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EMDR & ART THERAPY
Two  Additional Treatment Approaches

                                         

                                      ART THERAPY  is a powerful modality that helps people                                          resolve conflicts, improve interpersonal skills, manage                                          problematic behaviors, reduce stress, and achieve                                                personal insight. 


                                                     The integration of art and therapy allows increased expression of  emotions and                                                       access areas of the brain frequently impacted by traumatic experience.

 

I                                                    I am trained in the California style of art therapy that requires me to hold an                                                               additional license as a marriage and family therapist. This clinical approach                                                             means that I draw on a wealth of psychology to inform my work.

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Art Therapy does NOT require you to “be good at art”.
Art therapy is NOT “an art class”.
Artwork produced in therapy is completely private.

 

Is Art Therapy right for you?
While anyone can benefit from Art Therapy, it is especially helpful for;

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  • Children and adolescents; especially those who are adverse to attending therapy.

           Art is a non-threatening and familiar experience for children.

           Art therapy allows children and adolescents to work within a  “metaphoric” structure, frequently allowing                 healing to  occur without immediate verbalization of painful topics.

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  • Individuals who have been through any form of trauma: including abuse, combat,  natural disaster, criminal victimization and long-term stressors during childhood. 

       Neurobiological research shows therapeutic imagery can “build a bridge” from  the right side of the brain               (where visual centers are located and where trauma is stored) to the left side of the brain (where language is         located), allowing  processing of trauma through verbalization.

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  • Families who are experiencing problems in communication.

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  • Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Dementia.

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  • Any person with limited ability to express themselves verbally or persons with tendency to over-express themselves verbally.

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  • People who have had negative or unproductive experiences in verbal therapy or are resistant to therapy.

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                             EMDR is an evidence based treatment for trauma that                                                      allows  the psyche to "heal itself" through                                                                neurological processing.

                                                
                                                           How does EMDR work?

EMDR therapy works to dull or desensitize a negative or traumatic memory by focusing on the memory or event itself. With the use of bilateral stimulation, a patient is able to reprocess a negative memory and install a positive or peaceful resolution, in place of the distressing one. EMDR is thought to work because the patient uses both sides of their brain, which allows the brain to change the way the negative memory or trauma is stored in the brain, thus breaking the cycle of the memory, so a patient can gain a sense of calm, acceptance, and safety.

                                                _________________________________________________

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                                                              What is Bilateral Stimulation?

Bilateral Stimulation (BLS) is any stimulus that occurs in an even paced side to side, left/ right pattern. BLS can be visual, tactile, or auditory. The eye movements, that lend the initials "E.M." to EMDR, are no longer a usual method. Rather, Tactile BLS, (tapping rhythmically on one’s arm or chest or auditory, ie: a repeated tone or sound) are more common. EMDR is highly effective through both in-person and virtual sessions.

BLS, the key feature in EMDR therapy, is safe, and can be effective in helping you reprocess negative, distressing, or traumatic memories.

                                                __________________________________________________

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                                                           Who can benefit from EMDR therapy?

Originally developed to only treat Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), EMDR is now used to treat adults and children suffering from many other disorders that include:

  • Stress

  • Depression

  • Panic Disorders

  • Eating Disorders

  • Grief

  • Anxiety

  • Substance Abuse

  • Persistent Worry

  • Trauma

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                                                        Attachment Focused EMDR

Attachment Focused EMDR is an updated form of EMDR that is attuned to the individual defenses and conditioning that are natural reactions to therapy. Attachment Focused EMDR is a flexible, supportive version of the modality that expands the treatment and allows for greater sensitivity to individual issues. 

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EMDR is a complex and  nuanced modality. Please feel free to consult to discuss what you can expect from an EMDR session.

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