EMDR works just like how REM sleep works. Why Is REM Sleep Important? All sleep is important, but REM sleep in particular plays an important role in dreaming, memory, emotional processing, and healthy brain development.
What is EMDR?
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a psychotherapy approach used to treat various mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and addiction. It's an evidence-based therapy that is well-recognized by mental health professionals.
The process involves a trained therapist who guides you through a series of eye movements while you recall a traumatic event or any distressing situation you experienced. This movement desensitizes your brain from negative emotions, memories, and beliefs linked to the traumatic event, thus decreasing their power and impact on a person’s life.
As the eye movements continue, the therapist may ask you to process any related feelings, thoughts, and sensations. Eventually, your therapist will lead you to positive and comforting thoughts and feelings to reprogram your brain's neural network in a much more adaptive way.
The use of eye movement (or tapping/tactile/auditory) stimulation sets this treatment approach apart from traditional talk therapies. Although it sounds odd, studies have found that EMDR helps reduce emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms by creating positive neural networks that counter negative emotions. EMDR has a success rate of around 80%, making it a popular and effective form of psychotherapy.
Overall, EMDR is a safe, non-invasive treatment approach that aims to decrease emotional distress and negative feelings associated with a traumatic event. If you're interested in exploring EMDR, talk to a licensed mental health professional or contact us at Long Island EMDR!
EMDR can be used to treat mental health issues including:
- Panic attacks
- Complicated grief
- Dissociative disorders
- Disturbing memories
- Phobias
- Pain disorders
- Performance anxiety
- Stress reduction
- Addictions
- Sexual and/or Physical abuse
- Body dysmorphic disorders
- Personality Disorders
Step Into Lasting Healing:
Ready to make lasting change and trust yourself? Intensive EMDR therapy with Long Island EMDR will unlock your hidden potential and discover true healing for the future.
How exactly does EMDR work?
EMDR has been shown to have a direct effect on the way the brain processes information. This can be very beneficial to a person who has experienced trauma that resulted in their brain not being able to appropriately process that trauma and/or triggers associated.
Most times, people end up becoming “stuck” in their minds, experiencing the trauma, and any triggers relating to it (i.e. the sounds, smells and images) over and over again. This, in turn, affects how they see the world around them, relate to other people, and respond to different situations.
After a successful EMDR session, the brain can once again process information normally, and the person no longer relives the trauma. While they still remember the event or experience happened, they are not physically, mentally or emotionally disturbed by it anymore.
EMDR Intensives – What are they? What will be addressed?
EMDR Intensives are a flexible form of therapy to help you reach your goals quickly and effectively. They are personalized treatment plans that focus on specific treatment goals, and can be used to help un-stick emotions and body sensations that don't make cognitive sense. Not only is this a great resource to help heal from trauma, it also serves to improve performance in business, athletics, relationships, parenting, and self-care!
During 2 days of EMDR intensive sessions we can often address:
- Very specific traumatic events
- Recent traumatic events (within the past 6 months)
- Other significant events that currently cause you distress.
- Accelerated resourcing and coping skills development
During a 3-4 days of EMDR intensive sessions we can often address:
- More extensive or persistent traumatic events
- Complex trauma
- Negative cognitions / beliefs
Benefits of EMDR Intensives
• Rapid Treatment - Reach the finish line sooner with our intensive EMDR Therapy. Our short-term condensed approach shows equal progress compared to standard weekly therapy.
• Budget-friendly - Get more value out of your time and money by choosing our intensive EMDR Therapy sessions. You pay one larger upfront cost and experience a shorter treatment duration.
• No Waiting List - Be seen quickly! Shorten your wait time and get back on track faster by opting for our intensive EMDR Therapy treatment instead of standard weekly sessions.
• Minimize Distraction - Quickly put trauma behind you without missing work, or disrupting relationships, marriage, parenting and overall well-being.
• Single Trip Convenience - One trip to Long Island will enable you to quickly receive high quality treatment if you are out of town or out of state.
Research supports the effectiveness of EMDR Intensives!
Although EMDR intensive treatment is relatively new in the field, research has shown this approach to be well tolerated, safe, and an effective, non-invasive way to address severe PTSD and complex trauma histories. Patients across the board have experienced relief and reduced risk for prematurely ending treatment. Feel free to check out some more research here, here and here.
Intensive trauma therapy treatment is also an economically valuable way to approach healing the root of trauma. The same healing can be done in a shorter time frame, essentially resulting in a more affordable way to get back to living your life without painful reminders or triggers. Here is some more research to read about here.
EMDR Intensive Rates:
EMDR Intensives are not covered by insurance as a billable service.
Payment for the 90 minute intake, and 30 minute follow up are due upon booking. The longer, intensive sessions are due at the start of each session. A credit card on file is required and there is a strict no show or late cancellation policy.
Typical billing for EMDR intensives is as follows:
1) Psychotherapy Intake Assessment (90 minutes ) $400
2) EMDR intensive ½ day sessions (3 hours/day) $900/session. Full day sessions (6 hours total/day) $1800/session.
3) Follow up psychotherapy session a month after completing EMDR intensives (45 minutes) $150
Financing Your EMDR Intensive Treatment
At Long Island EMDR, we want to make care accessible to everyone and we understand paying upfront for intensive treatment may be out of reach for many New Yorkers. That is why we enrolled with Care Credit to provide financing options to our clients in order to increase their access to care.
Accelerate Change
After completing the screening questions, if it looks like you may be a good candidate for EMDR intensive programs, we will reach out to you by email to schedule an intake appointment and to answer any questions you may have.