How to explain EMDR to clients

Are you an EMDR therapist in need of an elevator pitch? How do you explain EMDR to clients in a way that's not too much nd not too little information? I'm an EMDR trainer and consultant, and here's my EMDR elevator pitch.
I'm Rebecca Kase, LCSW, yoga instructor, and EMDR trainer & consultant. I have trained hundreds of clinicians in EMDR and have been practicing EMDR as a psychotherapist since 2006. Check out my website at rebeccakase.com to learn about offerings and events.

[@breekirschner7279]

Excellent description for clients ✨✨✨

[@misspat7555]

This is the third video like this I have tried to watch, and the first I could make it through without getting “lost in the weeds” as you put it or feeling talked down to. Good job, thank you! 😊

[@kaseandco]

Glad it helped! You got this, you're not alone!

[@misspat7555]

@@kaseandco I started doing EMDR on myself when traumatic memories would come up (usually when I was driving a long distance on a familiar road), and they just… went away and didn’t come back! It’s the most bizarre thing ever! I stopped when the memories became of the “bittersweet” variety; I don’t want to make all the memories of my late husband go away! Just the strictly awful ones, from his final illness and death. Thanks so much again! ❤️

[@lopedevega2947]

great video

[@heidikhalil6534]

Excellent! Do you have a transcript of this explanation?

[@LolaCopacabanita]

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s a super long name, so we just call it EMDR. EMDR was discovered by a psychologist named Francine Shapiro in the late 80s. She was walking through the park one day, thinking about something upsetting, and noticed that her eyes were going back and forth as she looked at the trees and squirrels. Afterward, she felt a lot better. Being the observant psychologist she was, she asked her therapist friends to try thinking about something that bothered them while following her fingers with their eyes. They reported feeling better too.
Of course, this idea of 'think about something that bothers you and follow my fingers' sounds ludicrous, right? So, she engaged in deep research and study. Today, EMDR is an evidence-based practice, meaning it is a first-line treatment recommended for trauma and PTSD. It’s also shown to be effective for anxiety, depression, grief and loss, chronic pain, and performance enhancement. EMDR helps your nervous system digest or metabolize experiences that are stuck and causing 'yuck.'
What do I mean by 'yuck'? Imagine what happens when you eat too much food-your digestive system gets overwhelmed, and you feel bloated or nauseous. Your digestive system wants to process the food, but it’s too much at once. Similarly, our nervous systems integrate our experiences, but sometimes they get overwhelmed. When that happens, things get stuck, causing symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, depression, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, and hypervigilance.
Some people describe EMDR as 'Drano for the brain' or an 'antacid for your nervous system,' helping it to process experiences so you don’t feel the 'yuck' from them being stuck. We use bilateral stimulation (BLS) in EMDR, which was originally eye movements. You think about stuck memories while your eyes follow my fingers, or track a dot on a screen. We also use tapping, buzzers, or tones that alternate between your ears.
Bilateral stimulation might sound weird, but it starts a natural process similar to REM sleep. Do you know what REM sleep is? It’s part of your sleep cycle where your nervous system reprocesses experiences from the day. In REM sleep, your eyes move back and forth, hence 'rapid eye movement.' EMDR, while you’re awake, starts a similar process, helping your nervous system process what it couldn’t handle during REM sleep.
EMDR is highly effective and produces long-lasting change. Once we process stuck experiences, they don’t come back. But like any therapy, there can be side effects. EMDR can be like 'kick your butt' therapy-it’s intense, like physical therapy for your nervous system. We’ll make sure your nervous system is ready by building coping and regulation skills first. After EMDR, you might feel tired, hungry, super energized, have vivid dreams, or feel introspective. Each person’s experience is unique, and we won’t go faster than your nervous system can handle. You’re always in control, and I’ll be with you the whole time.

[@steamysimmer]

@@LolaCopacabanita you're awesome! thank you!!

[@pocahontas330]

❤❤❤

[@bspi624]

I like your expression "yuck."