EMDR therapy is becoming a preferred intervention for many mental and emotional disorders today. Treatment for mental health issues is a constantly changing landscape. Psychological 
research often provides exciting results from emerging therapies and treatment protocols, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) is one of those therapies. Find out how EMDR therapy may be able to help your teen with a variety of emotional and mental challenges.
What Is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy?
EMDR is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been proven effective for the treatment of trauma and other psychological conditions. EMDR incorporates elements of many different treatment approaches to help relieve psychological stress. It is an information processing modality that uses an eight-phase approach to address past experiences that have laid the groundwork for PTSD and trauma. It also addresses current situations that can trigger dysfunctional emotions, beliefs and sensations, and introduces positive experiences that help restore appropriate, adaptive behaviors and mental stability.
Other Applications of EMDR Therapy
Today, psychologists know that EMDR isn’t just for people with PTSD or significant trauma. It can often help with difficult life events or transitions, and help teenagers manage emotions that they are struggling with on their own. If your teen often feels annoyed, angry or bored, isolates herself from others or feels that she isn’t good enough, EMDR therapy may be the answer. If she often has nightmares, a hard time falling asleep and/or staying asleep and tends to keep emotions inside, this approach can help establish effective coping therapies. If your daughter uses drugs and alcohol to escape from uncomfortable feelings, EMDR can help there as well.
How EMDR Works
During EMDR therapy, the client is directed to move her eyes rapidly from side to side while thinking about the negative or traumatic event that is causing the problem. This therapy is designed to replicate the experience of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. REM sleep is the stage during which dreams occur, known by scientists as a process for releasing stressors, tension and memories that have become emotionally problematic.
EMDR therapists are trained to provide a gentle, guided experience and to help your child process the trauma or underlying issue. EMDR essentially helps your teen’s brain to organize thoughts linked to traumatic events or feelings and then put the pieces together in a logical, non-traumatic manner. This makes the events that trigger bad feelings or behaviors less overwhelming, negating their ability to make your teen feel sad, angry or shameful, or to feel that she is not worthy. This in turn helps them to control their emotions more effectively to avoid excessive aggression or anger. Although EMDR does take a bit of time and effort, its documented track record for success makes it a popular therapeutic choice throughout the world today.
If you think your daughter might benefit from EMDR therapy, contact Havenwood Academy today for more information and to set up a consultation. Havenwood’s residential treatment programs include a variety of therapeutic approaches designed to address the mental and emotional challenges girls and young women face today. Contact them today to learn more about EMDR therapy.
Think Havenwood Might Be For You?
We encourage any visitors considering placing their daughter in treatment to fill out our online assessment as soon as possible. This two minute form will give our admissions team all the information needed to determine if your daughter is a good fit for our program.
Eric Allred was born and raised in Rigby, Idaho. He grew up on a family farm where he learned the value of work. He graduated from Rigby High School and attended Rick’s College, now known as BYU-Idaho. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Utah State University, received a master’s degree in organizational behavior and human relations from the University of Phoenix and a second master’s degree in marital and family therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. Eric has been involved in Rotary and was president of a local Rotary Club. He enjoys being with his family and doing outdoor activities such as fly fishing.
Chase was very fortunate to start in this industry as a struggling 17 year old kid looking for a mentor and something to be passionate about. Wilderness therapy was Chase’s first stop in this industry and was truly a transcendental experience for him. Chase has an enormous love for this line of work and the power that it has in creating change in everyone involved. Chase’s biggest belief is the power a mentor, strong, healthy relationships, and accountability can have on anyone, especially youth. Taking a very relational approach to his work, Chase has always been very relatable to the students he works with. Being able to understand and relate to a vast variety of the same struggles as a lot of the students he works with has been able to help him continue to grow, learn, and teach. Chase believes that with great rapport and trust, he can use his experience to continue to coach and train new staff, and has the ability to find those staff with the passion for this industry, and help them grow. His love and passion can be felt the moment you talk with Chase about this industry and he passes that on to others he works with. In his spare time you will find Chase cheering for the Eagles, Yankees, and Mavericks, hanging out with his brother, learning more about Eastern Psychology, and continuing to grow and learn.