EMDR, ETT and Experiential Services
Transforming emotional distress into healing and peace.
Trauma is something that affects us all, whether we’re aware of it or not. It’s a part of life, and no one is immune to it.
Whether you’ve experienced trauma or not, chances are you know someone who has. You might have even had to help them deal with it. Whether it’s an unexpected event, a dysfunctional family system, or something else altogether, trauma can be incredibly painful and difficult to deal with on your own.
Trauma treatment is an important part of healing from any kind of trauma—whether you’ve experienced it yourself or are helping someone else through it. Trauma treatment is focused on helping people work through their pain, learn how to process their emotions, body sensations, and find ways they can move forward in their lives after living through something traumatic.
There is no one-size-fits all approach for trauma treatment; each person will have different needs based on their situation and experiences. However, there are some commonalities in the types of trauma that people experience and how they respond afterwards. To better assist you, in the following sections we will discuss some of the most common types of trauma, and how trauma treatment can help.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR, or Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a trauma therapy that can be used to help treat a array of symptoms, including but not limited to, trauma, anxiety, low self-esteem, addiction, OCD, depression, phobias and more. As trauma therapists, we understand that trauma experiences can make you feel stuck and make the body as if the trauma is still happening. Through a safe and mindful space, our trauma therapists are able to utilize EMDR to process your trauma. Through the use of bilateral stimulation, the client is able to identify and resolve negative beliefs, body sensations, thoughts, or feelings that occur due to traumatic exposure. We know that trauma can change the ways in which we view and experience the world and our EMDR therapists can help you restore a sense of safety in your mind and body. If you are struggling with traumatic memories, complex trauma, negative life experiences, emotional distress or difficulties like anxiety, depression, PTSD, or panic, EMDR might be right for you. EMDR is proven to be safe for children, adolescents and adults.
ETT (Emotional Transformation Therapy)
ETT is a form of therapy that incorporates eye movements, light, and color to transform emotional distress and related pain into a positive emotional state. ETT is the ultimate body oriented form of psychotherapy because it can rapidly access emotions lodged in physical symptoms, produce new awareness and resolve emotional disturbances rapidly. ETT is an attachment based trauma therapy in that each person has characteristic patterns of regulating emotions and relationships that developed in early bonding. By adapting interpersonal responses that are individualized to each person in counseling, the healing process is substantially enhanced.
Experiential Therapies
Experiential therapy involves actions, activities, and role-plays that identify and address subconscious traumatic memories. This practice takes clients out of a traditional clinical setting, encouraging them to be present and let their guard down, and promoting open dialogue to heal from the effects of trauma.
During experiential healing, clients can experience success, identify obstacles, increase self-esteem, and claim responsibility for their actions. Group therapy offers the opportunity to build trust, work as a team, experience a sense of belonging, and ask for help. These exercises allow clients to address their emotions, and clinicians can help their clients understand their trauma triggers—decisions, actions, and reactions.
Clients can also learn healthier coping skills. Trauma can engross people in negative thoughts, leading them to believe that they can no longer find happiness in recreational activities. Experiential therapy can help clients reprogram how their brain reacts to positive stimuli. Some forms of experiential therapy include equine therapy, creative expression, music, and psychodrama..
In psychodrama, we reverse roles to understand what it’s like to see ourselves from the other’s point of view. We also talk from the role of our child self back to our adult self. We put ourselves in the shoes of those we’ve given the power to, experiencing their humanity with our own. The client spontaneously warms up to their story with all of the emotion, action, and nuance associated with it.
What Clients Are Saying…
“My EMDR experience was one of growth and healing. Sherry provided a safe place to process, feel, and hurt, and to grieve trauma that had unknowingly impacted me for more than 20 years. I had pain from my younger years that caused me to respond to everyday situations with fear and anxiety. Once Sherry helped me uncover those, we processed them through EMDR and the pain that used to have such triggering effects-does not cause the same spiraling anymore-it’s a newfound experience to look back on pain with calmness, assurance, and hope for what’s ahead. EMDR brought deep healing and changed everything for me.”
-K