Serving California Residents with HIPAA-secure Video Therapy
Mailing address: 3123 W. Ave. L 8, Lancaster, CA 93536
Phone: 661-233-6771
EMDR Therapy and Flash Technique for Trauma
If you're struggling with post-traumatic stress from a devastating loss or other trauma, you're probably familiar with the nasty symptoms. Hypervigilance, emotional upset, fear, numbing, and intense flashbacks or nightmares are just some of the outcomes of PTSD. I work with that using EMDR therapy and Flash Technique, but I also work with some of the more subtle effects of a painful past.
For instance, do you struggle with your self-esteem? Is it hard to speak up for yourself? Do you put others' needs ahead of your own? Have you lashed out at someone you love, because they remind you of past abuse? It can be hard for you to let go of the ways your traumatic past has shaped your self-concept and behavior.
What is EMDR Therapy and How can it Help you?
EMDR therapy is a form of therapy that helps reconsolidate traumatic memories. Francine Shapiro developed it in the 1980's, based on the Adaptive Information Processing model. It helps people get unstuck from painful events in their past by allowing the experience to be fully processed, which releases the negative self-concepts, emotions, and body sensations that have been trapped in your body for so long.
People often feel terrific after the events are cleared because they can finally be free of all the old coping styles that might have worked back then, but don't work anymore.
I have been using EMDR for many years and have been certified by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) as an EMDR Therapist since 2008.
This certification, plus my years of experience doing EMDR therapy, ensures a level of quality that EMDRIA enforces through its requirements for group and individual consultation and continuing education.
Flash Technique can reduce the intensity of post traumatic memories too.
The Flash Technique came years after EMDR therapy. It is a therapeutic approach primarily used in the treatment of trauma-related disorders, particularly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Developed by Dr. Phil Manfield, a psychotherapist and EMDR therapy trainer, this technique is designed to rapidly reduce the emotional distress associated with traumatic memories.
The Flash Technique involves a brief exposure to the traumatic memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation. Bilateral stimulation involves tapping your thighs, arms, or other movements to help your brain process and reconsolidate traumatic memories in a less distressing manner.
During the Flash Technique, I ask you to briefly recall the traumatic memory long enough to rate how disturbing it is to you. Then we discuss something in your life that captivates your conscious attention and interest while tapping yourself. Periodically, I ask you to blink your eyes rapidly a few times while still tapping and resume discussing the distracting topic. Gradually, the memory feels harder to access and and less intense. I check in with you periodically until the memory seems neutral. I can switch from the Flash Technique to EMDR and back, depending on your needs. The exposure is intentionally brief, typically lasting only a few seconds, to prevent overwhelming the client with distress.
The goal of the Flash Technique is to disrupt the emotional charge of the traumatic memory, allowing you to reprocess it in a less distressing way. By repeatedly exposing you to the traumatic memory in combination with bilateral stimulation, the intensity of the emotional distress associated with the memory is often significantly reduced. This can lead to a more rapid resolution of symptoms and your improved overall well-being.
Overall, the Flash Technique offers a potentially effective and efficient method for addressing trauma-related distress, providing you with a gentle pathway towards healing and recovery from traumatic experiences.
I love seeing how people can release things that have bothered them for years, with lasting results. The joy and freedom of living in the present can be yours!
If you think it would be helpful for you, I would love to hear from you. My number is 661-233-6771.