EMDR

Do you struggle with debilitating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and need relief? At Rein Center in Iowa City, Iowa, the experienced mental health specialists offer eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to help you overcome past traumatic events. Call the office to schedule an in-person or telehealth evaluation, or use the online booking feature today. 

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, which is an effective method for helping patients overcome negative memories and unpleasant symptoms due to traumatic life events and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

It’s a technique in which you move your eyes in a specific way while processing distressing memories, helping you heal from trauma and the mental health conditions associated with it.

Who benefits from EMDR?

EMDR is often beneficial for teenagers and adults of all ages who struggle with:

• PTSD
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Intrusive thoughts
• Dissociative disorders
• Gender dysphoria
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Eating disorders
• Trauma disorders
• Personality disorders 

You might have multiple mental health challenges linked to past trauma. See the Rein Center providers at the first sign of a debilitating mental health condition to determine if EMDR is the right treatment for you.

What are the benefits of EMDR?

There are various benefits of choosing EMDR to help you overcome mental health conditions and distressing past experiences. The treatment is highly effective, based on numerous studies, and tends to work quicker than other forms of therapy. EMDR is often less stressful than describing and mentally reliving negative past events.

The team at Rein Center has considerable experience performing EMDR. Dr. Rein has been using it as one of her primary modalities since 2000, and several other team members have completed EMDR training.

Is EMDR right for me?

Your mental health specialist determines if you’re a candidate for EMDR after discussing your symptoms and medical history. They complete an in-depth mental health evaluation by asking questions about past life events, traumatic experiences, and your thoughts, mood, emotions, and behavior patterns.

They tailor a mental health treatment plan that’s best suited to your needs and let you know what to expect during treatment sessions.

What should I expect during EMDR sessions?

EMDR consists of multiple phases. During EMDR sessions with a Rein Center specialist, you access memories of past trauma in specific ways. You combine eye movements with guided instruction to access and reprocess thoughts and emotions about negative events.

Reprocessing helps you repair mental injuries from past trauma, so that debilitating feelings associated with the trauma are much more manageable. You often need multiple EMDR treatment sessions to achieve superior, long-lasting results.

Rein Center also offers medication management and mind-body wellness, including mindfulness training, wellness programs, yoga, meditation, massage therapy, acupuncture, and stress-relief programs.

To learn more about EMDR at Rein Center and find out if it’s right for you, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.