Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in Vancouver
Live an empowered life free from trauma with EMDR therapy
EMDR is scientifically validated and proven to treat trauma successfully
Championed by some of the leading trauma specialists in the world, EMDR helps to reduce overwhelming emotions from traumatic memories by processing the trauma through eye movements or tapping. These movements engage both sides of the brain while approaching trauma or speaking about past experiences. This allows you to integrate healthy perceptions, attitudes and beliefs into your everyday life by identifying and minimizing beliefs and anxieties that are not serving you.
EMDR trauma therapy requires less talking and more processing and it can be a triggering process. This is why we only recommend this to individuals who are looking to work through traumatic experiences after safety resources have been provided by the counsellor to ensure your well-being and ability to stay present.
Stages of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
Keep in mind that you are in control throughout this entire process, and our EMDR counsellors will encourage you to be open with your needs.
Planning
This part of the process is to determine if EMDR would work for you and whether you’d prefer your sessions to be in person at our Vancouver studio or online.
Preparation
Your counsellor will walk you through what to expect during your sessions and help establish safety and coping mechanisms to support you.
Assessment
You and your counsellor will identify target memories associated with negative beliefs and address each one individually during treatment.
Desensitizing and Reprocessing
You’ll focus on an uncomfortable memory or image that was highlighted during your assessment. Bilateral stimulation, such as eye movement or tapping, is then used to help you process the memory.
Installation
During this phase, your counsellor will help you incorporate a positive belief to replace the original negative belief, using the same bilateral stimulation method.
Body Scan
Your counsellor will guide you through scanning your body to see what new information has surfaced and how you feel about the negative memory.
Closure
You’ll discuss what to expect between sessions and how to support yourself. You won’t leave until you feel safe and comfortable.
Ongoing Care
You and your counsellor will evaluate your progress and decide on the next steps, whether it’s addressing a new target or concluding therapy.
““It has been 7 days since my last EMDR appointment and I had to share the great news. My neck tension is GONE. I came home and slept as if I had returned from a 7-day hike. I felt the most tired and drained I have ever felt in my life. But not sad, I didn’t cry one tear after. I thought going through my trauma would make me sad, but it healed my sadness. I slept all day, no nightmares, just exhaustion. The next day I woke up and I can’t even explain the feeling. A 10-year emotional journey, with 6 years of physical discomfort is over and it’s because of you.””
How EMDR counselling heal trauma
EMDR therapy is built upon the theory that your brain stores normal and traumatic memories in a different way. This theory is called Adaptive Information Processing (AIP). Essentially, during events in your regular life your brain functions properly, it stores memories and connects them to other memories to help you remember the information. During traumatic events, the networking part of our brain doesn’t ‘work’ so to speak. The brain goes ‘offline’ and there becomes a disconnect between what you experience and what your brain remembers.
Through EMDR counselling, your therapist helps you to reprocess your memories of the traumatic event. This reprocessing is what helps to ‘repair’ or ‘reset’ your memories. Enabling your brain to believe that the danger you have experienced is finally over. Now when you remember your traumatic event it will no longer feel like reliving it and your feelings surrounding the event will be much easier to navigate.
How to start with EMDR at Sana
Here’s how you can begin your journey with EMDR therapy at Sana in 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Book your free consultation
We always talk to every new patient about their concerns and to ensure that EMDR counselling is right for them. This is a free 15-minute call with one of our counsellors.
Step 2: Match with your counsellor
Our team will match you with the Sana counsellor specializing in EMDR and any other modality you’re interested in.
Step 3: Your first session
Don’t worry, we won't dive into EMDR right away. During your first few sessions, we will take the time to get to know you better and ensure you have the necessary support in place before diving into EMDR counselling.
Find freedom from trauma is possible
We want to support you on your trauma journey in any way we can. A call with one of our EMDR counsellors is a low-pressure way to see if this modality is right for you.