EMDR therapy has proven successful in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by processing traumatic memories without the need to revisit and talk at length about their traumatic experience/s. The process of EMDR therapy is slow and methodical, where the therapist helps retrain the brain's responses related to the traumatic event.

EMDR therapy can also help with other mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, panic attacks and even addiction. Traditional therapies for mental health issues focus on teaching coping skills or talk therapy but EMDR therapy focuses on rewiring the brain through a series of bilateral stimulation that includes eye movements, hand taps or tones.

It uses an eight-phase treatment protocol that includes phases for preparation, history taking and assessment; education about post traumatic stress disorder; imaginal exposure; body scan; grounding/reality orientation; installation of adaptive information (self-help skills); and closure.
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Organisations, such as the American Psychiatric Association, the Department of Defence and the World Health Organisation have conducted numerous studies into EMDR therapy and it is accepted as one of the most effective trauma-focused treatments for treating trauma and other distressing events.

The goal of EMDR therapy is to assist the client to overcome the effects of a traumatic event or past traumatic experiences. This involves a set of standardised procedures that incorporates elements from a variety of treatment techniques and has helped millions of people from all walks of life overcome psychological trauma.

During EMDR therapy, the client focuses on what is distressing them while they receive bilateral stimulation or input that has nothing to do with those memories. For example, if someone was sexually abused as a child, they might be asked to tap their fingers in time to a specific rhythm while thinking about these traumatic memories.

​The bilateral stimulation acts to help the brain to integrate these memories.

When post traumatic stress disorder is triggered, it can be debilitating to everyday life for many people. Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms are often very distressing and difficult to overcome, but treatment options, such as EMDR can help to alleviate some of these symptoms in the short term.

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing as a treatment for post traumatic stress disorder

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing was developed by Francine Shapiro to treat traumatic memories and experiences. This multisensory input from EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they lose their emotional impact and can be integrated into the person's life without causing them the distress commonly associated with post traumatic stress disorder.

The traumatic symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder include flashbacks, nightmares, exaggerated startle reflex, hypervigilant and a range of other physical sensations.

When a person suffering from post traumatic stress disorder undergoes a successful course of EMDR treatment, they should be able to recover from these unpleasant and often debilitating symptoms enabling them to: 

• Have better control of their PTSD symptoms
• Experience reduced anxiety symptoms
• Improve the quality of their everyday life
• Be able to move on from painful and traumatic memories
• Experience better mental health and an improved sense of self.

EMDR therapy relieves affective distress, reformulates negative beliefs, and reduces physiological arousal.
This takes place as the client engages in brief sequential doses of emotionally troubling material while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus during EMDR therapy.

Who can benefit from EMDR therapy?
 Standard benefits:

• EMDR therapy is less expensive than traditional talk therapy.
• EMDR therapy can be done in a shorter amount of time.

Emotional benefits:

• Decreased or eliminated negative emotions
• Redirected thinking / new perspectives on the traumatic events
• Feelings of hope and self-empowerment

Physical benefits:

• Reduction in physical symptoms

Sensory benefits:

• Normalisation of sensory experiences (sound, sight, etc.)

Cognitive benefits:

• Greater focus
• Integration of past events into the present
• Improved memory recall / new perspectives on traumatic memories

Behavioural benefits:

• Ability to feel comfortable in one's own skin

Additional benefits:

• Better relationships
• Improved sleep
• Improved concentration
• Less daily stress.

During EMDR therapy sessions, clients are greeted by a highly trained and knowledgeable practitioner. The sessions are always designed to meet the needs of each individual client. EMDR is comprehensive and includes an eight-phase treatment approach with a treatment focus on past, present and future experiences. The therapist is there to help create a safe, comfortable, and relaxed environment where clients can express themselves freely throughout their treatment.

EMDR therapy is more than just trauma treatment
EMDR therapy is generally known as an effective treatment for post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, trauma and other mental health conditions, but it has also been used effectively in the treatment of other conditions, including addiction. Using EMDR therapy for addictions can help overcome cravings and desires to use illicit substances or engage in certain addictive behaviours.

It can also help people who are trying to recover from drug overdoses or withdrawal symptoms caused by detoxing.
If you would like to learn more about eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing treatment for post traumatic stress disorder, or another mental health condition visit HERE

To book your appointment for EMDR therapy
or call us on 0434 415 575 or click the button below. 

Anxiety can cause chronic stress and comes from many diverse sources, such as work stress or traumatic life events. Anxiety often leads to physical symptoms such as headaches, tightness in the upper chest, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, muscle tension and sleep problems. Therefore, it is important to recognise and decrease anxiety to avoid these, often debilitating, symptoms. ​

Anxiety is a stress response that triggers your brain to be on high alert and become hyperactive in response to potential dangers. When your brain and nervous system experience anxiety on a regular basis, your amygdala grows larger. The amygdala is a tiny almond-shaped structure located in the limbic system, the part of your brain that manages emotions and moods. The amygdala is the brain's lookout, always on the lookout for threats. When the amygdala detects a potential hazard, it sends signals to the hypothalamus, which activates a fight-or-flight response. In an anxious mind, this triggers a person to have anxious thoughts and 'feel anxious'.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
GAD is characterised by excessive anxiety for no discernible reason. GAD, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), affects approximately 6.8 million Americans each year.When you have a moderate case, you should be able to go about your regular daily routines without difficulty. Severe cases of GAD will have a significant impact on a person's life.


Social anxiety disorder
Social anxiety disorder is an intense, chronic dread of social situations and being judged or humiliated by others. This severe social phobia makes one feel embarrassed and alone. According to the ADAA, 15 million US adults suffer from a social anxiety disorder. The typical age of onset is around 13 years old. More than a third of persons with a social anxiety disorder have experienced their symptoms for over 10 years.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
After witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event, a person can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms might appear immediately or take years to appear. War, natural catastrophes, and physical assaults are some of the most common causes. PTSD episodes can be triggered without notice.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
A person with OCD may feel a strong urge to repeat particular behaviours (compulsions) excessively or have intrusive and unwanted thoughts or obsessions that cause distress. Common compulsions include excessive hand-washing, counting and checking something, fear of contamination, hostile urges, and a need for symmetry.
Phobias
Some examples of phobias include a fear of the dark, skin irritation from bright light, fear of being alone, fear of heights, fear of flying, fear of spiders or snakes and fear of needles is another example. A person with a phobia will have a strong urge to avoid the feared thing or situation or feel an intense feeling of discomfort when confronted with it.
Panic disorder
A person with a panic disorder may experience a panic attack, which is an extreme stress response that causes a sense of impending doom such as a fear of dying or loss of control, especially if it is linked to a specific event or situation. The physical symptoms associated with panic disorder can include heart palpitations and chest tightness, sweating or chills, shortness of breath and trembling. These episodes can strike at any moment. Panic disorder is sometimes accompanied by another type of anxiety disorder called agoraphobia, which is an extreme or irrational fear of leaving one's home, entering open or crowded places or being somewhere that is difficult to escape from.

The significant players in anxiety disorders include norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid in the central nervous system. The autonomic nervous system indirectly controls the sympathetic nervous system for autonomic failure. As stated above, anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry, and unease. However, anxiety can be helpful for some people who experience these feelings as a response to an impending challenge, such as before taking a test or exam, going to a job interview or on a first date. Anxiety can also signal that something dangerous might happen and encourage the person to take precautions, such prepare for extreme weather even or ensuring safety.
Anxiety becomes problematic when it lasts too long, is too intense, or includes physical symptoms besides fear.

Anxiety results from an imbalance between the sympathetic nervous system (which is responsible for mobilising the body in response to stress or threat) and the parasympathetic nervous system (which is responsible for calming the body). Some of the major ways in which anxiety can affect your physical health are through its effects on digestion, the immune system, the heart, hormone levels and blood pressure (Yaribeygi, Panahi, Sahraei, Johnston & Sahebkar, 2017). Symptom severity changes when stress levels become excessive and anxiety levels increase, it may help you cope less efficiently. Panic attacks show signs of intense anxiety. Brain maps display high beta brain waves on the right brain lobe. Anxiety causes overwhelming hyperactivity, and it is harder to reason. ​

Research shows there are many ways to calm your central nervous system and elicit a relaxation response to improve your mental well being and control your anxiety. These include stress management techniques you can incorporate into your daily life and include:

1. Acknowledging your anxious thoughts is a powerful first step to calming yourself because it enables you to take action in one or more of the following ways.
2. Relaxation techniques enable you to slow down your body and brain by focusing on deep breathing exercises or meditation. It can also include creative visualisation or hypnosis.
3. Psychotherapy, which includes cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), helps you identify negative thoughts associated with your anxiety and replace them with positive thoughts.
4. Yoga, which helps you meditate while focusing solely on taking regular breaths. Yoga is a technique that has proven successful in reducing stress levels for those suffering from anxiety.
5. Regular physical exercise takes you out of your head and into your body, increasing self-confidence, improving mood, inducing a relaxation response, and improving sleep.
6. Mindfulness, which is a therapeutic technique whereby a calm mental state is achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations and helping you to feel peaceful.
7. Herbal remedies can help to calm a person suffering from anxiety. These include: ashwagandha root extract, chamomile flower extract, valerian, lavender, galphimia glauca, passionflower.
8. A GP or psychiatrist can provide medical advice on chemical treatments for anxiety, which include medications focused on serotonin production like serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.
9. Photobiomodulation laser therapy involves shining infrared and near-infrared light onto targeted areas of the body, which then helps to stimulate, protect, repair and energise the body at a cellular level.
10. Eye movement desensitisation reprocessing (EMDR), which involves the rapid movement of a client’s eyes, taxing their working memory and enabling them to reprogram their brain. This in turn alleviates and even extinguishes the continuing effects of painful thoughts and memories. As well as visual bilateral stimulation, EMDR can also use tactile and auditory stimulation. This therapeutic modality can be beneficial to clients who struggle to talk about their suffering. 

This blog is for those interested in eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, who wish to use cutting edge methods to relax their bodies. Auricular techniques activate the same mechanisms, which help with associative memory recall, through EMDR and restoration of dual attention, bypassing any requirement for cognitive involvement (e.g., prefrontal cortex).

The most valuable tool required for this technique, and one that every client has easy access to, is their ears.

The client's brain maps their somatic and emotional experiences onto the ear.

EMDR practitioners can read the client’s ear and gain access to their somatic and emotional experiences.

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing is a one-of-a-kind therapy that is particularly successful in the treatment of trauma. It can, however, help with other mental health problems including:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD)
• Substance abuse and addictions
• Confidence concerns
• Somatic and psychological symptoms
• Relationship issues
• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Phobias
• Chronic grief
• ​Chronic pain​

How does eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing work?
The goal of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing is to assist people with post-traumatic stress disorder by helping them re-experience past events without the associated emotional or physical distress. In these cases, the use of EMDR improves their mental health dramatically.

As the person focuses on a traumatic event, EMDR bypasses the trauma memory's stored neural circuit by activating an alternative circuit through lateral eye movements. This activation of new neural circuits interrupts the out-of-control nerve impulses that maintain anxious or fearful thoughts.

Auricular techniques, as adjunctive therapy for EMDR, are used to activate the same mechanisms, shown to help with associative memory recall, through EMDR and restoration of dual attention, bypassing any requirement for cognitive (e.g., prefrontal cortex) involvement.

Shannon Bowman is director of Create Balance Psychotherapy and Counselling and leads neuro-auricular methods for EMDR at his practice in Geelong West.
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He has partnered with the Canadian Institute of Auricular Medicine (CIAM) to enhance this dynamic and highly effective treatment for mental health conditions. Shannon's passion is finding solutions to mental health problems through novel, innovative, complementary, and alternative medicine.