Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Process Past Trauma and Move Forward with Your Life

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a comprehensive psychotherapy specifically designed to help people who have experienced traumatic or upsetting events or who have symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It’s based on the idea that traumatic memories can be stored in the brain differently from all other memories, making it difficult for us to process and integrate them.

EMDR Therapy uses bilateral stimulation to combat this. This involves stimulating either side of your brain in an alternating left-right fashion to help you access your subconscious mind so you can process and integrate the painful memories stored there.

Bilateral stimulation can be achieved through a series of eye movements, listening to sounds in headphones that alternate from one ear to the other, or by tapping either side of your body. This process is also thought to reduce the intensity and emotional distress associated with traumatic memories.

What Can EMDR Help With?

In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR Therapy has an emerging evidence base showing it to be an effective treatment for a wide range of other common mental health problems including:

Anxiety disorders
Depression
Phobias

Grief
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Addictions

What To Expect?

EMDR Therapy has eight phases. Each session will look a little different depending on where you’re up to.

We’ll start by conducting a full history of your current symptoms and past experiences. This will help us identify a ‘target’ memory on which to focus as well as your hopes and goals for the future in relation to this target.

Following this, we’ll work together to identify coping strategies and resources to help you self-soothe during and between sessions. This kind of preparation is essential to ensure EMDR Therapy is effective. We’ll then work on processing and integrating your target memory.

It’s vital all sessions are closed safely to ensure you feel comfortable and at ease afterwards. This might involve using some of the coping strategies we identified earlier.

At the beginning of each new session, we’ll discuss anything that’s come up since we last met, as well as your most recently processed memory and whether the associated distress is still low. This helps us track your progress and determine whether reprocessing is complete.

Sessions usually last 60-minutes, but I also offer extended 90-minute sessions. The number of sessions needed varies from one person to the next, depending on their individual circumstances. All courses of therapy will be tailored to meet your specific needs. I’ll be able to advise you more accurately following your initial assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions - EMDR

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR Therapy is a psychotherapy treatment specifically designed to help people who have experienced traumatic or upsetting events or who have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is based on the idea that traumatic memories can be stored differently in the brain from all our other memories, making it difficult for us to process and integrate them.

During EMDR Therapy, your therapist will guide you through a series of eye movements, tapping or other form of bilateral stimulation while you focus on a traumatic memory or image. This is thought to help the brain process and integrate the memory, reducing its intensity and the emotional distress associated with it.

Is EMDR like hypnotherapy?

No, you are fully alert and in control throughout. We will agree a ‘stop’ signal before engaging in desensitisation so it can be ended at any time.

What can EMDR Therapy help with?

In addition to trauma and PTSD, EMDR Therapy has an emerging evidence base showing it can be an effective treatment for a wide range of other common mental health problems including anxiety disorders, depression, grief, phobias and addiction.

What clinical supervision services do you provide?

I am an accredited clinical supervisor with the BABCP. I have considerable experience supervising both trainee and qualified Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapists. My work as Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Chester allows me to continue refining these skills.

I’m also an EMDR Europe Consultant and can assist you in developing and enhancing your skills.
I am eligible to supervise EMDR practitioners through your own journey towards EMDR practitioner accreditation.

Do you offer in-person sessions?

Yes. Currently, sessions are available at our lovely therapy space in Liverpool, or remotely via Zoom.

How much do sessions cost?

CBT (50-60 minutes) £90
EMDR (60 minutes) £90
EMDR (90 minutes) £135

How and when do I pay for a session?

To secure your appointment, sessions are payable via bank transfer (BACS) at least 48 hours in advance. If payment is not received in advance of the session, with regret, I cannot hold your preferred time slot and your appointment will be cancelled.

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Start your healing journey today. Process past trauma and move forward with your life.

EMDR starts from £90 for a 60-minute session. My services are currently available in-person or are delivered remotely via Zoom. There’s a wealth of research that shows online therapy is just as effective, and I’ve been successfully delivering EMDR in this way for several years now.

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Receive the support and encouragement you need to thrive and succeed. Ask a question, make an enquiry or book an appointment today – I’d love to hear from you.

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