Online EMDR Therapy in Ontario

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is a form of therapy utilizing Bilateral Stimulation (BLS), usually in the form of eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones in order to accelerate the brain’s capacity to process and heal a troubling memory, thought, feeling, phobia, etc.

BLS stimulates the same eye movements which occur during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. It causes two parts of the brain to work in conjunction in order to reintegrate a memory.

EMDR Therapy is effective in alleviating trauma-related symptoms, whether the traumatic event occurred many years ago or yesterday. Some clients can experience relief or positive effects in just a few sessions and others need more sessions.

Research has demonstrated that EMDR is effective for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress, phobias, panic attacks, anxiety disorders, stress, sexual and physical abuse, disturbing memories, complicated grief, and chronic pain.

What are the possible benefits of EMDR Therapy?

1. The memory or event is remembered, but the painful emotions and physical sensations, disturbing images and thoughts are no longer present.
2. EMDR helps the brain reintegrate the memory or event and store it in a more appropriate place in the brain. The client’s own brain reintegrates the memory or event and does the healing.
3. New ways of viewing yourself and the world that is more adaptive and in line with your authentic self.

Common side effects of online EMDR Therapy

Distressing unresolved memories may be brought to the surface through the use of EMDR Therapy. You may experience this memory somatically, emotionally, and mentally, and that can be dysregulating.

Some clients experience reactions during the treatment sessions that neither they nor the administering clinician may have anticipated including, but not limited to, high levels of emotional or physical sensations, the processing of incidents and/or material may continue, and dreams, memories, flashbacks, feelings etc., may surface.

Reprocessing a memory or event may bring up associated memories, which is normal, and those associated memories will also be reprocessed. This normally continues after the end of the formal therapy session.

Nightmares are very common as a side effect from EMDR, and they can be utilized by processing one of those memories in the next online EMDR session.
Other memories, flashbacks, feelings, and sensations may occur, and you may have dreams associated with the memory. Frequently the brain is able to process these additional memories without help, but arrangements for assistance will be made in a timely manner if the client is unable to cope.

Special Considerations

Those with limiting or special medical conditions (pregnancy, heart condition, ocular difficulties, etc.) should consult their medical professionals before participating in EMDR Therapy. For some people, EMDR may result in sharper memory — for others, fuzzier memory following the online EMDR treatment. If you are involved in a legal case and need to testify, please discuss this with your therapist.