it effectively and unable to move forward.
Studies have shown that one of the best ways to process these experiences is through a process known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, typically referred to as EMDR. If you’ve experienced trauma, and you’re having a challenging time coping with and adjusting to the stress, reach out to South Shore Counseling today at (631) 602-0079 or fill out our online form.
We have some amazing therapists ready to connect with you and help you through your trauma with EMDR or other psychotherapeutic approaches. Contact us today to get started.
About EMDR and Our Response to Trauma
Our brains are, in many ways, complex machines. Normally, there is a very specific process in place designed to help our brains process the stresses and emotions that it experiences throughout the day.
But our minds often do not have a way to process extraordinarily stressful events, such as:
- Sexual assault
- Loss
- Near-death experiences.
- Childhood trauma
Information from those events gets stuck in different parts of the brain, making it easier to recall them in parts physically and emotionally. Our brains, then, are always stressed and on edge, causing us to be overwhelmed easily with only the slightest of triggers.
What EMDR is designed to do is help people finally process the event by moving all the “stuck” parts through the natural stress processing process until they can move to long term memory, allowing someone to more easily move forward.
During an EMDR treatment with one of our therapists here at South Shore Counseling, you will be shown how to access those stuck memories and sensations, all while being calmed and supported by our experienced EMDR therapists. We’ll help you find forgotten or otherwise compartmentalized memories and emotions, and reframe them in such a way that they become easier to manage.
By integrating eye movement or other tactics, such as finger tapping, it splits the focus and helps speed up the processing the memory so that you can finally complete the process and move on.
What Does EMDR Treat?
EMDR is primarily used to treat trauma and trauma related conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and issues associated with childhood traumatic events. However, there are situations where it may be useful for other conditions as well, such as panic attacks, anxiety, grief, and phobias.
At South Shore Counseling on Long Island, our therapists will connect with you, discuss your issues, and see if EMDR is right for you or if there are other modalities that might be better.
Get Started Today with South Shore Counseling
EMDR can be a powerful tool, one that has helped many people on Long Island – and throughout the United States – process trauma more effectively and learn how to move forward. It has been extensively researched and is highly effective.
Yet, it should also be noted that EMDR is only one of many treatment options, and can also be combined with other styles and support depending on your symptoms. At South Shore Counseling, our primary goal is your wellness and long term mental health, and we’re here to use any tools that we have to help you achieve that goal.
We are based in Oakdale, NY, and serve Islip Town and all the surrounding areas in South Shore on Long Island, and we can see patients remotely for those that prefer not to travel. If you’re ready to get started, please reach out to South Shore Counseling, today.