What Is EMDR Therapy and Can It Help Me? EMDR Therapy For Eating Disorders & Trauma in Rockville, Maryland

EMDR Therapy For Eating Disorders & Trauma in Rockville, Maryland

By: Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Trauma and Eating Disorder Therapist

Here at The Eating Disorder Center Center we offer EMDR therapy for eating disorders and trauma in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland.

​EMDR is one of the gold standards for the treatment of trauma and can lead to rapid and significant improvement when it comes to trauma symptoms. EMDR is a powerful treatment that is highly evidence based.

So what is EMDR therapy? EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.  Francine Shapiro coined the term EMDR therapy in the 1980s, specifically using eye movements to desensitize and reprocess past trauma.  Decades later, EMDR therapy has advanced to a treatment modality for trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, eating disorders, and other mental health disorders.

EMDR therapy is a three pronged approach.  This means that it will target past events, current concerns, and future triggers.  Using this approach can help your brain process memories of trauma and make new connections to help you get unstuck.

As an approach, EMDR therapy targets memories by turning on both sides of the brain.  Oftentimes when someone experiences trauma or nervous system dysregulation, the two different brain hemispheres (the left brain hemisphere and the right brain hemisphere) have trouble communicating. 

The way that we get both hemispheres of the brain to “turn on” is through dual attention stimulus (DAS for short).  There are three ways to do this:

• Tactile: This can be done by the client tapping on the body in a bilateral motion.  Additionally, some therapists may have tactile DAS vibration devices (I like to call them “buzzies” for short).  These will alternate vibrations on each hand.
• Auditory: The client would put on headphones, which would beep in one ear and then the other.
• Visual: The therapist can move their hands from side to side in front of the client’s eyes (eye movements).  Furthermore, the therapist may use a light bar to stimulate this process.

There are 8 phases of EMDR therapy.  EMDR therapy is often not a linear process, and clients may be going back and forth between different phases.  For clients with complex trauma or other co-occurring mental health disorders, a longer phase one and two may be necessary for a successful EMDR therapy experience.

8 Phases of EMDR Therapy

1. History Taking
2. Preparation
3. Assessment
4. Desensitization
5. Installation
6. Body Scan
7. Closure 
8. Re-evaluation

Here are some common questions that clients have about EMDR therapy:

1. Can EMDR therapy happen over Telehealth?  
Absolutely!  EMDR therapy can be administered in person and in virtual therapy settings.  The only thing that may change in a virtual setting is the type of dual attention stimulus (DAS) - as most individuals do not have access to buzzies or a light bar in their home.

2. Is EMDR therapy appropriate for people of all ages?
Yes, EMDR therapy can work for children, teens, and adults.

3. Can EMDR therapy be effective if I do not have a diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
For sure!  EMDR has evidence to support its effectiveness on a number of mental health disorders, including trauma, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.  

4. How do I know if I’m a good fit for EMDR therapy?
Great question.  Our EMDR therapist at The Eating Disorder Center offers free 15-minute consultations to explain more about EMDR therapy and to see if it may be a good fit.  

5. Can I work with an EMDR therapist if I am already working with another therapist?
Yes.  Our EMDR therapist is happy to work specifically on EMDR therapy if you have another primary therapist or provider.  Our therapist is also happy to collaborate with your other team members, as needed.

The Eating Disorder Center offers eating disorder therapy alongside EMDR therapy for trauma in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland. While our clinician is trained to help those struggling with an eating disorder and past traumatic experiences, we can also help those who are struggling with trauma without any food or body image concerns.

Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder and trauma therapy-or either stand alone in Maryland.
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Click here.

The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder and EMDR trauma therapy in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com

References:
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press