Applicability of EMDR
EMDR is particularly effective when a specific traumatic event has occurred. Examples include a traffic accident, sexual abuse, loss, bullying or other forms of violence.
Often, trauma is not experienced as such at the time, but it does leave its mark. In the body and in the mind. Burnout, chronic illness or depression are just a few examples of these marks. Often, the symptoms are treated, but the cause remains. This usually results in adaptation but no real healing. And worse still, it returns later in another form.
For which complaints?
- Irritability
- Feelings of guilt or low self-esteem
- Negative thoughts
- Reliving during the day or while asleep
- Avoiding people or places
- Blunted emotions (emotional flattening)
Trauma
You don't have to have experienced a plane crash or war to be affected by trauma. Trauma happens to us. According to the UMC Utrecht, approximately 1 in 6 Dutch people have experienced a traumatic event in their lives (UMC, 2020). The severity of the event is usually not the problem.
Many people who come to us have been undergoing psychotherapy for weeks, months or even years. However, trauma is often not resolved by simply talking about it. Trauma does not reside on a cognitive (thinking) level. People often know that they should not feel guilty, or that they are safe or okay. Yet their body or emotions tell them something else. In short: trauma is located in the subconscious and manifests itself in the physical body. These are the gateways to the trauma and therefore also the path to recovery.
Who is your conversation partner?
Ben ter Horst
Tim Brinkman
Some examples from our practice
We regularly treat people with EMDR, often with great success. However, in some cases EMDR does not appear to be the right approach, and we opt for a different route to possible recovery, either within or outside our practice.
- Trauma following the death of her partner beside her in a car accident
- Serious bullying at school
- A single instance of inappropriate behaviour by a manager, which continued to hinder normal responses to feedback on a daily basis.
- The encounter – years ago – with a (rather large) spider that instils fear of everything small and moving
- No longer dared to drive a car. During the EMDR session, ‘control’ emerged as the theme and we went back to a traumatic break-up, in which he completely lost control of himself.
Would you like to know more about EMDR? Or would you like to discuss the possibilities? Please contact us.
An intake ensures safety
EMDR is a safe form of therapy and we proceed with caution. That is why we want to gain insight into your resilience and social network. After all, many feelings can be triggered and it is important that you have a safety net. For this reason, we always conduct an intake interview before we start EMDR.
We have many techniques at our disposal to respond to your request for help. During the consultation, we will explore together whether EMDR is the most appropriate treatment. If this is the case, we will start by mapping out the issue and the patterns, followed by an initial EMDR session.
If this is not the case, we will explore other options together. In all cases, you will be one step closer to the solution. In addition to the traditional method using our fingers, we now also work with a lamp, sound and vibrations.
How many sessions are required?
This depends on the complexity. In the case of a single trauma, sometimes even an intake and one EMDR session are sufficient. The natural processing process is then restarted and continues automatically. More complex or multiple traumas often require several sessions. In this case, the trauma consists of a single memory network made up of multiple events. Nevertheless, most people notice fundamental differences after the first session. The emotional charge, sadness and pain are reduced. Avoidance and procrastination are broken through.
Our rates
Initial consultation
- The rate is €75 for approximately one hour.
- Intake by Ben ter Horst or Tim Brinkman
EMDR session
- The rate is €150 for approximately one and a half hours.
- The treatment is provided by Ben ter Horst or Tim Brinkman.