How Paula heals the damage of Trauma (EMDR and its Magic)

Here are three examples of clients who were traumatized: A woman, who is an incest survivor, cries as she tells me she has never been able to have a sexual relationship without guilt and shame. Her husband finds her to be a cold and reluctant partner. A couple bitterly recounts how their relationship has been shattered by the affair he chose to have with a co-worker, who now threatens to ruin his career if he doesn’t leave his wife. A man was struck by an object and suffered brain damage. It has changed his life and his relationships. He suffers on many levels as he tries to normalize his life which is filled with anxiety and self-esteem issues. His wife struggles to stay with him and deal with the changes to her own life.

Some of my colleagues see me as fearless, because I willingly take on “difficult” cases. From my perspective, I am sitting in front of human beings who have suffered severe wounds which color every moment of their lives. My heart and my wisdom are available to them as we do the work of transformation. This work is my mission, my responsibility, my professional fulfillment.

When I speak of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), I do so with a deep respect and gratitude for a process that offers rapid life-altering results. To me it is magical and the proof is that this process, pioneered by Research Scientist Francine Shapiro, is one of the reasons my clients are healed and not on my couch talking about their problems indefinitely.

Trauma, or seriously negative experiences, creates a breakdown in internal brain processing, which alters normal perceptions of the self and the world. If not properly addressed, these unresolved experiences will emerge as flashback, shame, reduced productivity, nightmares, rage, obsessive thoughts and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Emotional, psychological damage from trauma is often just under the surface of consciousness, where even the tiniest stimuli may arouse dormant negative mind/body reactions.

You do not need to understand the scientific information. You just need to trust my professional experience of using this successfully for years.

As I understand it, the EMDR bilateral stimulation resynchronizes the left and right hemisphere of the brain. The misalignment was caused by the release of the hormone norepinephrine during a seriously painful experience. This freezes the brain’s pacemaker mechanisms that regulate information processing between the two hemispheres. My use of EMDR reinforces how negative experiences can alter the way a person perceives himself and the world around him.

By continually updating my training with the latest research and additions to the protocol, I remain on the cutting edge of my field. SPECT scans of before and after EMDR demonstrate these changes visually. The neuroscientific literature is reporting that these changes allow for the growth of new neurons and combined with therapeutic counseling, can offer a new lease on life.

It takes more than insight and intellectual understanding to fully eliminate the sometimes-crippling symptoms people suffer that compromise the quality of their lives. EMDR offers clarity and rapid change, eliminating the years people used to spend in traditional talk therapy.

I also teach other skills for take-home use, so that my clients are empowered to handle life challenges when they appear unexpectedly. Emotional Freedom Technique is based on Eastern thought regarding acupressure points related to body sensations. Self-hypnosis is a path to calming and reinforcing positive messages. Cognitive therapy, neurolinguistics - there are so many different ways to maintain mastery over ones reactions, and I take pleasure in teaching them.

When one person in a relationship is suffering, it is a guarantee that everyone in their immediate surroundings is affected. Supportive communication skills can help to maintain connection during this crisis.

EMDR is easily researched on the web, go to www.emdr.com.

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