Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) For Addiction Recovery

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a treatment used with Clearpoint clients for addiction treatment and recovery.

What are the Benefits of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)?

Since Clearpoint offers treatment services to each client based upon his/her individual needs as evaluated through a comprehensive assessment at the time of admission, our clinicians develop an integrated treatment plan based on the client’s history and life experiences. By considering the client’s background, it allows us to individualize our approach to treatment. As a dual diagnosis treatment plan, it will be evaluated throughout the client’s participation in the program and will address particular issues, such as traumatic episodes, that could play a part in their addiction behaviors.

For clients exhibiting co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or related symptoms (including flashbacks, fear, severe anxiety, insomnia, nightmares or mistrust) Clearpoint clinicians may contemplate the incorporation of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy into a treatment plan. Offered as a part of our dual diagnosis addiction treatment programming, EMDR is a psychotherapy treatment originally designed to relieve the distress associated with traumatic memories and experiences. It has been extensively researched and has proven to be effective for the treatment of trauma and related post-traumatic stress disorder, a common co-occurring mental health disorder among people suffering from substance addictions.

Definition of EMDR Treatment

According to EMDR: The Breakthrough Therapy for Overcoming Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma, EMDR can assist the individual with resolving disturbing and traumatic adverse life events. EMDR achieves this by incorporating standardized clinical protocols and procedures that include alternating bilateral auditory, visual and/or tactile stimulation and dual focus of attention. This practice stimulates the components of memory-adverse life events and enables the continuation of adaptive information integration and processing. The treatment is especially helpful for individuals with addiction and co-occurring histories of abuse and trauma. Since its inception as a therapeutic protocol, EMDR therapy has aided millions of individuals of all ages in relieving numerous forms of psychological distress.

For Clearpoint clients that meet criteria, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing would be considered an integrative type of psychotherapy for the treatment of any psychological disorder related to traumatic episodes, relieve symptoms, and contribute to their addiction recovery goals.

How was EMDR developed?

Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. discovered and developed EMDR therapy in the late 1980s to help people process traumatic experiences. Since that time, EMDR has evolved through contributions from counselors and researchers from around the world and is now a set of standardized protocols that includes elements from many different treatment modalities.

EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model. It suggests that much of psychopathology is caused by incomplete processing of negative or disturbing experiences. This weakens the individual’s ability to integrate these experiences in a healthy way. The eight phases of EMDR facilitates the resumption of normal integration and processing of information. This treatment approach targets past experiences, current triggers, and future potential obstacles and can result in a reduction of symptoms, a decrease or elimination of distress from the traumatic experience, an enhanced view of self, relief from physical distress, and effective management of present and future trigger episodes.

Through the practice of EMDR, resolving disturbing and traumatic negative life experiences is achieved with multiple therapy sessions in which the person concentrates on alternating bilateral auditory, visual and/or tactile stimulation and dual focus of attention. The experience activates the components of the disturbing memory and enables the continuation of healthy information integration and processing.

EMDR at Clearpoint Recovery Center

Substance and process addictions are highly individualized diseases for each person and treatment must identify and target their specific needs. When we discuss providing EMDR sessions for our clients, Clearpoint therapists do it as part of the individualized treatment planning process and recovery program. Clearpoint may provide Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing techniques alone for addiction treatment or in combination with other addiction therapies (i.e., group therapy, individual therapy, psychopharmacology), depending on the patient’s individual treatment plan. We offer a variety of therapeutic approaches the fall under Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) and other solution-based therapies.

As a part of Clearpoint addiction treatment and recovery program and the client’s individualized treatment planning, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy sessions are offered at our Westport, CT location.

The post Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) For Addiction Recovery appeared first on Clearpoint.

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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) For Addiction Recovery was first posted on May 3, 2018 at 2:36 pm.
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