EMDR Therapy - Based in Sheffield, Delivered Online

What is EMDR therapy?

EMDR is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Lorraine is and EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner, qualified to deliver this therapy and with hundreds of hours of session experience to draw upon. Lorraine provides compassionate EMDR therapy to clients in Sheffield and across the UK through convenient online sessions.

When someone experiences a traumatic or distressing event that's hard to fully process, it can affect how the memory is processed and stored, potentially leading to PTSD. Afterward, they might have vivid flashbacks, images, or nightmares that make them feel as if the event is happening again. This can involve re-experiencing the original sights, sounds, smells, body sensations, and distress. Consequently, individuals may feel a constant sense of danger, experience upsetting thoughts, and struggle with depression or anxiety.

How does EMDR work?

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, typically using side-to-side eye movements that mimic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep to help clients reframe their negative experience and process these memories so that they become 'unstuck', less intense, less vivid, and less distressing.

The benefits of EMDR

EMDR therapy helps the brain change the way traumatic memories are stored, so they feel in the past and have less emotional charge. In turn, this:

Reduces the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Reduces anxiety and depression
Improves self-esteem and self-worth
Enables individuals to begin to reclaim and move forward with their lives.

Can it work online?

Absolutely! Many people wonder if EMDR, with its unique eye-movement component, can truly be effective in an online setting.

The answer is a resounding yes! Online EMDR therapy is a widely adopted and highly effective method for healing trauma. We use secure and user-friendly platforms like Zoom to facilitate our sessions, ensuring a smooth and private connection from the comfort of your own space.

During your one-hour session, Lorraine will guide you through the process using simple, accessible technology, allowing you to engage fully with the therapy, just as you would in person. This approach offers both convenience and the same deep therapeutic benefits.

Who can benefit from EMDR?

People who have experienced the following:

Accidents
Near-death experiences
Natural disasters or terror-related events
Sudden or traumatic loss of someone
Childhood abuse and/or neglect
Sexual assault and/or abuse
Military combat trauma
First responder trauma
Bullying, abuse, and social humiliation

EMDR can also be used to treat a wide range of other mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, depression and phobias, particularly where the origins lie in witnessing or experiencing difficult life events.

Drawing on over 25 years of dedicated psychotherapy experience, Lorraine will guide you through different phases of the EMDR process whatever you have experienced in your life.

Online EMDR Therapy - FAQs

What technology do I need?

For EMDR therapy online, you will just need routine access to a computer, tablet or smartphone, as well as an internet connection. For video calls, it is recommended you have a connection speed of at least 30 Mbps.

What will we do in an online EMDR session?

Generally, we will use bilateral stimulation, typically using side-to-side eye movements that mimic rapid eye movement, but we may also use tapping and auditory stimulation as well.

How many online EMDR sessions will I need?

This will depend in part on how the number and severity of traumatic experiences you have had. Reprocessing of a single event may only take a few sessions but I would allow two months or more for more severe cases. We would have regular reviews within sessions to see how you're responding to treatment, which would then give a better idea of how many sessions you may need.

Research has shown that EMDR and trauma therapy do indeed have a lasting effect on symptoms, but completing therapy is a factor in making sure that problematic symptoms don't return.