Trauma Therapy
Your Path to Recovery
Trauma can manifest in a variety of different ways
It’s not always about the magnitude of an event; it’s about its impact on you. Whether it’s a single, life-altering moment or a series of smaller events compounding over time, trauma can get stuck in your mind, replaying over and over, leading to unhealthy responses: self-criticism, feelings of helplessness, and wishing things had been different. Maybe you’re even starting to experience physical symptoms as a result of your trauma.
Types of Trauma Treatment
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) emphasizes the connection between your thoughts, beliefs, and subsequent behaviors and emotions. By addressing and changing unhelpful thought patterns and habits, we can decrease symptoms of trauma. CBT involves identifying negative thought patterns and working to reframe them with more positive and realistic ones. In our practice we utilize CBT techniques, alongside other therapies, to reduce the impact of trauma.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) is an effective method designed to help individuals recover from the emotional distress associated with traumatic events. This approach gently encourages you to face and process these challenging memories and emotions. By integrating PE into our therapy sessions, we concentrate on the profound emotional effects of trauma, guiding you on a path toward healing.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
EMDR employs eye movements to facilitate changes in the brain, aiding in the processing of anxiety, traumatic experiences, and negative thought patterns. EMDR is beneficial for anxiety and phobias but is most well-studied in treating trauma. In our practice, we integrate EMDR with talk therapy, and other brain-based techniques to deepen and personalize trauma treatment.
Take the first step towards overcoming your trauma today
If Talking About Your Pain Hasn’t Helped,
You Might Consider EMDR Therapy
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy utilizes specific techniques, like guided eye movements or gentle tapping to help your brain deal with tough emotions and memories. This back-and-forth movement, also called bilateral stimulation, helps unlock and process feelings and memories that are hard to reach.
It’s not just for PTSD and trauma; it’s also helpful for treating depression, anxiety, OCD, and phobias.
EMDR works with your brain’s ability to change and heal (this is called neuroplasticity). It helps create new pathways in your brain, so you can deal with trauma in a healthy way and start healing.
The DC Metro Therapy Difference
At DC Metro Therapy, our approach to EMDR is personal and intentional
We start by getting to know your unique story—discussing past experiences and difficult memories in a safe, comfortable setting. Together, we’ll identify triggering thoughts or beliefs, like feeling at fault or unsafe.
While focusing on these memories, we use gentle techniques like eye movements or bilateral stimulation to engage your brain differently, allowing you to process these memories with less emotional weight. Our goal is for you to recall these memories without feeling overwhelmed by them, making it easier to let go of the pain they carry.
Throughout your EMDR sessions, you remain aware and in control, but you’ll likely find that negative emotions don’t grip you as strongly. This process not only aids in healing from past trauma but also helps in creating a more positive outlook for the future.
Ready to Start Healing?
Our trauma therapy practice is dedicated to guiding you through your healing journey. We understand that trauma is unique to each person, and so is the road to recovery.
Start your healing journey today
You May Still Have Questions
About EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy was developed originally as a PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) therapy, but over time it has been used effectively to manage a number of different symptoms. In our practice, we use EMDR therapy to treat: anxiety, chronic pain, health conditions, problems sleeping, trauma and phobias. Emerging studies show EMDR’s efficacy with various psychological disorders that involve negative thought patterns. We integrate EMDR therapy with other modalities.
EMDR has been successfully used with all ages, including children and teens, ages 4-18. EMDR therapy can be helpful with children and teens who may not want to talk about their feelings, but still need to process challenging emotions.
EMDR therapy can be done online safely and effectively. Your therapist will guide you through using a program for bi-lateral stimulation by using eye movements. The best part is that you have the familiarity of your own home and many clients feel more comfortable in their own environment. There is no stress of traveling to an office, looking for parking, and battling traffic when EMDR is done online.
Yes, EMDR Therapy is known to be very safe and has fewer side effects than any medication. Many clients feel lighter and better after a session. Some clients report feeling tired after EMDR treatment and many people sleep soundly the night after a processing session. Your therapist will help you to safely work through any emotions that come up during EMDR therapy.
We use knowledge of neuroscience as a tool to improve your EMDR therapy outcome. Our understanding of how the brain works helps us to guide you for more success in your EMDR session.
In our practice, we understand the importance of bottom-up processing when it comes to trauma. Bottom-up refers to therapy that works with the lower parts of the brain and the body’s sensations. Typical top-down processing works with thoughts and logic. When we experience trauma, the top parts of our brain may not be working as well as they should and top-down work is less effective.
A bottom-up approach can help manage the hyperarousal that a traumatized brain can exhibit. We have helped our clients by using an integrative approach to achieve the best outcome. We also incorporate mindfulness and other relaxation techniques that complement EMDR.
EMDR Therapy Can Help You Find Relief
If you have tried to get rid of anxiety, negative thoughts or painful memories, you don’t have to stay stuck. Contact us or call 202-656-3376 to discuss EMDR therapy and see if it is right for you. We offer free phone consultations to answer any further questions you may have.