EMDR

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Some memories stay with us in a calm, manageable way. We can recall them, think about them, and move on.

But others don’t sit so quietly. They might replay unexpectedly, flood us with emotion, or leave us feeling as though we’re reliving the moment all over again. Sometimes these memories also shape painful beliefs about ourselves, like “I’m not safe” or “It was my fault,” even when we know, logically, that they’re not true.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy helps people process and heal from these kinds of memories. Backed by more than 30 years of research, EMDR is highly effective in reducing distress connected to trauma and other overwhelming life experiences. It can help with both major events such as accidents, assaults, or loss, and smaller but still painful moments like conflict, bullying, or rejection that have stayed with you.

How EMDR works

Our minds are naturally designed to process difficult experiences. But sometimes trauma causes that system to get “stuck,” leaving certain memories unprocessed. This can lead to ongoing distress, intrusive thoughts, or negative self-beliefs. EMDR helps to “unstick” those memories so they can be stored in a healthier way.

During EMDR, your therapist guides you to focus on the memory while gently shifting your attention from side to side using eye movements, tapping, or sounds. This process helps your brain reprocess the memory, reducing its emotional intensity and allowing you to feel safer and more grounded when you think about it.

What to expect in a session

Before working with specific memories, we start with gentle preparation exercises to help you build inner stability and resilience. These are like warm-up activities that make it easier to manage emotions during the deeper work. When we do move into a memory, you’ll only need to stay with the distress for a short time before we begin to desensitise it. Many people find this process brings relief surprisingly quickly, often alongside new, more compassionate ways of seeing themselves.

Lasting change

For most people, the changes from EMDR are lasting. The memory remains, but the emotional charge that once came with it fades. EMDR can also help with anxiety, OCD, or fear about future events by reducing emotional overwhelm and helping you feel calmer and more confident.

At Collective Hope Therapy Epping, EMDR is one of the ways we support people to process the past and move forward with more peace, self-trust, and ease in daily life.

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