Addressing intense traumas is one of the many challenges of addiction recovery. Without managing co-occurring mental health disorders, active addiction can never be overcome effectively. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy offers an alternative treatment for substance use disorder and contributing emotional trauma, most notably post-traumatic stress disorder.
This page provides information about EMDR therapy, including what it is and why so many treatment centers use this approach. While The Raleigh House respects this type of therapy, we utilize Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), an eye movement based therapy that achieves better results in a shorter period of time.
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy is a treatment that addresses the client’s history of trauma. The process involves the client recounting traumatic experiences while the therapist measures the client’s eye movements. This affects cognitive processing, helping to mitigate severe emotional responses to recollections of trauma and allowing the client to recognize the triggers and stressors that lead to substance use.
The EMDR treatment procedure involves the following stages:
- Client history. Before treatment can begin, the client provides a medical and personal history that allows the therapist to structure and prioritize the treatment objectives.
- Treatment preparation. The client and therapist discuss the issue and the treatment strategy.
- Target memory assessment. The client and therapist collaborate to determine the trauma and target memory that cause the greatest emotional disturbances. The surrounding incidents, associations, and likelihood of recurrence are explored. This critical phase must be performed delicately, with positive beliefs periodically integrated into the session to mitigate any negative responses brought on by the recollection.
- Trauma desensitization. This is the logical, dispassionate evaluation of the client’s trauma while bilateral stimulation is initiated. The eye movement desensitization stage allows the therapist to measure the physical responses to recalling the trauma. This phase helps the client modify the way trauma is processed.
- Positive thought installation. This is the introduction of positive thoughts within the context of the client’s trauma. This further helps the client adjust their perception of their traumatic experience.
- Body scan. The client and therapist measure tension-related physical stressors that might have occurred during treatment.
- Conclusion/Reevaluation. The final stages involve reevaluating the full treatment program and assessing the outcomes. Previous stages might be revisited depending upon the results.
The Raleigh House
The Raleigh House has provided dedicated treatment for addiction and co-occurring disorders for more than a decade. We are proud to work with some of the most respected mental health and addiction specialists in the field and provide clients with a suite of psychological services that support long-term wellness.
If your substance use has compromised your relationships, career, or health, please don’t hesitate to connect with the compassionate professionals at The Raleigh House. When you’re ready to heal, we’re prepared to help.