Meet the team-EMDR Therapist Donna Harrison
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a type of therapy that helps you process and recover from past experiences that are affecting your mental health and wellbeing.
EMDR helps you process the negative images, emotions, beliefs and body sensations associated with traumatic memories that seem to be stuck, these traumatic memories can lead to a range of mental health problems and poor well-being.
EMDR can help you to see things from a different perspective and relieves the symptoms that you were suffering.
It involves using side to side eye movements combined with talk therapy in a specific and structured format.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR works in a specific way and the therapist will work through the various stages with you. The process will always begin with an assessment of your symptoms and together gaining an understanding of how past events have shaped you, the assessment process will also explore your readiness to go through EMDR as a form of therapy.
These initial stages will help both you and the therapist understand which traumatic memories need to be processed to help you recover as well understanding how trauma affects the mind.
Reliving and processing trauma can be difficult so your therapist will make sure that you remain safe during the process.
The next part of the process involves accessing those traumatic memories whilst receiving stimulation on both sides of your brain in an alternating left to right way. This stimulation takes place by making eye movements from side to side, tapping on either side of your body or listening to alternating sounds through headphones.
This way of working ensures that although they are processing these traumatic memories from the past, they remain anchored and grounded in the present through the stimulation they are receiving.
This allows the memories to be viewed in a different way so they become less distressing.
EMDR sessions are £50.
What can EMDR help with?
EMDR is usually best known as a therapy for treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) however it can also help with other more common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, issues with relationships and addictions as well as some more serious conditions such as personality disorders and psychosis.
Donna’s journey to becoming a counsellor and EMDR therapist.
Donna has been a qualified counsellor since 2009 and is accredited with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapy. Since that time, she has also qualified in clinical supervision, EMDR therapy and working with couples.
Prior to training, Donna has for many years worked for a local charity in Cheriton supporting adults with learning disability and mental health needs. This has encouraged her to join Lighthouse43 and part of our innovative team.
Donna is particularly experienced in working with clients who have experienced trauma, perinatal issues [eg. birth trauma/loss], weight management issues and helping couples with relationship difficulties.
