Understanding How EMDR Works in the Brain
Philosophers have struggled to describe the link between the body and mind for centuries. We think of our bodies as flesh and blood and our minds as being somewhere else—intangible, like ghosts or spirits. On the contrary, science tells us they’re part of the same whole. Our brains are like an ancient forest whose roots run deep, gathering information from our five senses, sorting it so that we can try to make sense of the world around us. Most exist close to the surface or scattered amongst the trees along its outskirts. Other, more important memories form the beating heart of the forest—and these memories are often emotionally powerful, traumatic, or scary. Sometimes we wander so far from them that we forget they’re there, but their influence can be felt throughout every acre of the woods.
Trauma and Memory
When we talk about how EMDR works, it’s important to understand that traumatic memories are stored differently than everyday, regular memories. When we experience trauma, our body undergoes a powerful transformation. Our brains respond to danger and uncertainty by sending signals to our bodies to go into survival mode. This state exists to help us survive.
To understand it, think of the muscle memory of a father who catches a falling baby or a mother whose unexpected surge of strength helps her lift something heavy off her child. We’re capable of tremendous feats of strength and speed. We’re left with nothing but a blur when it’s all over.
Traumatic memories are tightly associated with our senses. Our bodies store them close to the heart of the forest so the lessons stay with us to help us survive the next time. Memories of how things smelled or sounded, how things felt, how someone looked at us or touched us—even the way something hurt. It all stays with us, and we use it subconsciously to keep ourselves safe.
Companion and Guide
During EMDR therapy, the therapist serves as a companion and guide on your journey into the heart of the forest. It’s their role to help you find your way to those buried memories. Because those memories can be difficult to find, they assist using bilateral stimulation. Bilateral stimulation leverages rapid back-and-forth eye movements or oscillating left-right sounds to trigger areas of the brain associated with powerful emotional memories.
During bilateral stimulation, clients may expect to feel:
A sense of profound relaxation.
Sudden swells of unexpected or buried emotions.
Vivid imagery associated with memories of traumatic events.
Physical sensations & sensory experiences (smells or sounds) from the event.
EMDR therapy can be an emotionally intense and draining process. It’s not unusual for people to feel exhausted after an EMDR session, nor is it unheard of for them to recall events or details associated with the traumatic memories for hours, days, or weeks afterward. While this may sound uncomfortable, it is part of the healing process.
Reprocessing and Healing
EMDR therapy relies on the brain’s natural ability to heal by reprocessing and integrating traumatic memories. This process is informed by the adaptive information processing model, which posits that our negative thoughts and behaviors result from painful, unprocessed memories. During EMDR, we find those painful, buried memories, dig them up, and examine them with a fresh perspective. As a result, we can touch those memories without fearing they will hurt us, and we can store them somewhere new where we won’t feel their influence.
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If you struggle to come to terms with the past, you aren’t alone. We all carry those wounds, and we either fight them or learn to heal them. It’s easy to think we’re broken, but we’re not. We’re just waiting to heal. If you want to learn more about how EMDR therapy can help you on that journey, please reach out today.