Lauren Calder Psychologist
HCPC: PYL043505 | HPCSA: PS0091685 | EMDR Trained
Research suggests that EMDR mirrors what happens during REM sleep, when the brain naturally processes emotional experiences. Over time, the memory remains, but without the emotional charge.You can recall it without feeling overwhelmed.
HOW DOES EMDR HELP TRAUMA?
EMDR helps the brain process the memory while you stay grounded (reactivating a memory while engaging both
sides of the brain through bilateral stimulation.
EMDR follows a structured process.
IT WORKS BY:
Reducing the brain's sense of threat in the
amygdala, and re-engaging the thinking brain
(the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex)
so the memory can be processed
and placed in the past.
Many people notice relief within the
first few sessions.
When something overwhelming happens, your brain’s alarm system activates:
The amygdala triggers fear and survival.
The hippocampus struggles to place the memory in the past.
The prefrontal cortex (thinking brain) goes offline.
The result: the experience is stored in a raw, unprocessed way, so it can feel present rather than past.
WHICH ISSUES DOES LAUREN USE EMDR FOR?
Generalised anxiety and chronic worry
Anxiety related to trauma or past experiences
Anxiety in relationships
Existential anxiety
Mid-life transitional anxiety
Workplace stress and burnout
Social Anxiety
Panic Attacks