Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult things a person can go through. The pain and grief can be overwhelming, and it can be hard to know how to cope. If you are struggling with traumatic grief after losing a loved one, EMDR therapy may be able to help. EMDR is a relatively new type of therapy that has been shown to be effective in helping people heal from trauma. It stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and during an EMDR session, the therapist will guide your eye movements while you talk about your traumatic experience. This helps to reprocess the memories and emotions associated with the loss.
Let’s discuss in detail how EMDR therapy helps in traumatic grief but first, let’s discuss what EMDR Therapy is?
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy is a relatively new type of therapy that has been shown to be effective in helping people heal from trauma. It stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and during an EMDR session, the therapist will guide your eye movements while you talk about your traumatic experience. This helps to reprocess the memories and emotions associated with the loss.
EMDR therapy has been shown to be especially effective for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it can also be helpful for other types of trauma, including traumatic grief. In a study of bereaved individuals who were experiencing complicated grief, EMDR was found to be more effective than standard grief counselling in reducing symptoms of complicated grief.
How Does EMDR Therapy Help?
There are several ways that EMDR therapy can help in traumatic grief.
1. Helps In Processing The Memories and Emotions
It can help to reprocess the memories and emotions associated with the loss. This can be helpful in alleviating the pain and distress of those memories.
Traumatic memories are often stored in a different part of the brain than regular memories. They can be difficult to access and process, which can lead to them being stuck in our minds. EMDR therapy helps to access these memories and process them, which can help to reduce their impact on our lives.
Emotions that are not processed can become stuck in our bodies. This can lead to physical symptoms, such as pain and fatigue. EMDR therapy can help to release these emotions and reduce the physical symptoms that they cause.
2. Teaches Coping Skills
EMDR therapy can also teach coping skills that can be used in times of distress. These skills can help to reduce the symptoms of trauma and grief.
Some of the skills that may be taught include:
- relaxation techniques
- self-care
- journaling
- positive self-talk
- stress management skills
All of these skills can be helpful in managing the symptoms of traumatic grief.
3. Increases Self-Compassion
EMDR therapy can also help to increase self-compassion. This is an important skill for anyone who has experienced a loss.
Self-compassion can help to:
- reduce self-blame
- increase self-care
- improve coping skills
All of these are important in managing the symptoms of traumatic grief.
If you are struggling with traumatic grief, EMDR therapy may be able to help. It is a new type of therapy that has been shown to be effective in helping people heal from trauma. If you are interested in learning more about EMDR therapy, please contact me. I would be happy to answer any questions that you have in your mind.
4. Helps to Restore a Sense of Control
When we experience a traumatic event, it can often feel like we have lost control. EMDR therapy can help to restore a sense of control by teaching coping skills and helping to process the memories and emotions associated with the loss. This can be helpful in giving us back some sense of control over our lives.
It also helps to understand that we are not alone in our grief. There are others who have experienced similar losses and can offer support and understanding.
5. Helps to Build a New Life After Loss
Traumatic grief can often feel like we are stuck in the past. EMDR therapy can help to build a new life after loss by teaching coping skills and restoring a sense of control. This can be an important step in moving on from the loss and rebuilding our lives.
Building a new life after loss can be a difficult process. It is often helpful to have support from others who understand what we are going through. There are many support groups available for those who are grieving a loss.
6. Promotes Connections with Others
EMDR therapy can also help to promote connections with others. This is an important step in rebuilding our lives after a loss.
The connections that we make with others can provide:
- support
- understanding
- love
All of these are important in our healing process.
7. Restores The Healing Relationship of Your Mind With The Body
Traumatic grief can often lead to physical symptoms, such as pain and fatigue. EMDR therapy can help to restore the healing relationship of your mind with your body. This can help to reduce the physical symptoms that are caused by trauma and grief.
It is important to remember that each person’s experience with traumatic grief is unique. Not everyone will experience all of the benefits listed above. However, EMDR therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for traumatic grief.
8. Helps You To Progress Intentionally In Your Grief Journey
EMDR therapy can help you to progress intentionally in your grief journey. This is an important step in rebuilding your life after a loss.
One of the most difficult things about grief is that it can feel like you are stuck in one place. You may feel like you are reliving the loss over and over again. EMDR therapy can help you to move forward in your grief journey.
EMDR therapy can help you to identify your goals for healing and work towards them. This can be a very empowering experience.
Conclusion
Traumatic grief can be a very difficult experience. EMDR therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for traumatic grief. It can help to reduce the symptoms of trauma and grief, restore a sense of control, and rebuild our lives after loss. If you are struggling with traumatic grief, please contact me for more information. I would be happy to answer any questions that you have or provide my consultations to you.