EMDR and Parts Work
EMDR
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is an evidence-based treatment for trauma that uses a technique called bilateral stimulation to allow your brain and nervous system to "reprocess" traumatic memories so that they are no longer overwhelming and disturbing. EMDR does not require you to "tell the story" of your trauma, and it has become much more well-known in the last decade because of how powerful it can be. EMDR is helpful for treating trauma of all kinds, and it can bring great relief for those who are suffering acute mental, emotional, and even physical symptoms. In addition to EMDR in regular weekly therapy, Aura also offers EMDR Intensives.
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Resources to learn about EMDR:
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What is EMDR? Learn the basics
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What is an actual EMDR session like? Learn the 8 phases of treatment
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Introductory video about EMDR
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EMDR experts explain the benefits of EMDR
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EMDR patients share their stories
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An EMDR therapist shares her EMDR experience
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Research in support of EMDR effectiveness:
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Twenty-four randomized controlled trials support the positive effects of EMDR therapy in the treatment of emotional trauma and other adverse life experiences relevant to clinical practice.
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Seven of 10 studies reported EMDR therapy to be more rapid and/or more effective than trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.
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Twelve randomized studies of the eye movement component noted rapid decreases in negative emotions and/or vividness of disturbing images, with an additional 8 reporting a variety of other memory effects.
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Numerous other evaluations document that EMDR therapy provides relief from a variety of somatic complaints.
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Research and frequently asked questions about EMDR
Parts Work
Parts work is a way of working with the psyche and personality. It is a general term; there are various approaches to working with parts, such as Internal Family Systems, Ego State work, and Structural Dissociation. Parts work is often helpful for working with people with complex PTSD or early developmental trauma, but it can be effective in a wide variety of other situations as well. It is built around the understanding that we all have different parts of ourselves or aspects of our personality that show up in different situations. Sometimes these parts represent different roles we inhabit in our lives or different mood states we experience, and other times, they may feel even like distinct personalities or as if the "aren't really us." We love using parts work when it is a good fit for our clients, and we have witnessed powerful results from using this approach.