EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
What is EMDR?
EMDR therapy is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of post-traumatic stress, acute stress disorder, anxiety, depression, phobias, panic disorder, as well as for performance enhancement such as public speaking or sports.
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EMDR involves a standardized 8-phase protocol that incorporates elements from many different evidence-based treatment approaches and can be modified in a client-centred way to meet individual client needs.
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EMDR has helped millions of people of all ages and backgrounds to relieve many types of psychological distress since it was first developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s.
Other clinicians and researchers continue to develop the protocol to make it even more effective. Protocols such as Attachment-Focused EMDR, Flash and EMDR 2.0 are approaches that Julie has trained in to optimize an individualize the therapy to make it most efficient and effective.
What does EMDR involve?
EMDR therapy starts with the first 2 phases: discussing your concerns and history, treatment planning and preparation. Next we proceed to phases 3 through 8 which involve re-processing a distressing memory.
During Reprocessing you will be asked to focus on a specific event while engaged in "bilateral stimulation" (BLS) such as side to side eye movement or another specific task such as tapping on alternate sides of your body. The therapist helps you to focus in a way that activates the memory network where the distressing memory is stored. The sets of BLS and memory activation are repeated until your experience of the event has changed in a helpful way that no longer feels so disturbing. Before ending each session, we will ensure that you are feeling more calm and present to re-enter your daily life.
Phase 8, Re-evaluation, occurs at the beginning of the next session to determine if further reprocessing is needed.
Julie's Approach to EMDR
Julie trained at the Parnell Institute in both standard basic EMDR as well as advanced training in Attachment-Focused EMDR. Attachment-Focused EMDR uses a modified EMDR protocol that is client-centred and flexible that often helps those with early or complex traumatic experiences. More recently Julie completed training in EMDR 2.0, a research-based optimization of EMDR.
She has also trained in providing
Intensive EMDR sessions which are longer sessions or several sessions in one week. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of this intensive format and it has the added benefit of obtaining relief sooner than traditional once weekly therapy format.
Julie incorporates her knowledge of somatic and mindfulness-based approaches which can be extremely helpful for trauma that occurred at a pre-verbal stage of development and in addressing dissociation symptoms. Julie is very experienced with providing EMDR therapy online and includes a variety of options to optimize the experience for your specific needs.
Preparation for EMDR Therapy
​Many people find it helpful to first activate and develop positive qualities and "adaptive memory networks" prior to engaging in trauma therapy or processing painful memories. One way this can be done is by engaging in a practice called "Resource Tapping."
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To begin exploring this topic, Julie has created her own guided Resource Tapping recordings which are freely offered on the Insight Timer App or website. Please check Julie's Insight Timer page for an introduction to the practice.
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If you'd like more information on Resource Tapping, this link will take you to Dr. Laurel Parnell's book "Tapping In".
Are you wondering
if EMDR might be
right for you?
Contact Julie to arrange a brief complimentary consultation session. In this 20-minute online session you can discuss your concerns and Julie can help evaluate whether this might be the right approach for you.
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If you find it challenging to fit weekly sessions into your schedule, or have an upcoming situation such as a public speaking or other type of event that causes anxiety, an intensive EMDR approach may be a very helpful option.
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EMDR Intensives are an accelerated treatment approach, involving longer (2 or 3 hours) and/or more frequent EMDR sessions (twice in one day or several times in one week). Research and clinical experience demonstrates faster symptom reduction and treatment gains without some of the pitfalls of longer treatment protocols.
