EMDR Therapy Online in San Antonio, Texas

WHAT IS EMDR THERAPY AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based effective therapy that helps people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences. EMDR Therapy focuses on desensitizing emotions, thoughts, or behaviors of the distressed event, allowing the brain to resume its natural healing process.

Our brain naturally processes our daily experiences, in an adaptive  manner. However when our mind becomes overly stimulated our experience can overwhelm that brain's natural healing process. Our mind, much like our body, has the capacity to heal. However, when a person experiences a traumatic event, it can sometimes become too much for the brain to process in a natural healthy manner.

The trauma memories of the experience can become ineffectually processed which can cause debilitating symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares and panic attacks. EMDR Therapy can help the brain reprocess past traumas by desensitizing the emotional charge of the memory, and reprocesses how the brain restores it in the mind and body.

Trauma can be caused by unresolved experiences and feelings that threaten your sense of wellbeing and safety. EMDR can help with issues that haven’t gotten any easier with other therapies or other modalities. EMDR can help reduce the severity of stressful symptoms associated with trauma so they don't interfere with the daily functioning of a person.

What are the benefits of EMDR therapy for Trauma Recovery?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can be a very effective trauma treatment because it doesn’t just help someone talk about what happened—it helps the brain reprocess the trauma so it no longer feels like it’s still happening right now.

The Benefits of EMDR for trauma recovery are the following:

1) It can reduce the emotional intensity of traumatic memories

A person may still remember what happened, but the memory often stops feeling as overwhelming, raw, or activating.
Clients often say things like:

• “I can think about it without spiraling.”

• “It feels farther away.”

• “It doesn’t hit me in the body the same way.”

2) It helps the brain “unstick” trauma

Trauma often gets stored in a fragmented, emotionally charged way—images, body sensations, panic, shame, fear, helplessness. EMDR helps the brain process that material so it can move from “still happening” to “something that happened.”

That shift can reduce:

• flashbacks

• intrusive thoughts

• nightmares

• hypervigilance

• panic reactions

• emotional flooding

3) It can reduce body-based trauma responses

Trauma is not just cognitive—it lives in the nervous system and body. EMDR often helps with:

• chest tightness

• dread or fear surges

• stomach dropping / nausea

• shaking, freezing, collapse

• “I know I’m safe, but my body doesn’t believe it”

This is one reason EMDR can be so powerful for people who understand their trauma intellectually but still feel hijacked physically.

4) It can change negative beliefs that trauma created

Trauma often leaves people with beliefs like:

• “I’m not safe.”

• “It was my fault.”

• “I’m powerless.”

• “I’m too much.”

• “I’m broken.”

• “I can’t trust myself.”

EMDR targets not just the memory, but the meaning the person made of the memory. Over time, those beliefs can shift toward healthier truths, such as:

• “I survived.”

• “It wasn’t my fault.”

• “I have choices now.”

• “I am safe enough in the present.”

• “I can trust myself.”

5) It can help with trauma triggers in the present

EMDR doesn’t only process old memories—it can also reduce the current-day triggers tied to them. For example, if a client is triggered by criticism, conflict, abandonment, anger, certain tones of voice, or being ignored, EMDR can help weaken the emotional charge behind those reactions.

This can be especially helpful for people recovering from:

• childhood trauma

• narcissistic abuse

• emotional abuse

• betrayal trauma

• assault

• medical trauma

• traumatic grief

• chronic invalidation

6) It can improve self-worth and identity after trauma

Trauma can distort how a person sees themselves. EMDR can help people move out of survival mode and reconnect with:

• confidence

• self-trust

• self-protection

• emotional clarity

• boundaries

• a stronger sense of “who I am now”

7) It may work even when talking alone hasn’t fully helped

Some clients have done years of insight-oriented therapy and understand their trauma, but still feel stuck in the same fear, shame, or body responses. EMDR can be useful because it works differently than standard talk therapy—it targets the stored trauma network, not just the story.

8) It can be effective without requiring the client to describe every detail out loud

A client does not necessarily have to verbally recount every part of the trauma in detail for EMDR to work. For many trauma survivors, that can make treatment feel more tolerable and less re-traumatizing than approaches that require repeated retelling.

9) It can help people feel more present instead of constantly living in the past

As trauma resolves, many clients notice:

• less rumination

• less scanning for danger

• less emotional reactivity

• better sleep

• better focus

• more ability to enjoy relationships, work, and daily life

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM EMDR THERAPY?

Adults and children dealing with traumatic memories. Healthcare Providers, First responders, and Professionals who experience or are exposed to traumatic events on a daily basis. Those who have tried counseling before but are still struggling with debilitating symptoms.

EMDR Therapy can address trauma related to:

• Accidents and Natural Disasters

• Neglect and Abandonment

• Emotional, physical, and sexual abuse

• Bullying/cyberbullying

• Domestic violence

• Growing up with parents with a mental illness, substance abuse, or incarcerated.

• Death of a loved one

• Separation from a parent or caregiver

• Stress caused by poverty.

• Medical condition

• Growing up in a violent community.

• Victim of violence and theft

• War/terrorism

• Workplace trauma

WHAT IS THE EMDR BUTTERFLY HUG TAPPING TECHNIQUE?

The EMDR Butterfly Hug Technique is a specialized form of EMDR that is used to help people who have experienced trauma. Unlike traditional EMDR, which alternates between the left and right sides of the brain, the butterfly hug technique engages both sides simultaneously. This allows for a more complete and effective healing process. EMDR is a type of therapy that is used to help people who have experienced trauma. It is a very effective type of therapy, but it can be difficult for some people to engage in. The butterfly hug technique is a specialized form of EMDR that helps make it more accessible for people who may have trouble with traditional EMDR. The butterfly hug technique is a very effective way to help people who have experienced trauma heal.

It is a specialized form of EMDR that engages both sides of the brain simultaneously, allowing for a more complete and effective healing process. If you or someone you know has experienced trauma, the butterfly hug technique may be a good option for treatment. The Butterfly Hug is accomplished by wrapping your arms around yourself so that each hand touches the opposite upper arm or shoulder. Then you will be asked to start the bilateral tapping by moving your hands like the wings of a butterfly, to tap your arms/shoulders in an alternating rhythm. (as an alternative, the person might just tap their knees.