EMDR Intensives

What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful and evidence-based psychotherapy designed to help individuals process traumatic memories and distressing life experiences. Through a somatic, experiential approach, EMDR helps people process difficult beliefs and emotions related to past events in a more helpful way, leading to emotional healing and improved mental well-being.

Monica Schweickle, Clinical Psychologist and Director of The Peridot Clinic, is an Accredited EMDR practitioner who has been practicing this modality since 2015. She offers both traditional EMDR and EMDR intensives for treatment of PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief, spiritual and psychedelic integration and challenging psychedelic experiences.

What is the difference between EMDR, and an EMDR intensive?

EMDR intensives involve longer therapy sessions spaced more frequently. For example, 2-hour sessions, 3 days a week, instead of an hour session once a week or fortnight over a longer time period. Completing EMDR intensively allows a person to resolve trauma in a targeted, accelerated way over a shorter time frame.

EMDR intensives may be suitable for those wanting to resolve a difficult life experience, in a faster, more focussed way, and have the right support to do so. Such as:

  • Professionals who have busy schedules, preferring a shorter window to address a therapeutic goal, such as FIFO workers 

  • People with caregiver responsibilities, or anyone who finds ongoing long term weekly therapy challenging

  • Residents of rural areas without access to experienced, accredited EMDR practitioners

  • Individuals who already have a trusted therapist who is not EMDR-trained, but may benefit from an EMDR intensive program. We can work closely with your regular therapist before and after the program.

  • Anyone with a preference and readiness for working through issues in an intentional, in-depth way across a shorter period of time, for any reason (such as upcoming medical treatment, travel, birth of a child)

Monica offers EMDR intensives online or in person at The Peridot Clinic Newcastle, which is nestled amongst many cafes, sea breezes, a short walk to the ocean baths, and a range of hotel accommodation in Newcastle CBD. The first step is to book an initial session, to identify what EMDR program would best suit your needs and goals. 

Who Can Benefit from EMDR?

While EMDR is particularly effective for individuals dealing with trauma and PTSD, it has also been successfully used to assist:

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Phobias

  • Grief and loss

  • Addictions

  • Chronic pain

  • Adjustment difficulties

  • Relationship break-ups

  • Parenting challenges

  • Complex trauma

  • Difficult life experiences, like challenging spiritual or psychedelic experiences

How EMDR Works

EMDR utilizes bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or taps, while the individual recalls memories of a traumatic experience. This unique approach activates both hemispheres of the brain, facilitating the processing and reorganization of these memories in a more adaptive way. Over time, this helps reduce the emotional charge attached to the memories, promoting healthier thinking patterns and emotional regulation, greater self-compassion and connection to all parts of the self.

What Research Says About EMDR

EMDR is one of the most researched therapeutic modalities for trauma. Studies consistently show that it can significantly reduce PTSD symptoms. EMDR is considered an effective treatment for PTSD, with numerous studies demonstrating its ability to help individuals process traumatic memories faster than traditional talk therapies. 

Key research findings include:

  • Rapid Trauma Relief: Research published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress shows that EMDR therapy can bring about rapid symptom relief, often in fewer sessions compared to other trauma-focused therapies (Van der Kolk, 2007).

  • Brain Changes: Functional brain imaging studies have shown that EMDR may stimulate the brain’s natural healing mechanisms, enhancing emotional processing. A study in NeuroImage found that EMDR therapy helped reduce hyperactivity in the amygdala, the brain's fear center, making it easier for patients to confront distressing memories without being overwhelmed (Rauch et al., 2006).

  • Efficacy for PTSD: In multiple clinical trials, EMDR has been found to be highly effective in treating PTSD. For example, a study in The Lancet reported that 84-90% of patients who received EMDR showed significant improvement in PTSD symptoms, with many achieving full recovery after only a few sessions (Bisson et al., 2007).

  • Long-Term Results: EMDR not only helps reduce symptoms in the short term but has also been shown to produce long-lasting results. Research has indicated that the improvements from EMDR therapy are maintained for years after treatment. A follow-up study in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease found that the therapeutic benefits of EMDR were sustained even years after the conclusion of therapy (Shapiro, 2014).

  • Enhanced self-compassion and understanding: EMDR can facilitate compassion for parts of the self that hold the trauma, increasing self-awareness.

References:

  • Bisson, J. I., Ehlers, A., Mathews, A., Pilling, S., Richards, D., & Turner, T. (2007). Psychological treatments for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder: Systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet, 370(9591), 789–798. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61360-6

  • Rauch, S. L., Whalen, P. J., Shin, L. M., & McInerney, S. (2006). Exaggerated amygdala response to masked facial stimuli in post-traumatic stress disorder. NeuroImage, 29(3), 712-718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.08.052

  • Shapiro, F. (2014). EMDR Therapy and the Neurobiology of Trauma. W.W. Norton & Company.

  • Van der Kolk, B. A. (2007). The Body Keeps the Score: Memory and the Evolving Psychobiology of Posttraumatic Stress. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 14(3), 173–187. https://doi.org/10.1080/10673220701466382

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