Most of these therapies consisted of a patient doing the talking and therapist mostly listening whiles interjecting every so often, and in the case of psychoanalysis – making interpretations. In other therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the therapist was more active and directive with their patients.

Over the past 20 years, other types of therapies been developed which include EMDR, Somatic Experiences (SE), Sensory Motor Integration, and many others. What makes these therapies different from the ones previously mentioned is that the principles of these therapies are grounded in developing an understanding of the brain and the nervous systems, as well as making a connection between mind and body.

For this reason, these therapies are sometimes referred to as “mind-body therapies”.

EMDR, in particular, is a therapy based on an assumption that all traumatic events get stored in a fragmented form in both the brain and nervous system. At the time of the incident, our minds are capable of assimilating only certain parts of the incident usually in an incomplete form.

Some parts of traumatic events are stored in the right hemisphere of the mind while others are stored in the left. During EMDR treatment both hemispheres are stimulated in order to bring all the pieces together to create a coherent and complete experience and understanding of the event. In subsequent sets of stimulation, the memories of the event lose their emotional charge and become neutral rather than dormant in our system which allows them to be triggered again and again.

Many patients seek EMDR treatment after being in traditional therapies for many years while still experiencing the same triggers and reactions to events. These triggers are occurring because in some way they are reminding the patient of the original traumatic incident.

For example, a young female patient who was assaulted by a man in a blue jacket at age 10, may become panicked every time she sees a man in a blue jacket. However, she did not know why this was triggering panic until she received EMDR treatments which targeted her seeing man wearing a blue jacket. From there, a memory rose up connecting the two pieces. After this was discovered, treatment was able to ensure that men wearing blue jackets were no longer a trigger for her.

While EMDR therapy is not for everyone it is worth exploring as it can often facilitate relief from troubling symptoms.

The post When Is It Time To Consider EMDR? first appeared on Irina Firstein, LCSW.

In the trauma field, there are two types of trauma that exist – “Big T trauma” and “Little T Trauma”.

Big T Trauma most commonly refers to a traumatic event or events in which a person’s physical survival is threatened. These events are usually life and death situations, or ones where there is an extreme physical or psychological abuse involved. Some common examples of Big T Traumas include muggings, car accidents, other types of accidents, sexual assaults, experiences while under anesthesia, or the loss of a loved one.

Often after experiencing Big T trauma, people will develop symptoms such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), panic attacks, anxiety, depression among others. These traumas will also cause a person to develop beliefs about oneself such as “ I am not safe”, “I am powerless”, or even “ I am a bad person”.

Little T Traumas are more common and typically things that everyone has encountered.  Such traumas can include failures, disappointments with someone they consider important, painful breakups or work-related stresses like getting fired. While these traumas are not threatening to a person’s survival in the physical sense, they are capable of having long-lasting effects on a person’s self-esteem and emotional well being.

While a person can typically “get over” such traumas, these events are still capable of informing our view of the world and ourselves – usually in negative, maladaptive ways.

Post Little T Traumas, symptoms like anxiety and depression maybe be experienced. Usually, however, they will be shorter lasting and less severe.  It can also become normal to experience negative self-referencing beliefs such as “There is something wrong with me” or “I am a failure”.

Whether you experience a Big T or Little T Trauma, it is advisable to deal with these issues with a trained therapist in individual counseling so they do not impact your daily life.

The post What is Trauma? first appeared on Irina Firstein, LCSW.

Feeling alone, unsupported or frightened in the world is a common breeding ground for many psychological conditions and illnesses.

This is not to say that those who are in good, solid romantic relationships or friendships do not need counseling, but that the issues grow and transform much faster when one person feels not alone and unsupported.

Part of the reason there are so many relationship problems today is that we are living in a world of alienation. This trend started way before the technological boom with families moving away and living apart from one another. However, today’s use of technology further alienates people from having regular personal interactions, further causing separation and aloneness.

Relationships with others and the feeling of belonging to a clan or a group is necessary for humans to thrive. It is critical to understand this and make all efforts to disconnect from technology, work obligations and whatever else that keeps us apart from our human contact and connections.

If you feel like your relationships are lacking and you cannot find a way to resolve these difficulties, you should seek professional counseling. A good therapist can help identify the role you play in this and help bridge the gaps in the interpersonal difficulties that need to be tended to or mended.

The post Dealing With Difficulties In Relationships for Individuals first appeared on Irina Firstein, LCSW.

However, this is not the case.  In regards to EMDR treatment, there is a concept known as “Big T Trauma” and “ Small T Trauma”. The examples listed above are considered Big T Traumas and are common types of reasons someone may require EMDR treatment.

Small T traumas may include a break-up, getting fired from a job, difficult relationship, a major interpersonal conflict or disappointment, experiencing a failure or an event where one is humiliated or embarrassed to name a few. In these cases, EMDR is extremely useful and can often be an efficient treatment modality for these lesser traumatic events. EMDR is very effective in the treatment of procrastination, avoidance, and phobias and can also be very helpful in treating depression, anxiety, stress, and substance abuse issues.

If you feel stuck in a situation or in emotional reactions that feel old,  compulsive, familiar and may be somewhat extreme, chances are there is a traumatic situation attached to it. Whether it is due to something big or small, the trauma you experienced may make you a good candidate for EMDR.

The post What Circumstances And Conditions Can Be Treated By EMDR? first appeared on Irina Firstein, LCSW.

EMDR therapy provides patients with a safe opportunity to reprocess the traumatic event using an 8 step protocol.  This reintegrates and reorganizes the experience in a way so it is no longer the centerpiece of their daily life experience.

It is important to understand that while this is a very effective treatment, EMDR treatment is not appropriate for every client and can only be done by a trained therapist.

When done by a therapist trained in this area, EMDR can be extremely helpful in dealing with depression, anxiety, interpersonal problems, processing of past traumatic situations, phobia, addiction and procrastination.

While EMDR can take some time to clear various traumas, when compared to traditional therapies,  the length of treatment needed is usually much less. As the traumas are cleared, the therapy can often come to an end.

The post Ways You Can Benefit From EMDR first appeared on Irina Firstein, LCSW.

The basic premise of EMDR is that most psychological disorders or symptoms are based on earlier life experiences. Painful experiences often become “frozen” in brain neuro networks, which sets in motion a pattern of feelings, behaviors and cognitions. These create which predictable, rigid responses to triggers which which may be reminiscent of the original traumatic event.

EMDR treatment is designed to rapidly metabolize (reprocess and functionally organize) dysfunctional residue from the past traumatic experiences and even turn these experiences into something useful. With EMDR painful experiences undergo a change in form and meaning.

In cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, some forms of depression and other psychological illnesses or syndromes, pathology is viewed as result of, or impacted by earlier experiences that are held in the nervous system in a state specific form. Painful experiences are reprocessed using an 8 step protocol administered by a trained clinician. During reprocessing, the memory system is stimulated and the painful incident is experienced in a way that provides additional insight and feelings that are enhancing rather than harmful to the person. The goal of EMDR is to “free” a person from being triggered by the earlier traumatic incident.

The post What Is EMDR? first appeared on Irina Firstein, LCSW.