EMDR and Clinical Hypnotherapy – Resolving Trauma in a Changing World
- Brainz Magazine
- 6 hours ago
- 7 min read
Rebecca Jones (M.A. DipPCH) is a Clinical Hypnotherapist & Consultant (GHR, GHSC) (GQHP, MAC) and CEO/Founder: 'Paris St. Cloud' | Harley Street Therapy clinic | 'The Empire State of Mind'
As a Clinical Hypnotherapist for many years, I also trained in EMDR in London over 10 years ago. Combining EMDR with other Clinical Hypnotherapy therapeutic techniques and hypnotic trance work enables clients to rapidly overcome the negative mental and physical challenges that can often follow a traumatic event and PTSD. When used with Clinical Hypnotherapy, EMDR is an extremely powerful technique used for patients and clients suffering from extreme trauma and PTSD.
EMDR = Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing
EMDR: What is it?
Francine Shapiro (February 18, 1948 - June 16, 2019) was an American psychologist and educator who originated and developed eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
I have worked with many clients suffering from PTSD, some with a diagnosis, some not. The traumatic events I have worked on include witnessing a family member drown in an accident at sea, being wrongly convicted of murder, being abused as a child, being a whistleblower and vilified by the National Press/Media, and more. EMDR is a groundbreaking process that allows patients to rewire their brains, whilst at the same time processing their emotions, resolving the issues around the traumatic event, and starting to live their lives again.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a comprehensive psychotherapy that helps you process and recover from past experiences that are affecting your mental health and wellbeing.
It involves using side-to-side eye movements combined with talk therapy in a specific and structured format. Used alongside Clinical Hypnotherapy, with a therapist trained and experienced in both, can lead to rapid, effective, and lasting change. EMDR helps you process the negative images, emotions, beliefs, and body sensations associated with traumatic memories that seem to be stuck. These can contribute to a range of mental health problems.
EMDR is a way of kick-starting your natural healing and recovery process after your trauma. Your therapist is walking alongside you as you heal from the inside out.”
What can EMDR help with?
EMDR was developed and is best known as a therapy for treating trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a treatment for PTSD.
But it can be used to help with a range of mental health difficulties, including anxiety, depression, addictions, behavioural difficulties, relationship issues, and more serious mental illnesses such as psychosis and personality disorders.
What is trauma and PTSD?
Facts and Figures:
Around 70% of people globally will experience a potentially traumatic event during their lifetime. But only a minority (5.6%) will go on to develop PTSD.
An estimated 3.9% of the world population has experienced PTSD at some point in their lives¹.
The likelihood of developing PTSD varies depending on the type of traumatic event experienced. For example, rates of PTSD are more than three times (15.3%) higher among people exposed to violent conflict or war, as stated in The Lancet. PTSD rates are especially high following sexual violence².
Up to 40% of people with PTSD recover within one year. There are many effective treatments for PTSD, yet only 1 in 4 people with PTSD in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) report seeking any form of treatment. Barriers to care include a lack of awareness that PTSD can be treated, a lack of availability of mental health services, social stigma, and a lack of trained mental health care providers³.
What usually happens during a traumatic event is that we do not process the emotions at the time. We go into 'fight or flight' to survive. And sometimes, often, we block out parts of what happened to us in order to protect our minds. We want to make sure that our brain is not fractured. So we block out the event, or parts of the traumatic event. This is what is needed and necessary at the time of the event. However, we then form a memory of the event. And the memory is stored somewhere within us. Either within our body. Within our belief system. Or both. And this memory may not always be helpful to us in the future. It may not always serve us well. People often develop PTSD. And find it difficult to rid themselves of and to process the memory of the traumatic event. And this can negatively impact upon their present and future life, relationships, careers, and day-to-day living.
Patients have often been triggered by traumatic reactions to current-day events or by certain memories.
Clinical hypnotherapy and trauma & PTSD
Clinical Hypnotherapy can be used to treat trauma and PTSD.
Trauma is an emotional response that is caused by a distressing event or series of events, such as abuse, a bad accident, rape, or other sexual violence, combat, war, or a natural disaster.
Immediate reactions after a traumatic event include shock and denial, while more long-term reactions may include mood swings, relationship challenges, flashbacks, and physical symptoms.
Acute emotional trauma is the emotional response that happens during and shortly after a single distressing event.
Chronic emotional trauma is a long-term emotional response a person experiences from prolonged or repeated distressing events that span months or years.
PTSD
Not everyone experiencing trauma will develop PTSD.
A person is said to be suffering from PTSD when they are showing three main patterns and symptoms.
1. Re-experiencing symptoms
People with PTSD have repeated and unwanted recollections of the traumatic event(s), which make them feel as if the event(s) are happening all over again. These memories are accompanied by intense fear or horror.
2. Avoidance symptoms
People with PTSD avoid situations, activities, thoughts, or memories that remind them of the traumatic event(s). They may even avoid talking about the event(s) with their family or health care providers. Yet avoidance strategies can intensify symptoms if not dealt with.
3. Hyperarousal symptoms
People with PTSD may experience a heightened sense of danger, even when they are not actually at risk.
Symptoms of PTSD typically begin immediately after or within one month of a traumatic event. In younger children, symptoms are often behavioural and can include re-enacting the traumatic event during play or in drawings.
Children, as well as adults, often unjustly blame themselves for what happened.
Clinical hypnotherapy
Clinical Hypnotherapy is successfully used to treat trauma and PTSD. Many studies, including at the University of Cambridge, have shown hypnotherapy to be extremely helpful in the treatment of trauma symptoms, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The University of Cambridge study also included Depressive Disorders and Eating Disorders, as well as PTSD.
During hypnosis, the mind is more active and open. And so the hypnotherapist will help shift your feelings or beliefs to better manage certain symptoms of trauma. Hypnotherapy techniques⁴ for PTSD may include the following:
Identifying triggers
Reframing memories
Anchoring resource states
Though they appear similar at first glance, EMDR and Clinical Hypnotherapy are two very different and distinct types of treatments.
Unlike hypnotherapy, EMDR does not induce a trance-like state of mind. Rather, it continually grounds you by honing in on your emotions and sensations as a way of staying connected to reality.
How does EMDR work?
What EMDR does is to revisit a scene of the event. And to then reprocess it, enabling the person to then move into a more positive future, with a healthier mindset, a better skillset, a stronger core, and a more positive outlook for their future life. This allows you to excel, find happiness, and function at your best.
Sounds incredible, doesn't it?!
But it really is that simple!
However, the technique must be carried out by a skilled and trained professional, a neuropsychotherapist, or a Clinical Hypnotherapist.
EMDR works in 3 stages
Working with the memory from the past, a traumatic event.
Recognising and resolving the current distress in the present day, e.g., PTSD, triggered by the past trauma. In other words, how the past trauma plays out and impacts your current life, and daily functioning, e.g., in relationships, etc.)
And finally,
Moving forward in the future with positive, dynamic, and effective coping strategies and beliefs that will build resilience, inner strength, high self-worth, and self-esteem, success, and happiness.
EMDR works on Bilateral Stimulation, using the brain, the memory, and a physical stimulus at the same time. If used by a clinical Hypnotherapist, it can also include hypnosis at the same time, making it even more powerful. It takes you from your conscious mind down to your unconscious mind, where you are able to reprocess, rewire, and reboot your mind and brain.
If you or someone you know is suffering from trauma and/or PTSD, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with a Clinical Hypnotherapist and a trained professional to find out more. Thank you.
Rebecca Jones, Clinical Hypnotherapist | Consultant Rebecca Jones (M.A. DipPCH) is a Clinical Hypnotherapist & Consultant (GHR, GHSC) (GQHP, MAC) and CEO/Founder: 'Paris St. Cloud' | Harley Street Therapy clinic | 'The Empire State of Mind'
Harley Street Therapy Clinic | London W1 | UK | Fifth Avenue Therapy Clinic | 5th Ave | NYC | USA | Global Solutions | Worldwide
Initially trained by Dr. Richard Bandler and Paul McKenna, & now a much-trusted & highly valued part of their team, Rebecca is a highly sought-after expert in her field. Rebecca is an inspirational therapist and consultant with her thriving practice in Harley Street, London, and a successful clinic on Deansgate in Manchester; Rebecca is a dedicated, professional, highly experienced, and highly effective, successful therapist & consultant. Rebecca now also has a clinic on Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, USA.
Reference:
[1] (Kessler RC, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Alonso J, Benjet C, Bromet EJ, Cardoso G, et al. Trauma and PTSD in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2017;8(sup5):1353383. doi:10.1080/20008198.2017.1353383).
[2] (Charlson F, van Ommeren M, Flaxman A, Cornett J, Whiteford H, Saxena S. New WHO prevalence estimates of mental disorders in conflict settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2019. 394(10194):240–248. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30934- 1).
[3] (Koenen KC, Ratanatharathorn A, Ng L, McLaughlin KA, Bromet EJ, Stein DJ, et al. Posttraumatic stress disorder in the World Mental Health Surveys. Psychol Med. 2017 Oct;47(13):2260–74. doi:10.1017/S0033291717000708).
[4] (Chan NA, et al. University of Cambridge (2021). Update on hypnotherapy for psychiatrists. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-advances/article/abs/update-on hypnotherapy-for-psychiatrists/F8BCC7AABAEDCD28D625DBC48D51CBE1)
