What is it?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) is a trauma focused therapy model that utilizes Working Memory Taxation (WMT) to help accelerate reprocessing the trauma.

What is WMT?

Working Memory Taxation comes in multiple formats. It can be tapping on your own legs in a complex pattern, listening to sounds, spelling words, playing Tetris, following a light with your eyes on your computer screen, or any other thing that taxes the working memory enough for you. Working Memory (think what you can focus on) is limited. Adding multiple tasks while you hold the upsetting memory makes it impossible to focus on the memory. When you are unable to hold everything in your WM, the part of the brain that activates the nervous system and processes emotions is unable to continue being activated. The average processing time in EMDR 2.0 is 15 minutes per memory.

What does an EMDR Session look like?

The first EMDR session will likely be spent identifying at least one calming technique to allow you to calm your nervous system and gathering a history so that we can determine together what would be a good starting point for reprocessing. It is important to know that the body/brain will continue to reprocess the trauma in between sessions. Once you feel comfortable with the calming skills and our starting point, we will begin the process of utilizing WMT to reprocess the trauma.

What is that button about Jameela Jamil?

The first button below will take you to a video of Jameela Jamil speaking to Russell Brand about her experience doing EMDR as a client. It is important to note that while Jameela had progress in 2 sessions, she was utilizing the first iteration of EMDR. Many people will have progress as quickly as 15 minutes with EMDR 2.0. It is also important to note that this video contains some adult language. While she does talk about her trauma, she speaks in very general terms and does not go into details other than talking about her relationship with food.