EMDR for anxiety

As uncomfortable as anxiety can be, we all need a little bit of anxiety to motivate us to meet our deadlines and to survive.  However, when our anxiety becomes too big, we can feel like we are spinning out of control.  It might be hard to focus and be efficient because it can be hard to untangle thoughts.  Sometimes it feels like rumination and excessive worry have hijacked your mind.  When your mind is stuck in a loop, it can be challenging to find your way out.

Anxiety

Anxiety keeps us safe under dangerous circumstances because it releases adrenaline and cortisol that helps us to survive by going into fight, flight or freeze.   Sometimes the threat can be an imagined one, such as what others think of us, or that they might abandon us.  When our brain is in survival mode, it can be difficult to make logical decisions.

Some people are concerned that if they don’t have anxiety, they won’t be able to get things done as quickly as before.  They might also worry that they won’t get as much done without it.  When we have less anxiety, we can be more efficient because we aren’t getting as distracted by thoughts, to do-lists and other things.

EMDR and Anxiety

EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy) can help calm an anxious mind by using the mind’s natural healing pathways.  EMDR can help our brain come out of survival mode so that we can think again. Past experiences, fear of the future, or other fears can be processed using eye-movements to clear the noise in your head.  When the EMDR therapist guides your eyes back and forth with their fingers, the noise clears, and you can process memories, thoughts, feelings that might have gotten lost in the fast pace of your mind.  Part of the EMDR therapy process is learning how to use tactics to calm your mind and emotions.

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I am EMDRIA trained for clinical practice from the EMDR International Association.  EMDR can be carried out both face to face and online so please do feel free to contact me to find out more +852 2521 4668 or email [email protected]