Maximizing Your EMDR Sessions: A Comprehensive Guide

Getting the most out of your EMDR sessions can feel like a puzzle, but it doesn't have to be complicated. This guide is here to break down what EMDR therapy is all about, from how it works to how you can get ready for your appointments. We'll cover everything you need to know to make your EMDR sessions as effective as possible, helping you move toward feeling better. It's about understanding the process and feeling prepared for the journey.

Key Takeaways

• EMDR therapy follows an eight-phase approach, starting with history taking and preparation, moving through core trauma processing, and ending with integration and lasting change.
• Preparation is key for EMDR sessions; this includes assessment, developing coping skills, and setting clear intentions for your healing.
• During EMDR sessions, a safe setting is created, bilateral stimulation is used, and your tolerance is monitored to ensure effective processing.
• EMDR works by helping your brain reprocess traumatic memories using bilateral stimulation, which can lead to reduced distress and improved emotional regulation.
• Intensive EMDR sessions offer a condensed treatment format, beneficial for those who prefer focused healing over a shorter period, with proper self-care and support systems being vital.

Understanding The EMDR Therapy Process

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a structured way to help your brain process difficult memories that might be causing you trouble. It's not like traditional talk therapy where you spend a lot of time talking about every detail. Instead, EMDR taps into your brain's natural ability to heal, similar to what happens when you sleep and your brain sorts through the day's events. The idea is to change how these memories are stored so they don't trigger such strong reactions anymore. It's about making a past event feel like just that – a past event – rather than something that's still happening now.

The Eight Phase Treatment Approach

EMDR therapy follows a specific, step-by-step process with eight distinct phases. Each phase has a role in making sure you're safe, prepared, and that the processing of difficult memories happens effectively. It's like a roadmap for healing, guiding you from the start to the end of the treatment.

• Phase 1: History Taking: This is where we get to know your story, understand what's going on now, and figure out what you want to achieve. We identify the specific memories that need attention.
• Phase 2: Preparation: Before we start processing, we build up your coping skills. This includes learning ways to calm yourself down and create a mental safe space.
• Phase 3: Assessment: We pinpoint the exact memory we'll work on, along with any negative beliefs you have about yourself related to it, and what positive belief you'd rather have.
• Phase 4: Desensitization: This is where the core EMDR work happens. You'll focus on the memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, like eye movements.
• Phase 5: Installation: We strengthen the positive belief you want to have, using more bilateral stimulation.
• Phase 6: Body Scan: We check your body for any lingering physical feelings related to the memory and process those too.
• Phase 7: Closure: Each session ends with making sure you feel stable and grounded before you leave.
• Phase 8: Reevaluation: We check in at the start of the next session to see how things are holding up.

Brain-Based Healing Mechanisms

EMDR therapy works on a biological level. When you go through something traumatic, your brain can get stuck in how it stores that memory. This can lead to things like anxiety, flashbacks, or feeling on edge. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, which is basically alternating patterns of touch, sound, or eye movements. This seems to help both sides of your brain communicate better, much like what happens during REM sleep. This process helps to reprocess the memory, reducing the emotional distress associated with it. Think of it like your brain finally getting to file away that difficult experience properly, so it doesn't keep popping up and causing problems.

EMDR vs. Traditional Talk Therapy

While talk therapy is helpful for many, EMDR offers a different approach. In talk therapy, you might spend a lot of time discussing the details of your experiences. EMDR, on the other hand, focuses more on the brain's processing of the memory itself. You don't necessarily need to talk through every single detail of a traumatic event. Instead, you'll briefly focus on a specific part of the memory while the bilateral stimulation happens. This can be beneficial for people who find it difficult or overwhelming to talk extensively about their past. EMDR aims to reduce the distress connected to the memory, rather than just talking about the event. It's often seen as a more direct way to help the brain reprocess traumatic information.

Preparing For Your EMDR Sessions

Getting ready for EMDR therapy is a big part of making sure it works well for you. It’s not just about showing up; it’s about setting yourself up for success. Think of it like preparing for a big project – the better you plan, the smoother it goes. This preparation helps make sure you feel safe and stable throughout the whole process, which is super important when we’re working with difficult memories.

Comprehensive Assessment and Planning

Before we even start the actual EMDR processing, we’ll spend time getting to know each other and understanding what’s going on. This involves a thorough assessment where we talk about your history, what you’re struggling with now, and what you hope to get out of therapy. It’s like creating a map for your healing journey. Based on this, we’ll develop a treatment plan that’s just for you. This plan helps us figure out which memories to focus on and how we’ll approach them. It’s all about making sure the therapy is tailored to your specific needs and goals, so we’re not just doing a generic approach. This initial step is really about building a solid foundation for the work ahead.

Developing Essential Coping Skills

EMDR can sometimes bring up strong emotions, and that’s okay. That’s why learning how to manage those feelings is a key part of preparing. We’ll work on developing coping skills, sometimes called “resourcing.” These are like your personal toolkit for staying grounded and calm. We might practice things like specific breathing techniques, grounding exercises that connect you to the present moment, or even creating a mental “safe place” you can go to in your mind when things feel overwhelming. These skills are super useful not just during our sessions, but also for managing everyday stress. Having these tools ready means you’ll feel more in control and secure as we move through the therapy. It’s about building your inner strength.

Setting Clear Therapeutic Intentions

Taking a moment to think about what you really want to achieve with EMDR therapy can make a big difference. What specific symptoms are bothering you the most? Are there certain beliefs about yourself that you’d like to change? How do you imagine your life being different once you’ve processed some of these difficult experiences? Thinking about these things helps focus our work. It gives us a clear target and a vision for what healing looks like for you. This can be really motivating, especially when things get tough. Clarifying your intentions helps direct the therapeutic work and creates a vision for healing that can keep you going through challenging moments. It’s about knowing where you’re headed and why this journey is important to you. You can think about what positive changes you want to see, like feeling less anxious or more confident. This helps us measure progress too. For example, we might use scales to rate how distressing a memory is or how believable a positive thought feels to you. This gives us a clear picture of how far you've come. EMDR intensive therapy can really help with this focused approach.

The EMDR Session Experience

So, what actually happens when you're in an EMDR session? It's not like a typical therapy appointment where you just sit and talk for an hour. EMDR is a bit different, and that's a good thing. The whole setup is designed to create a safe space for your brain to do its healing work.

First off, the setting is important. Your therapist will make sure you're in a comfortable, private place where you won't be interrupted. This helps you feel secure enough to open up and process whatever comes up. It’s all about creating that feeling of safety before we even start the main part of the session.

Then comes the part most people associate with EMDR: bilateral stimulation. This is basically a way to get both sides of your brain working together. Your therapist might guide your eyes back and forth with their fingers, or use gentle taps on your hands or knees, or even alternating sounds. You’ll focus on a specific memory or feeling that we’ve identified as a target for processing. It sounds simple, but this back-and-forth stimulation helps your brain reprocess those difficult memories.

Throughout this, your therapist is right there with you. They're not just passively watching; they're carefully checking in to make sure you're staying within what we call your

Navigating The Eight Phases of EMDR

EMDR therapy is structured around a specific eight-phase protocol. This framework is designed to guide you through the healing process in a systematic way. Think of it as a roadmap, ensuring that each step builds on the last for effective trauma resolution. It’s not just about talking; it’s about helping your brain reprocess memories that have gotten stuck, making them feel like past events rather than current crises. This approach can be really helpful for things like high-functioning anxiety or betrayal trauma, where the emotional impact might not be obvious on the surface.

The History-Taking and Treatment Planning Phase

This is where we start by understanding your story. We'll talk about your background, what's bringing you here, and what you hope to achieve. It’s not about digging into every painful detail, but rather getting a clear picture of your experiences and how they affect you now. Based on this, we create a plan tailored just for you. This initial step is all about building a solid foundation and making sure the therapy is focused on your specific needs. It’s important to identify the memories that are causing the most distress so we can target them effectively.

The Preparation and Resource Building Phase

Before we start processing difficult memories, it’s important to make sure you have the tools to manage any emotions that might come up. In this phase, we focus on building your internal resources. This might involve learning specific breathing techniques, grounding exercises, or creating a mental "safe place" you can go to when you need to feel calm. These skills are like an emotional toolkit that you can use not only during our sessions but also in your everyday life. It’s about ensuring you feel stable and prepared for the work ahead.

The Assessment Phase

Here, we identify the specific memory we’ll be working on. We’ll pinpoint the most disturbing image associated with it, the negative belief you hold about yourself because of it (like “I’m not good enough”), and a positive belief you’d rather have (such as “I am worthy”). We also measure how much distress the memory causes on a scale of 0 to 10, and how true the positive belief feels to you on a scale of 1 to 7. This gives us a baseline to track your progress.

The Desensitization Phase

This is often considered the core of EMDR. You’ll focus on the target memory while engaging in sets of bilateral stimulation, like following my finger with your eyes. Each set lasts about 30-60 seconds, and after each one, I’ll ask what you’re noticing. Your brain naturally starts to process the memory, and the emotional intensity usually decreases with each set. It’s not about forgetting, but about the memory losing its power to overwhelm you. This process helps your brain make connections it couldn't before.

The Installation Phase

Once the distress related to the memory has significantly lowered, we work on strengthening the positive belief you want to hold. We use more bilateral stimulation while you focus on that positive thought, like “I am safe now.” The goal is to make that positive belief feel as true and real as possible, helping to reframe your experience.

The Body Scan Phase

Trauma can also be stored in our bodies as physical sensations. In this phase, we’ll do a mental scan of your body while you briefly bring the memory to mind. We’ll check for any lingering tension or discomfort. If we find any, we’ll use more bilateral stimulation to help release those physical sensations. This ensures that the processing addresses both the mental and physical aspects of the trauma.

The Closure Phase

Every session ends with a closure phase. This is really important to make sure you leave feeling grounded and stable, no matter where we are in the processing. We’ll use specific techniques to help you feel contained. If the memory processing isn’t fully complete, we’ll make sure any unresolved feelings are safely stored until our next session. You’ll also get some guidance on what to expect between sessions.

The Reevaluation Phase

At the start of each new session, we’ll check in on the memories we’ve worked on. We’ll see how the positive changes are holding up and if the distress has stayed low. This phase confirms that the healing is sticking and helps us decide on the next steps. It’s all about making sure the progress you’ve made is integrated into your daily life for lasting change. This ongoing assessment is key to ensuring your EMDR therapy journey is successful.

Key Components of EMDR Processing

EMDR therapy is built around a few core ideas that make it work. It's not just about talking; it's about helping your brain process things that have gotten stuck. Think of it like your brain's natural way of sorting through experiences, but sometimes, trauma can interrupt that process. EMDR helps get it back on track.

Identifying Target Memories and Beliefs

This is where we pinpoint what we're going to work on. We look for specific memories that are causing you distress. It's not about digging up every bad thing that ever happened, but focusing on the ones that are really impacting you now. Along with the memory, we identify the negative beliefs you hold about yourself because of it. For example, after a difficult event, you might believe, "I'm not safe" or "It was my fault." We also figure out what positive belief you'd rather have, like "I am safe now" or "I did my best."

Measuring Distress and Validity

To see how EMDR is working, we use a couple of simple scales. One is the SUD scale, which stands for Subjective Units of Disturbance. It's a way for you to rate how much distress a memory is causing you, on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is no distress at all and 10 is the worst you can imagine. We also use the VOC scale, which measures the Validity of Cognition. This scale, from 1 to 7, helps us see how true that positive belief you want to have feels to you. These numbers give us a clear way to track your progress as we go through the processing stages. This baseline helps us track your progress throughout EMDR therapy sessions.

The Role of Desensitization

Desensitization is the heart of the processing part of EMDR. This is where we use bilateral stimulation, like eye movements, taps, or sounds. While you briefly focus on the target memory and the negative belief, you'll follow these external cues. What happens is pretty remarkable. Your brain starts to process the memory in a new way. The intense emotions and physical feelings connected to the memory start to lessen. It's like the memory is still there, but it doesn't have that same overwhelming power over you anymore. This process continues until the distress level you measured earlier drops significantly. It's about helping your brain re-file the memory so it doesn't keep triggering you in the present. This phase continues until the distress associated with the memory decreases significantly.

Maximizing Intensive EMDR Sessions

Sometimes, life moves fast, and waiting weeks or months for therapy to unfold just doesn't cut it. That's where intensive EMDR sessions come in. Think of it as a concentrated burst of healing, designed to tackle deep-seated issues more quickly. Instead of spreading out your healing over many months with weekly appointments, an intensive format condenses that work into a shorter, more focused period. This can be a game-changer for people with demanding schedules or those who feel ready to dive deep and make significant progress without delay. It’s about creating momentum and allowing your brain to process things more continuously, which can lead to some pretty remarkable breakthroughs.

EMDR intensives offer a way to accelerate your healing journey. By dedicating several hours over consecutive days, you can achieve in a short time what might otherwise take many months of weekly sessions. This focused approach helps maintain therapeutic momentum, reducing the chances of getting sidetracked by daily life between appointments. It’s like giving your healing process a powerful boost, allowing for deeper processing of traumatic memories and experiences.

• Accelerated Progress: Significant breakthroughs can happen much faster.
• Continuity of Processing: Avoids the interruptions that can occur between weekly sessions.
• Efficiency: Often requires fewer total therapy hours compared to traditional weekly formats.

While EMDR intensives can be beneficial for many, they're particularly well-suited for certain individuals. If you're someone who has a busy professional life, perhaps juggling a demanding career or family responsibilities, the condensed schedule can be a lifesaver. It allows you to dedicate a block of time to your healing without the ongoing commitment of weekly appointments. People who have some prior experience with therapy and possess basic emotional regulation skills often find intensives to be a good fit. It’s also great for those who are highly motivated to engage in deep therapeutic work and are looking for a more immersive healing experience. If you're dealing with issues like high-functioning anxiety, betrayal trauma, or the cumulative effects of stress as a first responder, this focused approach can be especially effective.

Intensive EMDR sessions are typically structured in blocks of 2-5 hours, often spread across one to three consecutive days. These extended sessions are carefully planned with built-in breaks to help you integrate the processing that occurs. Your therapist will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan, identifying specific target memories and beliefs to focus on. This preparation phase is key, ensuring you have the necessary coping skills and a safe place to return to during the process. The goal is to create a safe, contained environment where deep processing can happen effectively, leading to lasting change. You can learn more about the EMDR therapy process and how it might fit your needs.

Self-Care and Support Systems

Taking care of yourself before, during, and after EMDR sessions is really important. Think of it like preparing for a big event – you want to be in the best possible shape to get the most out of it. This means setting yourself up for success by creating a supportive environment.

Prioritizing Pre-Intensive Self-Care

Leading up to your EMDR intensive, focus on activities that help your nervous system feel calm and stable. This isn't just about feeling good; it's about making sure your body and mind are ready for deep processing. Here are some ideas:

• Establish a consistent sleep schedule: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. This helps your brain consolidate information and regulate emotions.
• Engage in gentle movement: Think light walks, stretching, or yoga. Physical activity can help release stored tension.
• Practice mindfulness or meditation: Even a few minutes a day can make a difference in your ability to stay present and manage distress.
• Spend time in nature: Being outdoors has a calming effect and can help ground you.
• Reduce stimulants: Cut back on caffeine and alcohol, as these can sometimes increase anxiety or disrupt sleep.

Creating this foundation of self-care helps prepare your mind and body for the work ahead.

Arranging Support During and After

Having a solid support system in place is key. This means clearing your schedule as much as possible so you can focus on healing without added stress.

• Inform your close circle: Let trusted friends or family know you'll be undergoing intensive therapy and might need some extra understanding or space.
• Minimize external demands: Try to postpone non-urgent work projects or social commitments during the intensive period.
• Plan for quiet evenings: After sessions, your nervous system might be tired. Having a plan for restful evenings, perhaps with a comforting meal or a quiet activity, can be very beneficial.
• Consider a support person: If possible, having a trusted friend or partner available for a brief check-in or just to be present can be helpful, though it's also fine to have quiet time alone. You can discuss with your therapist how best to integrate support during your healing journey.

Creating Space for Rest and Reflection

EMDR therapy can bring up a lot, and it's normal to feel a range of emotions or sensations afterward. Allowing yourself ample time for rest and reflection is not a luxury; it's a necessary part of the healing process. This might mean:

• Scheduling downtime: Block out time in your calendar specifically for rest, even if it's just an hour or two each day.
• Journaling: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you process what's coming up and track your progress.
• Engaging in comforting activities: This could be reading, listening to music, taking a warm bath, or anything else that feels soothing and restorative to you.

By prioritizing these self-care and support systems, you create an optimal environment for EMDR to work its magic, leading to more profound and lasting change.

The Therapist's Role in EMDR

Your EMDR therapist is your guide through this whole process. Think of them as the person who knows the map and helps you navigate the terrain of your own mind. They're not just there to administer the eye movements; they're there to make sure you feel safe and supported every step of the way. It's a partnership, really. They've got the training, and you've got the experience of your own life, and together, you work towards healing.

Guiding Your Healing Journey

Your therapist's main job is to lead you through the eight phases of EMDR. This isn't a one-size-fits-all thing. They'll start by getting to know your story, understanding what you've been through, and figuring out what you want to achieve. Based on this, they'll create a plan just for you. They'll teach you skills to help you manage when things get tough, like breathing exercises or ways to find a calm mental space. This preparation is super important, kind of like getting your safety gear ready before a big adventure. They'll also help you pinpoint the specific memories and the negative thoughts tied to them that you want to work on. It's all about making sure you're ready and have the tools you need before diving into the deeper processing. You can learn more about the EMDR therapy process here.

Building Trust and Rapport

This is a big one. You need to feel comfortable with your therapist. They create a safe space where you can be open without judgment. It’s about building a connection, a sense of trust, so you can really engage in the EMDR work. They're there to listen, to understand, and to make sure you feel heard. This relationship is the bedrock of the whole therapy. Without that trust, it's hard to do the deep work that EMDR can facilitate.

Adapting Treatment Plans

Your therapist is also skilled at adjusting the EMDR approach based on how you're doing. They'll keep an eye on your reactions and make sure you're not overwhelmed. If something feels too intense, they know how to slow things down or use different techniques to keep you within what's called your "window of tolerance." They might use scales to check how distressed you are (the SUD scale) or how true a positive thought feels to you (the VOC scale). This flexibility means the therapy is always tailored to your current needs, making the process as effective and comfortable as possible. Here's a look at how distress and validity are measured:

Scale Name	Description
SUD (Subjective Units of Disturbance)	Rates your distress level from 0 (no distress) to 10 (maximum distress).
VOC (Validity of Cognition)	Measures how true a positive belief feels to you, from 1 (not true) to 7 (very true).

They're constantly checking in, making sure the EMDR processing is moving forward in a way that feels right for you.

Achieving Lasting Results with EMDR

EMDR therapy is designed to create real, lasting change, not just a temporary fix. It works by helping your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they don't hold the same emotional power anymore. This means you can recall difficult experiences without feeling overwhelmed by the emotions that used to come with them. It's like your brain finally gets to file those memories away properly, reducing the constant 'fight or flight' feeling that can stick around after trauma.

Many people find that EMDR helps them shift negative beliefs about themselves that often come from difficult past experiences. For instance, if you've been carrying around beliefs like 'I'm not good enough' or 'I'm not safe,' EMDR can help transform those into more positive and realistic ones, such as 'I am capable' or 'I am safe now.' This shift in self-perception is a big part of why EMDR can feel so transformative. It addresses the whole picture – your thoughts, feelings, and even physical sensations tied to trauma.

What's really great is that the improvements you make with EMDR tend to stick around. Because it targets the root of the issue, rather than just managing symptoms, the healing feels more permanent. It’s about getting your life back, feeling more like yourself, and being able to enjoy things again without the past getting in the way. Many clients report feeling lighter and thinking more clearly after sessions, and some even say they've gotten their life back after years of struggling.

Here's a look at what clients often experience:

• Reduced intensity of traumatic memories: Recalling difficult events without the overwhelming emotional distress.
• Enhanced emotional regulation: Better ability to manage feelings and reactions in daily life.
• Improved self-perception: Shifting from negative self-beliefs to more positive and realistic ones.

It's pretty amazing how EMDR can help you move forward. If you're curious about how it works, you can check out Google Maps to get a sense of how different locations can impact our experiences, much like how past events shape our present.

Specialized Applications of EMDR

EMDR therapy isn't just for single traumatic events; it's also been adapted to help with more complex situations. Think about things like high-functioning anxiety, which can be really tough when you're always on the go and feel like you have to be perfect. Or maybe betrayal trauma, where trust has been broken, and it's hard to feel safe again. First responders also face unique challenges from seeing a lot of tough stuff, and EMDR can help them process that without having to talk about every single detail.

Addressing High-Functioning Anxiety

For people who are always busy, maybe juggling a demanding career and family, finding time for therapy can be a real struggle. High-functioning anxiety often comes with a lot of worry, perfectionism, and feeling like you're not good enough, even when you're achieving a lot. EMDR can help get to the root of these feelings by processing past experiences that might have created these patterns. It's about helping your brain sort things out so the anxiety doesn't run the show anymore.

Healing from Betrayal Trauma

Betrayal trauma, like infidelity or deception in a relationship, can really shake your sense of self and safety. It's a deep wound that affects how you see yourself and your ability to trust others. EMDR can help process the shock, the hurt, and the confusion. The goal is to move past the event and start rebuilding a sense of worth and safety, so you can eventually form healthier connections.

Supporting First Responders

First responders, like police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, often deal with a lot of difficult situations. This repeated exposure to trauma can take a toll. EMDR offers a way to process these experiences without requiring them to go into graphic detail, which is important for people who need to maintain a certain level of emotional control. It helps reduce the impact of these events so they don't lead to long-term problems like PTSD, allowing them to continue their important work.

EMDR therapy can be used in many different ways, not just for trauma. It's helpful for things like anxiety, phobias, and even improving performance. Want to learn more about how EMDR can help you? Visit our website today to discover its many uses!

Moving Forward After EMDR

So, you've gone through EMDR, maybe even an intensive session. It's a big step, and it's totally normal to feel a mix of things afterward. Remember, healing isn't always a straight shot; it can be more like a spiral, where you revisit things but from a stronger place each time. What worked for one person might not be exactly what works for another, and that's okay. The important thing is that you're on this journey. You've learned some powerful tools, and you've started to process some really tough stuff. Keep using those grounding techniques we talked about, and don't hesitate to reach out if you need more support. You've got this, and the path ahead is about building on the progress you've already made.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is EMDR therapy?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It's a way to help people heal from tough experiences that have gotten 'stuck' in their minds and bodies. Instead of just talking about problems, EMDR uses gentle side-to-side eye movements, or sometimes taps or sounds, to help your brain process these difficult memories. It's like helping your brain sort through things so they don't cause so much distress anymore.

How is EMDR different from regular talk therapy?

Think of talk therapy as discussing your feelings and thoughts. EMDR is more about helping your brain physically reprocess memories. While talking therapy is important, EMDR can sometimes help you feel better faster because it works directly with how your brain stores distressing events. You don't always have to talk about the details of the trauma in EMDR.

What happens during an EMDR session?

During a session, your therapist will help you focus on a difficult memory for a short time. Then, you'll follow their fingers with your eyes moving back and forth, or you might hear alternating sounds. After a short burst of this, the therapist will ask you what you notice. This process is repeated, helping the memory lose its painful edge.

Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?

Not usually. While your therapist needs to know what memory you're working on, you don't need to describe every single detail over and over. The eye movements or other stimulation help your brain do the processing work, often without you needing to relive the event fully.

How many EMDR sessions do I need?

The number of sessions can vary a lot depending on what you're working through. Some people feel better after just a few sessions, while others might need more. Your therapist will create a plan just for you, and you'll talk about how things are going regularly.

What are the 'eight phases' of EMDR?

EMDR therapy follows a step-by-step plan with eight phases. It starts with gathering information and getting you ready, then moves into processing the difficult memories, and finally helps you integrate the healing into your life. Each phase is important for making sure the healing is safe and lasting.

Is EMDR safe?

Yes, EMDR is considered a safe and effective therapy when done by a trained professional. Your therapist will make sure you feel safe and supported throughout the process. They'll teach you ways to manage any strong feelings that might come up, so you stay within a comfortable range.

What kind of problems can EMDR help with?

EMDR is well-known for helping with trauma and PTSD, but it can also help with other issues like anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, grief, and even some relationship problems that stem from difficult past experiences. It's about helping your brain process things that are causing you distress.