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EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing) for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – how this comprehensive therapy can help you
EMDR therapy for OCD with London-based therapists - learn to control your OCD, identify the root cause, its symptoms & triggers using EMDR techniques
Obsessive Compulsive Order (OCD) explained
Many of us have certain habits, but when a habit turns into an act that you can’t control and affects your everyday life, it can be a problem. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours they cannot, or find difficult, to control.
It can affect everyone; men, women and children. For some, symptoms can start as early as puberty but generally symptoms start during early adulthood.
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What do we mean by ‘obsessive’ and ‘compulsive’?
An obsession is an unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters your mind, causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease.
A compulsion is a repetitive behaviour or mental act that you feel you need to do to temporarily relieve the unpleasant feelings brought on by the obsessive thought.
OCD presents itself through a variety of symptoms, behaviours and habits. Symptoms can be visible or invisible through thoughts. Behaviours can be conscious and unconscious, obsessive and compulsive with continuous repetition.
OCD is upsetting for the individual and often people are not sure where to turn for help or even that a counsellor or a psychotherapist can help. Sufferers experience a range of problems depending on the individual and the disorder or disorders. The disorder may be linked to other problems too. We can help.
These obsessive and compulsive behaviours also include habits such as nail-biting, hair-pulling, thumb-sucking or scratching. Habits can be controlled, but they can also become addictions or obsessive compulsive disorders.
Using EMDR treatment for OCD
At Pinnacle we know that ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ and that each of our clients is different and has their own set of unique needs and circumstances. We use a combination of therapies for OCD, one of the primary treatments is Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR).
What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing) therapy was originally developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorders, including experiences of war. However, it’s since been found to have far reaching applications for many different types of disorders.
At Pinnacle, our EMDR accredited therapists use this advanced therapy to help with a number of issues such as OCD and anxiety.
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How EMDR can help with OCD
Some people don’t want to talk about what is troubling them, particularly those suffering from anxiety, it can be difficult to ’open up’ and explore why they are feeling this way. Some people don’t fully know. That’s not a problem with EMDR because it enables us to work blind to the actual issue: sometimes we work with people and treat them without needing to discuss any of the specifics.
EMDR in more detail
Imagine watching a film back in your mind of an incident or trigger which made you anxious, and then pausing it at the worst moment: the part that really encapsulates the trauma you felt. That’s what we get our patients to do, replaying it in their mind. We ask them to notice something in the past, and then notice something in the present. We call it bilateral stimulation.
We do this because the part of our brain that processes that event, the reptilian part of our brain, doesn’t know how to handle the incident or trigger and can’t store it as a memory. EMDR helps to change that.
“EMDR therapy is a way of helping your brain process negative events and overwhelming situations as memory. We use it a lot and the results can be relatively quick and really powerful. When you use talking therapy (e.g. counselling) to treat OCD you are dealing with the rational part of the mind, and it can be effective. For some people though this won’t be enough. EMDR helps you treat the irrational part of the mind as well, which you also need to treat, through guiding someone’s internal experience”
Richard Reid - CEO, Therapist & Coaching Psychologist
What actually happens in an EMDR therapy session?
The EMDR therapy stimulates both the left and right sides of the brain, using a range of techniques including hand movements, alternating lights or vibrating sensors, while the client recalls the event which is the cause of the anxiety.
The effect of EMDR is similar to Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, during which the brain makes sense of the day’s events, reprocessing the memory and releasing negative emotions and associations. Our trained EMDR therapists will guide you through the process helping you to work through your particular worries and fears.
What can you expect from an EMDR and OCD treatment session?
Our EMDR sessions for anxiety are tailored to suit your needs. We always take a person-centred approach and work with you to reach your goal. Our sessions usually last from 30 minutes to an hour; we usually recommend a course of around 6 to 12 sessions.
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