Dr. Alexander does an excellent job describing EMDR. I have sent his links to friends so they would have an understanding of the process. Talk therapy for me was Blah Blah Blah until EMDR was incorporated into the process. EMDR healed me from past trauma in a relatively short time. I am thankful beyond words. Listen to Part 2
James - just a quick hi to let you know how well I am after you helped me with this treatment. Seriously - it gave me my life back, the triggers that used to take me down are now a mild twinge of a memory and not even an issue, and even that twinge is fading as time passes. I know you don't expect it, but you have my sincere thanks and gratitude. I hope all is well.
Key points are around his discussion of REM sleep, and lack of this. Every client I have worked with in trauma has had sleep issues, as have all addicts. This point alone in terms of sleep deprivation, which is widespread, is deeply significant in terms of treating Trauma victims.
Lack of sleep and, in particular deep sleep runs to the point of exhaustion. Nobody ever questions when someone is out of work because of cancer (or what have you physical disease) - but mental disease? Well, then you are just "f'd up."
Thank you for this James. I'm sharing it on my Facebook Page - The Trauma Project - it's a great introduction for people thinking about entering therapy for Trauma, and with someone who uses EMDR. Also practically, saving a session of psychoeducation, in terms of cost-saving, is always a good thing.
dr. alexander that was a brilliant overview of EMDR I think after watching youtube for years this is the first time I have ever responded to a video because it was that fantastic thank you I'll be informing my EMDR therapist about this video.
Hello Dr. Alexander, I just wanted to tell you that I have been doing the eye movements, and I am absolutely positive that this has somehow caused me to start dreaming!!! I've been dreaming, and the dreams are not nightmares! This is huge for me!!! And interesting, too, I think. Well, just wanted to share, and thank you!!!!
Thank you for this excellent presentation. One would expect that nutrition and other environmental factors are correlated or causative in one's brain's ability to keep one's distress cup at a minimum level? Eg hardware enhancing effects of MCT and adverse effects of exposure to non-native EMF? What degree of REM sleep is blocked by Zolpidem ( Ambien)? Additionally, would someone who experiences "chemo brain" ( from multiple toxic chemotherapeutic drugs), be less likely to benefit from EMDR?
Fazia- yes, i would expect that other environmental factors, as well nutrition would have an impact on our mind/brain's ability to process and digest experience, as these factors affect the brain, and the brain is the organ of the mind. Maintaining good physical health, and avoiding environmental and psycho-social toxins will enhance our body's ability to do what it is designed for (which, of course, includes our brain's ability to function as it is meant to). Ambien (a popular 'sleeping tablet') has its impact on the central nervous system. Any agent which affects the CNS will also impact on REM sleep, and therefore can compromise the psychological digestive process. I am not aware of any statements of % of hampering produced by Ambian, but my guess is that such research exists and could be found. The reported adverse effects of Ambien include drowsiness, confusion, fatigue and memory problems- the exact opposite of what one would expect from a healthy and solid nights sleep. Hallucinations and nightmares can also result (the latter suggesting that REM is not totally eliminated, but, rather, is compromised). So, what may result is simply being somewhat knocked out, and not being drawn into 'healthy' sleep- research shows that the additional time asleep is typically only a matter of minutes per night anyway, when compared to a placebo. Non drug methods to induce and maintain sleep are consistently found to be more durable, safer and more effective. My book (The Hidden Psychology of Pain) has a chapter on sleep, and psychological/neurological strategies. Re 'chemo-brain'- this is a reasonably non-specific term which may or may not describe much of what is going on for a particular person. As a general impression, people who are currently being neurologically impaired by psychoactive substances (such as illicit and psychiatric drugs) can still undergo EMDR- but they have to be coherent enough to be fully aware of what is going on at all times during the process; they need to not be in a state of crisis (which drugs can sometimes induce), but need to be relatively stable- where they arent stable, a lot of work needs to be done in advance to help the person cope with whatever may come up in the session (see EMDR explained part 2). Under such conditions, which are trying to maximise the safety of the client, EMDR can still be very helpful in reducing their distress around negative experiences. But- it may also be necessary to re-do EMDZR if/when the person is no longer on the CNS affecting drugs. While suffering from the affects of the the drugs, they may be able to go only so far in the processing- this extent may be very helpful and welcome, and allow them to gradually withdraw from the drugs. At a later time, when they are no longer suffering adverse affects of the drugs, it may become apparent that there is more work to be done- sometimes, this may involve using EMDR to work with the same experiences again, this time becoming more effective because it is not being hampered by the drugs. So, people can usually be helped with wherever they are at the time; and this can often be boosted at a later date if/when they are no longer on the drugs.
thanks for the thumbs up. Research comparing the brain behaviour of EMDR and hypnosis show that they are different brain states so different phenomena. But EMDR does conform to our cultural view of what hypnosis looks like, eg. look at the watch swinging back and forth (in hypnosis, used as an induction technique). In EMDR, the person does not enter the same type of altered state of consciousness.
Interesting. Thanks again! I should have been more specific in saying that they may be similar for dream therapy in which in hypnotherapy, a client is hypnotized in the direction of remembering/realizing dreams and also releasing trauma through dreaming.
do u think more resilliant people are so because naturally doing emdr type stuff same as a naturally gifted athelete would externally focus?do you think emdr is the answer to all problems!?
+omkuberaynamaha i suspect there are a range of factors involved in reslience. perhaps starting with a genetic component, then early life experiences- if an infant is nurtured and well cared for (and does not experience sigificant stressors/traumas), then they have a much higher chance of becoming a resilient adult. If traumas are experienced at a young age, having a safe reliable relationship with at least one primary care giver (eg. a parent) is necessary to reduce the stressful impact- little kids get a lot of their resilience from their relationship with a care giver. An adult who is viewed as being low in resilience is probably a person who is carrying a significant burden of trauma. I suspect that as a species, we are essentially resilient, but this can be hampered by trauma. EMDR can help to reduce the burden of trauma, thereby freeing the person up to be as resilient as they can be. I dont think that EMDR is THE answer to all problems- only to very many/most problems that people bring to psychotherapy. My view is that it is best for dealing with what happened in a person's life; and less suited to what didnt happen (e.g people who missed out on love and nurturance as a child). I think another form of psychotherapy, Coherence Therapy (CT) is very helpful for such situations. It is consistent with EMDR, but is a talk therapy that involves no bi-lateral stimulation. Both EMDR and CT are effective because they harness a form of neuroplasticity called 'memory reconsolidation'. I have some discussion of memory reconsolidation and CT on my website.
New Book by Dr James Alexander (available on Amazon.com): Tendrils of Trauma, an 'insiders' report on the experience of trauma which resulted from a serious car accident. James Alexander was 18 years old when hit by a drunk driver in a head-on car accident while traveling around Australia in 1981. From this experience, he decided to become a psychologist so as to help other people who had been similarly traumatised. This book is a personal memoir of the ongoing ramifications of trauma across his adult life, both positive and negative, and is interspersed with what science currently tells us about both the impacts of trauma and the factors essential to recovery. It is a must read for anyone carrying significant trauma, and those who care about them. As a case study, professionals will also find a rich resource in their goal of assisting traumatised people.
I wonder how the lucid dreaming experience fits into these EDMR processes? Because once you can get a grip on lucid dreaming there IS a feeling of victory over worrisome concerns. Seems to me some overlapping results within the experiences.
yes, an interesting issue and question. I also think lucid dreaming is one of the inherent means we have as a species to 're-write' trauma, or at least its effects. Some people's experience of EMDR is very dream-like, in that their imaginations seem to take over (with little interference from the reality check functions of the brain) to allow a very different scenario to unfold. When this doesnt happen spontaneously, i will often facilitate such a process during EMDR. There are some overlaps with lucid dreaming in that.
"...the reality check functions of the brain..." Now that opens so many doors when discussing brain functions and the conscious and unconscious state, and of course that comes into play in lucid dreaming processes. An experience I've referred to as "tethering" in my writings and research about... self-explorations of the mind and consciousness. Thank you for posting these most interesting videos! In researching this EMDR concept for a friend (honestly), I've found many interesting ideas in areas I've been researching throughout my life. Much appreciated!
If someone undrgoes this therapy, will this make them insensitive or unable when or if the same type of trauma happens again making them unable to make a reasonable decision about it?
good question. No, it will not make them unable to deal with the same type of trauma, or any other trauma. EMDR appears to change dysfunctionally stored memories, which make it very difficult for traumatised people to respond to challenges in an adaptive way. Most people have personal coping resources and strengths as part of their 'make-up'. Trauma tends to inhibit access to these resources- successfully treat the trauma, and people then have access to their resources. Evidence of this can be seen with research done by Van der Kolk- he found that after the cessation of EMDR, people's measures of PTSD symptoms continued to decrease with time (not increase- which is what he reports happened with both antidepressant drugs and CBT). This ongoing reduction in symptoms suggests that people are gaining more and more access to their innate coping resources (after the main traumas have been adequately processed). I would imagine that if the same type of trauma happened again, the person may very well need more help. But, no- EMDR will not reduce the person's ability to respond to it; nor will it prevent them from responding to it in an adaptive manner- it is more likely that the opposite will happen.
i got ptsd about 5 years ago emdr gets me connected to it and brings up the trauma but it doesnt release same with eft, im not sure should i push the trauma back in so i can function or keep feeling it and hope it will release
i presume you are seeing a therapist for emdr? (highly advisable to be working with a therapist if you are using either emdr or eft for trauma). if so, this a query best answered by the therapist working with you.
thanks for the reply i did a few years ago but not anymore, its like it brought my trauma up but i couldnt release it, ive been trying online and the same happens The thing that caused my ptsd is embarrasing and id like to keep it to myself, can i do this and still do emdr?
not sure what you are referring to with "can i still do this..."? My suggestion is that when dealing with significant trauma (either by EMDR or EFT, or any other method which you can do on your own), you do it with a well trained and competent professional. The challenges of trying to treat yourself for trauma are too large to do on your own.
if you are talking about your own near death whilst giving birth, then yes, absolutely. if you re talking about your own near death while being born, it is a bit less straight forward- but an experienced EMDR therapist can work with pre-cognitive memories.
You could try Berceli's TRE tremor therapy as well. Also study up on Porge's polyvagal theory. You could do Reichian therapy as well. The facial exercises tie into the polyvagal theory.
interesting. It makes sense though, if you recognise that behaviours like smoking and drinking are often engaged in to reduce emotional distress. If the distress (often/usually the result of historical traumas and current stressors) is addressed via EMDR, there is simply less internal drive to smoke and drink. In providing EMDR, i rarely work with the current 'symptom' of trauma, but work with the experiences that resulted in the trauma burden. When effective, the symptoms tend to take care of themselves, as they were being 'driven' by the burden itself. If not, then we can do some work specifically targeting the specific symptoms.
Dr. Alexander does an excellent job describing EMDR. I have sent his links to friends so they would have an understanding of the process. Talk therapy for me was Blah Blah Blah until EMDR was incorporated into the process. EMDR healed me from past trauma in a relatively short time. I am thankful beyond words. Listen to Part 2
James - just a quick hi to let you know how well I am after you helped me with this treatment. Seriously - it gave me my life back, the triggers that used to take me down are now a mild twinge of a memory and not even an issue, and even that twinge is fading as time passes.
I know you don't expect it, but you have my sincere thanks and gratitude. I hope all is well.
well CaptainCranky - very good to hear that this approach has worked for you (wish i knew who you are tho?)
James Alexander Ahhh - the Irish bloke who once gave you guitar lessons ;-)
very good Irish bloke- glad to hear you are still going well!
Amazing, and Love the sounds in the background.
Key points are around his discussion of REM sleep, and lack of this. Every client I have worked with in trauma has had sleep issues, as have all addicts. This point alone in terms of sleep deprivation, which is widespread, is deeply significant in terms of treating Trauma victims.
Lack of sleep and, in particular deep sleep runs to the point of exhaustion. Nobody ever questions when someone is out of work because of cancer (or what have you physical disease) - but mental disease? Well, then you are just "f'd up."
Thank you for this James. I'm sharing it on my Facebook Page - The Trauma Project - it's a great introduction for people thinking about entering therapy for Trauma, and with someone who uses EMDR. Also practically, saving a session of psychoeducation, in terms of cost-saving, is always a good thing.
dr. alexander that was a brilliant overview of EMDR I think after watching youtube for years this is the first time I have ever responded to a video because it was that fantastic thank you I'll be informing my EMDR therapist about this video.
thanks Mike- glad you found it useful.
Very informative, thank you. I'm considering this type of therapy.
thank you. That was just what I needed to here. I have enjoyed listening to this. Very informative...Again thanks
Hello Dr. Alexander,
I just wanted to tell you that I have been doing the eye movements, and I am absolutely positive that this has somehow caused me to start dreaming!!! I've been dreaming, and the dreams are not nightmares! This is huge for me!!! And interesting, too, I think. Well, just wanted to share, and thank you!!!!
thats great Stacey- sounds like some healing is happening. James
Thank you for this excellent presentation.
One would expect that nutrition and other environmental factors are correlated or causative in one's brain's ability to keep one's distress cup at a minimum level? Eg hardware enhancing effects of MCT and adverse effects of exposure to non-native EMF?
What degree of REM sleep is blocked by Zolpidem ( Ambien)?
Additionally, would someone who experiences "chemo brain" ( from multiple toxic chemotherapeutic drugs), be less likely to benefit from EMDR?
Fazia- yes, i would expect that other environmental factors, as well nutrition would have an impact on our mind/brain's ability to process and digest experience, as these factors affect the brain, and the brain is the organ of the mind. Maintaining good physical health, and avoiding environmental and psycho-social toxins will enhance our body's ability to do what it is designed for (which, of course, includes our brain's ability to function as it is meant to). Ambien (a popular 'sleeping tablet') has its impact on the central nervous system. Any agent which affects the CNS will also impact on REM sleep, and therefore can compromise the psychological digestive process. I am not aware of any statements of % of hampering produced by Ambian, but my guess is that such research exists and could be found. The reported adverse effects of Ambien include drowsiness, confusion, fatigue and memory problems- the exact opposite of what one would expect from a healthy and solid nights sleep. Hallucinations and nightmares can also result (the latter suggesting that REM is not totally eliminated, but, rather, is compromised). So, what may result is simply being somewhat knocked out, and not being drawn into 'healthy' sleep- research shows that the additional time asleep is typically only a matter of minutes per night anyway, when compared to a placebo. Non drug methods to induce and maintain sleep are consistently found to be more durable, safer and more effective. My book (The Hidden Psychology of Pain) has a chapter on sleep, and psychological/neurological strategies.
Re 'chemo-brain'- this is a reasonably non-specific term which may or may not describe much of what is going on for a particular person. As a general impression, people who are currently being neurologically impaired by psychoactive substances (such as illicit and psychiatric drugs) can still undergo EMDR- but they have to be coherent enough to be fully aware of what is going on at all times during the process; they need to not be in a state of crisis (which drugs can sometimes induce), but need to be relatively stable- where they arent stable, a lot of work needs to be done in advance to help the person cope with whatever may come up in the session (see EMDR explained part 2). Under such conditions, which are trying to maximise the safety of the client, EMDR can still be very helpful in reducing their distress around negative experiences. But- it may also be necessary to re-do EMDZR if/when the person is no longer on the CNS affecting drugs. While suffering from the affects of the the drugs, they may be able to go only so far in the processing- this extent may be very helpful and welcome, and allow them to gradually withdraw from the drugs. At a later time, when they are no longer suffering adverse affects of the drugs, it may become apparent that there is more work to be done- sometimes, this may involve using EMDR to work with the same experiences again, this time becoming more effective because it is not being hampered by the drugs. So, people can usually be helped with wherever they are at the time; and this can often be boosted at a later date if/when they are no longer on the drugs.
This is a very informative video. Not much about actual EMDR until 48 minutes though.
Thank you! I skipped in!
Thank you, Fab! Very informative, I hope one day to be EMDR trainedKaren
This guy is awesome! Seems like a topic close to trauma recovery with hypnosis.
thanks for the thumbs up. Research comparing the brain behaviour of EMDR and hypnosis show that they are different brain states so different phenomena. But EMDR does conform to our cultural view of what hypnosis looks like, eg. look at the watch swinging back and forth (in hypnosis, used as an induction technique). In EMDR, the person does not enter the same type of altered state of consciousness.
Interesting. Thanks again!
I should have been more specific in saying that they may be similar for dream therapy in which in hypnotherapy, a client is hypnotized in the direction of remembering/realizing dreams and also releasing trauma through dreaming.
Thanks for this. I found out about the reduction in session numbers during mental health week ROFL.
do u think more resilliant people are so because naturally doing emdr type stuff same as a naturally gifted athelete would externally focus?do you think emdr is the answer to all problems!?
+omkuberaynamaha i suspect there are a range of factors involved in reslience. perhaps starting with a genetic component, then early life experiences- if an infant is nurtured and well cared for (and does not experience sigificant stressors/traumas), then they have a much higher chance of becoming a resilient adult. If traumas are experienced at a young age, having a safe reliable relationship with at least one primary care giver (eg. a parent) is necessary to reduce the stressful impact- little kids get a lot of their resilience from their relationship with a care giver. An adult who is viewed as being low in resilience is probably a person who is carrying a significant burden of trauma. I suspect that as a species, we are essentially resilient, but this can be hampered by trauma. EMDR can help to reduce the burden of trauma, thereby freeing the person up to be as resilient as they can be. I dont think that EMDR is THE answer to all problems- only to very many/most problems that people bring to psychotherapy. My view is that it is best for dealing with what happened in a person's life; and less suited to what didnt happen (e.g people who missed out on love and nurturance as a child). I think another form of psychotherapy, Coherence Therapy (CT) is very helpful for such situations. It is consistent with EMDR, but is a talk therapy that involves no bi-lateral stimulation. Both EMDR and CT are effective because they harness a form of neuroplasticity called 'memory reconsolidation'. I have some discussion of memory reconsolidation and CT on my website.
New Book by Dr James Alexander (available on Amazon.com): Tendrils of Trauma, an 'insiders' report on the experience of trauma which resulted from a serious car accident. James Alexander was 18 years old when hit by a drunk driver in a head-on car accident while traveling around Australia in 1981. From this experience, he decided to become a psychologist so as to help other people who had been similarly traumatised. This book is a personal memoir of the ongoing ramifications of trauma across his adult life, both positive and negative, and is interspersed with what science currently tells us about both the impacts of trauma and the factors essential to recovery. It is a must read for anyone carrying significant trauma, and those who care about them. As a case study, professionals will also find a rich resource in their goal of assisting traumatised people.
Think I saw Tarzan swing by.
Will Phentermine block R.E.M. sleep?
I wonder how the lucid dreaming experience fits into these EDMR processes? Because once you can get a grip on lucid dreaming there IS a feeling of victory over worrisome concerns. Seems to me some overlapping results within the experiences.
yes, an interesting issue and question. I also think lucid dreaming is one of the inherent means we have as a species to 're-write' trauma, or at least its effects. Some people's experience of EMDR is very dream-like, in that their imaginations seem to take over (with little interference from the reality check functions of the brain) to allow a very different scenario to unfold. When this doesnt happen spontaneously, i will often facilitate such a process during EMDR. There are some overlaps with lucid dreaming in that.
"...the reality check functions of the brain..." Now that opens so many doors when discussing brain functions and the conscious and unconscious state, and of course that comes into play in lucid dreaming processes. An experience I've referred to as "tethering" in my writings and research about... self-explorations of the mind and consciousness.
Thank you for posting these most interesting videos! In researching this EMDR concept for a friend (honestly), I've found many interesting ideas in areas I've been researching throughout my life. Much appreciated!
what about ice method?i find it a bit complicated.similar to this tho
+omkuberaynamaha I have never heard of the ice method
Dr James, can you heal OCD of past relationship. They want me but I got bad behaviors endlessly.
Suzanne Cheung Yes, EMDR can help with pain from past relationships.
Can this work with non-specific trauma -- e.g. a decade of erratic neglect?
yes, it can
@@MrJalex1000 That is a very microsoft answer. Perfectly true, and absolutely useless. perhaps a link with anchor to where you explain that?
If someone undrgoes this therapy, will this make them insensitive or unable when or if the same type of trauma happens again making them unable to make a reasonable decision about it?
good question. No, it will not make them unable to deal with the same type of trauma, or any other trauma. EMDR appears to change dysfunctionally stored memories, which make it very difficult for traumatised people to respond to challenges in an adaptive way. Most people have personal coping resources and strengths as part of their 'make-up'. Trauma tends to inhibit access to these resources- successfully treat the trauma, and people then have access to their resources. Evidence of this can be seen with research done by Van der Kolk- he found that after the cessation of EMDR, people's measures of PTSD symptoms continued to decrease with time (not increase- which is what he reports happened with both antidepressant drugs and CBT). This ongoing reduction in symptoms suggests that people are gaining more and more access to their innate coping resources (after the main traumas have been adequately processed). I would imagine that if the same type of trauma happened again, the person may very well need more help. But, no- EMDR will not reduce the person's ability to respond to it; nor will it prevent them from responding to it in an adaptive manner- it is more likely that the opposite will happen.
Interesting!
i got ptsd about 5 years ago
emdr gets me connected to it and brings up the trauma but it doesnt release
same with eft, im not sure should i push the trauma back in so i can function or keep feeling it and hope it will release
i presume you are seeing a therapist for emdr? (highly advisable to be working with a therapist if you are using either emdr or eft for trauma). if so, this a query best answered by the therapist working with you.
thanks for the reply
i did a few years ago but not anymore, its like it brought my trauma up but i couldnt release it, ive been trying online and the same happens
The thing that caused my ptsd is embarrasing and id like to keep it to myself, can i do this and still do emdr?
not sure what you are referring to with "can i still do this..."? My suggestion is that when dealing with significant trauma (either by EMDR or EFT, or any other method which you can do on your own), you do it with a well trained and competent professional. The challenges of trying to treat yourself for trauma are too large to do on your own.
thanks
i agree with you, its just id rather not share the cause of the trauma as its something im ashamed about is what i was trying to say
Great video, I'm trying to find an EMDR therapist. Will it help with birth trauma/near death at birth?
if you are talking about your own near death whilst giving birth, then yes, absolutely. if you re talking about your own near death while being born, it is a bit less straight forward- but an experienced EMDR therapist can work with pre-cognitive memories.
Thanks, I am talking about pre-cognitive memories...I've never given birth.
You could try Berceli's TRE tremor therapy as well. Also study up on Porge's polyvagal theory. You could do Reichian therapy as well. The facial exercises tie into the polyvagal theory.
just got a double voice on this video:
very nice and informative, thanks
from author of: Pots Did Stop
Awesome, I stopped smoking after 3 sessions and thats not even what I went in for.
interesting. It makes sense though, if you recognise that behaviours like smoking and drinking are often engaged in to reduce emotional distress. If the distress (often/usually the result of historical traumas and current stressors) is addressed via EMDR, there is simply less internal drive to smoke and drink. In providing EMDR, i rarely work with the current 'symptom' of trauma, but work with the experiences that resulted in the trauma burden. When effective, the symptoms tend to take care of themselves, as they were being 'driven' by the burden itself. If not, then we can do some work specifically targeting the specific symptoms.
@@MrJalex1000 makes sense! I got more out of
Is he hiding in the woods?