Eye-movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one of the most effective and highly-researched treatments for addressing the symptoms associated with trauma and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is a structured therapy that encourages you to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously doing specific eye movements. This approach activates the areas of the brain involved in processing traumatic events. The therapist will then guide you to settling the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue and allow the brain to start its natural healing process.
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-oriented therapeutic model for healing trauma and other stress disorders. It is based on an intersection of physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, indigenous healing practices, and medical biophysics and has been clinically applied for more than four decades. The energy and chemicals our bodies produce in order to survive traumatic events, commonly known as fight, flight, or freeze, are overwhelming to our minds and bodies. When not properly processed or completed, the energy gets stored, or “stuck,” our bodies. SE is therefore a “body first” approach to healing. SE works to slowly and gently release this stored energy and turn off this threat alarm that causes dysregulation and dissociation and restore your ability to function with resilience and ease.