Eye movement therapy offers a path to healing through guided eye movement. These sessions help you to process past traumas, so you can find relief from anxiety and distress. Are you ready to take the first steps towards a calmer, more empowered you? Then contact me.

Or, for more information, read on…

Eye Movement Therapy

The BLAST ®  technique, which I use, developed from EMDR therapy. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprogramming. It helps reduce the stress that you feel after you have experienced trauma. BLAST ® stands for Bi-Lateral Analysis and Stimulation Treatment. Psychotherapist Nick Davies developed it to work faster and more effectively with PTSD and trauma by utilising the brain’s natural processing systems.

Now that we have the terminology out of the way, what does all this mean for you?

Both EMDR and the BLAST ® technique use asymmetrical movements to encourage the brain to process uncomfortable experiences and feelings. Afterwards, you still remember the event, but the emotional punch is less and may not be there at all. 

We’re not sure exactly how this works, but there are theories. We do know the left and right hemispheres (sides) of the brain control different elements of our experiences. When we experience events, we receive them first in the right-hand side of the brain. If the event is not important or emotional (like buying a sandwich for your lunch) it quickly passes across into the left side of the brain. It becomes a memory. We can recall it if we want to, but when we do, we understand it’s part of our past. 

If we experience a scary or emotional event things are different. Say someone robs the sandwich shop at gunpoint while we are there. The right-hand side of the brain hangs onto that experience and kicks off the production of stress hormones. The event does not pass across to the left brain properly (or at all), so our brains continue to react as if it was happening right now. This is when the feelings start to intrude into your day-to-day life and become a problem. 

Some people say bilateral stimulation works because the movements encourage both halves of the brain to be active. Then the message passes more easily from one to the other. Others believe it calms and desensitises the amygdala, which is the area in your brain that controls how much fear or anxiety you’re feeling. Either way, there are many studies to show it works well and some of them are ON THIS LINK.

You might be surprised to learn that this isn’t just about moving your eyes, though that is the traditional approach. We can also use sounds and touch to trigger this processing.

What can BLAST ® and EMDR be used for?

These techniques were originally developed to work with trauma.

In everyday language, the word ‘trauma’ generally refers to extreme circumstances like assault, rape, or natural disasters. But therapists use it to describe any scary or upsetting situation. This includes quite common experiences, like a relationship breakup or feeling very embarrassed. Learn more about trauma at this link.

We can use this therapy for anything that involves an unpleasant memory or strong negative feelings – phobias, anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, OCD, and more.

The number of sessions you need will depend on your circumstances and the issues we’re addressing. Book a free Zoom discovery session or ring me on 01977 678593 if you want to know more.

This type of therapy can be emotional because you are confronting feelings you may have been avoiding. And the side effects of EMDR for trauma can include tiredness, unusual dreams, and temporary emotional sensitivity, though not everyone experiences them. However, people who have used both approaches say that BLAST ® is a gentler and quicker solution than traditional EMDR.

I generally combine it with hypnotherapy, coaching and stress management tools as well, to reach the best possible solution for you.

Contact me to learn more and to arrange a session.