Healing the Core of Addiction Comprehensive EMDR Therapy at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

Journey to Recovery: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

So often, trauma is at the root of addiction and mental health issues. At Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we believe that this trauma must be addressed in order to heal these derivative issues. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a clinically proven effective treatment for trauma-related issues.

Understanding EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy is based on a theory about how your brain stores and processes memories. This theory is called the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model. The theory hypothesizes that during traumatic events, your brain does not store the memory of the events in a normal manner. This can result in disassociation during and after the event, repression of traumatic memories, and an inability to properly process what has happened. EMDR therapy aims to reconnect individuals with their traumatic memories so that they can be fully processed and the individual can begin to heal.

Exploring the Basics of EMDR Therapy

During an EMDR therapy session, a therapist guides the patient through mental and physical exercises. Often, they’ll first encourage a state of focus and relaxation. Then, they’ll guide the patient through specific eye movements while instructing them to think or talk about their memory, including any negative thoughts, feelings, and images. The idea behind this is that particular eye movements or eye positions can activate deeper concentration on and access to unprocessed or repressed memories. Once the trauma has been reprocessed, the therapist then helps the patient build a more positive belief or thought pattern in place of the negative ones.

Identifying How EMDR Addresses Trauma

This entails the process of understanding and mapping out the key elements and relationships in a person’s psychological difficulties and trauma-related experiences. It helps therapists or clinicians identify the factors that contribute to a patient’s distress and symptoms. The six key elements typically considered in this case conceptualization are:

• Unprocessed traumatic experiences: The specific traumatic events or memories that are causing distress and disruption in the person’s life or physiology
• Triggers: Events, situations, or stimuli that activate or bring to the surface the distressing memories or emotions associated with the trauma
• Intrusions: Intrusive thoughts, memories, or flashbacks related to the traumatic experiences that disrupt the person’s daily life
• Negative beliefs: Core negative beliefs about the self and the world that have developed as a result of the trauma
• Symptoms: The emotional, cognitive, and physiological symptoms and addictive patterns that the person may be experiencing due to a history of trauma
• Resilience: Factors or resources that the person can draw upon to cope with and recover from trauma-related distress

Types of Trauma Treated at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

EMDR therapy can be used to treat a variety of trauma-related mental health conditions. Some that we treat at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab include:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Bipolar disorder

EMDR Therapy for Addressing Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Substance use disorder (SUD) is often, though not always, connected to past trauma. When that is the case, EMDR can be used to treat the trauma and the interconnected addiction.

Key Features of Exclusive Hawaii Rehab's Therapy Sessions

When you partner with Exclusive Hawaii Rehab for EMDR therapy, there are some key features that set our sessions apart. Here, you’ll work directly with skilled, highly-trained EMDR therapists from day one. Although EMDR can work quickly, you’ll undergo multiple sessions and have your progress tracked meticulously.

During these sessions, our therapists utilize bilateral stimulation, which means that they attempt to alternately stimulate both hemispheres of the brain. This practice is thought to help with emotional regulation, helping the patient maintain a sense of calm while processing distressing memories. At Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, our EMDR therapists also incorporate cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) into EMDR by focusing on addressing negative thought patterns and rewiring the brain with more neutral or positive ones.

Exclusive Hawaii Rehab is located amongst the natural beauty of Hawaii’s landscape. We believe that being connected with nature can provide focus and serenity, two important components of EMDR therapy. That’s why we strive to incorporate nature and Hawaiian culture into all of our therapies, but EMDR therapy in particular. Here, you can immerse yourself in tranquility and focus your energy on healing.

A Relatively Short-Term Modality

Patients typically experience significant symptom reduction in just a few sessions. This is especially important for individuals who are struggling to rebuild their lives after trauma, as it allows them to begin to focus on other aspects of their recovery more quickly. For individuals who have struggled with the effects of trauma for years and haven’t found healing, EMDR therapy is a great option to try for quick results.

Initiating The Path to Recovery With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

If you’re eager to start on your healing journey, contact us to take the first steps. After your initial consultation and assessment, you’ll be able to start creating your personalized care plan. During this stage, you can talk with your care team about your goals for recovery and ask any questions you have about EMDR therapy. It’s important to know what to expect before diving into treatment. Once you have a tailored treatment plan, you’ll be ready to start down the path to recovery and long-term wellness.