Healing in the Holiday Season with EMDR Therapy

The holidays are here and can bring much joy, but also can be a source of great pain. From the decorations to the Christmas music, buying gifts, and attending parties, the topic of expectations and disappointments are addressed in my counseling sessions with clients.

One strategy that I utilize for healing is EMDR Therapy. For clients who express feelings of anxiety or depression in this season, EMDR can help to reduce and alleviate the symptoms and the root causes of the pain.

How does EMDR Therapy work? It rewires the brain. All parts of the brain: the logical, the emotional, and the physical parts. It is amazing and clients report that it is “magical”.

Clients who report a feeling of dread concerning attending a big family event because beliefs such as “I don’t matter” or “I’m not good enough” are experienced. But in utilizing EMDR, we may set up the process by targeting the first or worst time the client began to believe these lies about themselves. Using bilateral stimulation and thinking about the highlighted memory along with the belief, emotions, and physical sensations, EMDR will transform that negative cognition into a positive one. A client will change from believing “I’m not good enough” to a belief of “Yes, I am good enough.” It may take one to many sessions depending on the depth of the memories and experiences. Through the skill and expertise of an EMDR Therapist, a client can be set free to experience the joy of the holiday season and enter 2024 with a different mindset.

I am passionate about EMDR Therapy and am honored to walk alongside my clients in their healing journey. For more information visit www.sandrabstanfordcounseling.com/emdr-2/ or
www.emdria.org.

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