For many, traditional talk therapy feels like running on a treadmill: you’re moving, you’re sweating, and you’re talking about the scenery, but you aren’t actually getting anywhere new. If you have ever felt like you “know” you should be over a past event intellectually, but your body still reacts as if the danger is present, you are experiencing the physiological “stuckness” of trauma. At Restored Wellness, we utilise Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) to bridge the gap between what your mind knows and what your nervous system feels.
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a structured, evidence-based psychotherapy originally developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. Unlike traditional therapies that focus on changing the thoughts, emotions, or behaviours resulting from traumatic events, EMDR focuses directly on the memory itself. The goal is not to make you forget what happened. Instead, EMDR changes how that memory is stored in your brain. It transforms a “hot,” distressing memory into a “cold,” neutral one, allowing you to remember the past without being hijacked by it in the present.
The Neurobiology: How the Brain “Sticks”
To understand how EMDR works, we must understand how the brain processes information. Under normal circumstances, your brain processes experiences and files them away in long-term memory. However, when an event is overwhelming (due to trauma, chronic stress or sudden loss), the amygdala (the brain’s alarm system) goes into overdrive. This “flooding” prevents the hippocampus (the librarian) from properly filing the memory.
As a result, the memory remains “unprocessed,” stuck in a raw, emotional state. When a present-day event triggers that memory, you don’t just remember the past; you relive it. This is why you might experience a racing heart, cold sweats or a sense of panic years after the original event has ended.
How EMDR “Unlocks” the Healing Process
EMDR uses a technique called Bilateral Stimulation (BLS), typically guided eye movements, hand taps or auditory tones that alternate between the left and right sides of the body.
• Adaptive Information Processing (AIP): The core philosophy of EMDR is the Adaptive Information Processing model. This model posits that your brain has an innate, physical drive toward health. Just as your skin heals a physical wound if the debris is removed, your brain will heal an emotional wound if the “debris” of the traumatic memory is processed. BLS serves as the catalyst for this processing.
• Dual Awareness: During EMDR, you keep one foot in the present (staying grounded in the room with your therapist) and one foot in the past (observing the memory). The bilateral stimulation keeps the analytical and emotional sides of your brain communicating.
• A Natural State: This rhythmic stimulation mimics REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement), the stage where your brain naturally processes the day’s events and emotional stressors. By replicating this state while awake, EMDR allows the brain to finally “digest” the stuck memory.
EMDR Support for Modern Recovery
While EMDR is highly regarded for its evidence in addressing PTSD, its applications have expanded. At Restored Wellness, we find that EMDR can support recovery in the following areas:
• Performance anxiety and “creative blocks”.
• Phobias and panic disorders.
• Complicated grief and relational trauma.
• Chronic pain is linked to stress and the nervous system.
The Restored Wellness Approach: EMDR + Naturopathy
We believe that for the brain to process trauma efficiently, the body must be supported biologically. This is why our Integrated Packages often combine EMDR with naturopathic care and acupuncture. When your nervous system is nourished and your inflammation is low, the “rewiring” that happens during EMDR can be deeper and more sustainable.