What is EMDR Therapy in Fort Worth Texas?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.  EMDR aids in helping individuals overcome traumatic experiences.  This is a type of therapy utilized to help clients process difficult and traumatic memories. Specific eye movements are guided by a clinician’s hands as the client recalls troubling past events.  However, devices such as tappers, pulsers, and buzzers can also be used to stimulate bilateral eye movements.

EMDR is most commonly understood to help with PTSD. However, it can also be applied to help with other conditions such as:

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Phobias

  • Grief & Loss

EMDR Therapy in Fort Worth, Texas

For those interested in exploring EMDR therapy, please feel free to contact one of our EMDR trained therapists or call our office for more information.

African American female looking down at the city from the rooftop of building

Close up of a female brown eye

EMDR Therapy in

Fort Worth, Texas

THE EIGHT PHASES OF EMDR THERAPY

1.       History Taking and Treatment Planning: Your therapist gathers your personal history and identifies the target memories to be processed. This helps your therapist determine the best treatment plan for you.

2.      Preparation: Your therapist educates you about the EMDR process and provides tools, such as relaxation and grounding techniques, to help you manage distress during and after counseling sessions.

3.      Assessment: During this phase, you identify specific traumatic memories and share the negative beliefs associated with those memories. Your therapist helps you formulate a positive belief that you would like to adopt in place of the negative one.

4.      Desensitization: This is where the eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation come into play. You are asked to focus on the traumatic memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation. This process helps reduce the emotional charge associated with the memory.

5.      Installation: Your therapist helps you reinforce positive beliefs related to the traumatic memory. The goal is to integrate these positive beliefs into your self-concept and worldview.

6.      Body Scan: You are guided to focus on any residual physical tension related to the memory. This phase aims to address any somatic distress that remains.

7.      Closure: Your therapist helps you return to a state of equilibrium, ensuring you are grounded and stable before leaving the session. You may also be given techniques to use between counseling sessions.

8.      Reevaluation: In the final phase, you and your therapist review the progress and assess the effectiveness of the previous work. Any remaining distress or new issues are addressed as needed.


Our EMDR Trained Therapists