EMDR Therapy in Plymouth, Devon
EMDR Therapy is best known for its effectiveness in treating psychological trauma and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), but it can also help with a range of mental health conditions in people of all ages.
EMDR is an evidence-based treatment, with extensive research studies showing it to be effective in helping people process traumatic and emotionally painful experiences.
Internationally recognised as an effective treatment for PTSD in adults and children, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one of the latest techniques used to treat traumatic events or experiences such as:
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Being involved in a car accident
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A near-death experience
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Witnessing a disturbing event
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Bullying
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Physical, emotional and sexual abuse
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Ongoing adverse events that occur over time
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Addictions
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Grief and loss
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Guilt and shame issues
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Phobias
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Relationship problems
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Self-confidence issues
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Stress
What are the benefits of EMDR Therapy?
Quick and Simple
EMDR therapy is growing because of its simplicity and because it can bring quick and lasting relief for conditions that were challenging and time-consuming to treat until recently. The speed at which change can occur during EMDR sessions counters the long-held idea that time is essential for psychological healing.
Reduces the harmful effects of the traumatic incident
After enough sessions of EMDR therapy, you should eventually be able to remember or talk about your painful and traumatic experiences without responding with an emotional reaction.
No need to talk about anything you don't want to
EMDR isn't like talk therapy, so you don't have to talk about bad memories if you don't want to. Instead of talking about the trauma in detail, you answer the therapist's questions, and they guide you from there.
I have completed EMDR training with EMDR Masterclass:
The training is accredited by the EMDR Europe Association and the EMDR Institute based in the USA. My trainer, Dr Michael Paterson OBE, is an EMDR Europe Accredited Senior Trainer who was specially selected and personally trained to the highest standard by Dr Francine Shapiro, the originator of EMDR Therapy.
Click to read more of my reviews on Google or my Testimonials page.
"EMDR was suggested to me years ago but waiting lists and my own fear of facing my dark memories prevented me moving forward. Then Anna was recommended to me and WOW! With only a few sessions I no longer have those intense emotions and physical feelings when I recall those events in my life.
It really has been a life changer and I have no doubt that I now have a inner peace which I have never experienced before. Anna is kind, professional and very supportive throughout. I will always be grateful for her part in helping me move forward. I wish I had done it sooner."
Anonymous client, May 2023
How does EMDR Therapy work?
The EMDR technique uses rapid eye movement (REM), which your brain uses whilst you're asleep to help it process daily emotional experiences. But sometimes, some experiences are so overwhelming that your memories are not stored correctly, and your memory of the event seems to become "stuck" so that it feels very intense and vivid.
This is where EMDR comes in. EMDR is thought to produce an advanced stage of REM processing. You naturally use this state of mind in REM sleep or during activities where you can enter a 'meditative state', such as running, jogging, or swimming.
EMDR's believed to work because eye movements prompt your brain to process information similarly to how it does during REM sleep. During EMDR, you remember the traumatic memories, which your brain will reprocess in a similar way to a dream, leading to a peaceful resolution.
After the session, your brain will resume standard processing, and you'll remember what happened and what was said, but it won't be as distressing due to the reprocessing.
What happens during an EMDR session?
During your EMDR sessions, we'll discuss the history of your problems and any fears and behaviours they're causing you now.
We'll practise some techniques to help you handle the emotions or feelings you may experience either during the session or afterwards, an important stage that helps with emotional self-regulation.
You'll be asked to think about the memory in question while paying attention to a light moving from side to side in your line of vision, or I may ask you to focus on sounds or tapping sensations moving from left to right.
This side-to-side motion is called bilateral stimulation and enhances memory processing. The most important thing is to find the way that you feel most comfortable with.
We will process the memory until you no longer feel the emotional charge or disturbance in your body related to the memory, and your brain and nervous system have completed the healing work they are capable of.
More information about EMDR and how it works can be found here: emdrassociation.org.uk/discover-emdr/the-basics
EMDR Case Studies from previous clients
"I went to see Anna as I had been experiencing a lot of anxiety in my life, which was preventing me from doing things and enjoying spending time with my family. I had been diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder following traumatic events during the pregnancy and birth of my son eight years ago.
I was spending a lot of time worrying about things that were unlikely to happen and found that when I or a family member became ill I experienced high levels of health anxiety, thinking that common illnesses were much more severe and needing to seek reassurance that they weren’t.
Anna suggested we try EMDR and we worked with a couple of memories from my pregnancy and birth. I noticed a significant difference over the following weeks. Both my son and I became ill with colds, and I was able to view this for what it was, without Googling to see if the symptoms could be something more sinister.
I no longer woke up in the middle of the night panicking about things that hadn’t happened. I was able to go to the Doctor’s surgery on my own for a flu jab without having to be taken there by others in a high state of anxiety, as had been the case the year before. I was also able to enjoy a night out and have a dance, something I hadn’t done in a very long time.
I can still remember what happened eight years ago, but it now feels like a distant memory, and I don’t feel the physical symptoms as if I’m going through it again. I still worry about things, but this feels like normal, everyday worries, rather than being in a constant state of anxiety where I’m waiting for the next bad thing to happen. Having EMDR therapy has definitely helped me to live a normal life again."
LW October 2022
"I had hit a really low point in my life following the breakdown of a long term friendship, that I came to realise had been extremely toxic and had a very negative impact on me and my family. I couldn’t help but blame myself for all the bad things that had happened in my life and felt that I was the reason that they continued to happen. A few days after trying to take my own life and seeing a psychiatrist in hospital I contacted Anna and booked a session.
As well as talking about what had brought me to such a low point we spent time talking about my childhood. I was only able to recall a few dark and painful memories including abuse, neglect, abandonment and addiction, but the detail and other memories were absent. Anna explained that this could be my brain’s attempt to cope with the emotional and psychological impact of the trauma. Anna suggested that we try some EMDR therapy to help reprocess the traumatic memories and make some sense of what had happened. After making sure that I had a safe and calm space to think about, if it became too much, we started with my image of a memory.
I was worried about going back to such a difficult and frightening time in my life, but Anna explained that it was like going on a train journey. We would start the journey with the memory and then after looking at the light bar I would see associated memories that would move past, like looking out the window of a train, I didn’t have to describe what I saw in detail or stop and talk about it, Anna kept the train moving. Although I saw some difficult and painful memories I also remembered more about my childhood, `I saw the house I grew up in, my pet rabbit, there were some happy times with my parents and grandmother and even the calming smell of being in my grandmother’s house. I came to realise that as a child I wasn’t responsible for what the adults around me did, it wasn’t my fault. I saw that there were times in my childhood when I was wanted and loved.
Life has been very different for me lately. I feel braver and have been able to try things I would have avoided before. I have made new friends and even applied for a job, which I got. I now work full time and earn my own money. I feel more confident and independent and that I am a positive role model for my young daughter. I have stopped worrying all the time and the little things that used to bother me don’t seem to take up my time anymore, I’m too busy living life and thinking about what to do next."
MN September 2022
If you're looking for EMDR Therapy in Plymouth, please get in touch with me below or call me on 07985 098825.
I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation with no obligation.
EMDR Therapy FAQ
Does EMDR work?
When your mental health problems have their roots in a distressing event, EMDR can be very effective very quickly, with studies showing that EMDR can significantly decrease PTSD symptoms in only two or three sessions.
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
As a rough guideline, two or three sessions may be sufficient to treat less complicated issues, with more sessions needed for more complex issues.
How long does EMDR therapy last?
Studies show that EMDR therapy's effects are long-lasting.
Is EMDR like Hypnosis?
EMDR isn't hypnosis but has been described as 'guided daydreaming' or like a 'lucid memory.'
How much does EMDR therapy cost?
I charge a fixed fee of £85 per hour for all therapies. This lets us use whatever intervention is most appropriate in the moment, without stopping mid-session to discuss fees.
In my experience, combining different approaches produces the best results, as it helps you use your full capacity by exploring emotions and developing solutions you may not have considered before.
EMDR Therapist in Plymouth
EMDR can offer many benefits, including giving you a new perspective and direction in life. I offer EMDR Therapy in conjunction with other therapies such as CBT Therapy in Plymouth, so I don’t generally have the same formal structure or a specific number of sessions.
As a qualified and experienced counsellor, I provide a safe, confidential and welcoming space for therapy sessions. Please feel free to contact me to learn more about my services.
