Do you struggle with negative feelings or thoughts related to a past traumatic experience? Perhaps you have PTSD or suffer from anxiety, depression, or other challenging feelings. It's common for people to struggle in the wake of trauma. Whether it was abuse or the death of a loved one or perhaps even a difficult life experience, trauma has a way of staying with people for long periods of time.

The good news is there are treatment options available so the trauma doesn't continue to impact your life in a negative way for life. One treatment option is called EMDR, which stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. EMDR is a process in which a therapist talks you through your trauma and the feelings associated with it. In this process, the therapist also has you engage in a series of eye movements which reshapes the way your brain processes the negative feelings. Below are a few reasons why EMDR could be the right treatment option for you:

It reorganizes your memories of the trauma.

The primary benefit of EMDR therapy is that it reduces the pain and negativity you experience when thinking about the trauma. You may not be able to forget the trauma altogether, but you can change the way you experience it. With EMDR, your thoughts don't trigger the same intense negative feelings that you may experience now. The eye movement patterns you experience in the therapy desensitize your feelings and your ability to be triggered by memories of the trauma.

There's not much talking.

Many people avoid traditional therapy because they don't want to spend hours with a therapist discussing the various aspects of their trauma. That may be the approach in conventional therapy but that's not what happens in EMDR. During EMDR, you have a brief discussion with the therapist about your trauma, your current challenges, and what you would like to accomplish. You then start the sessions and begin the eye movements. There is some discussion of the trauma, but you don't have to spend hours reliving it through conversation with a therapist.

You'll see quick results.

One of the most appealing aspects of EMDR is that patients often see results quickly. In fact, you may feel differently about your trauma after only a few sessions. Of course, results vary based on each person and their unique experiences. However, EMDR is often reported to be a treatment that has fast results and can quickly help you overcome your challenges.

Ready to deal with your post-traumatic challenges? Contact an EMDR therapist in your area today to start the process.