EMDR’s Effect on Self-Esteem
People of all ages in all eras took stock of themselves. In today’s digital age, unfortunately, this healthy process can rapidly devolve into low self-esteem. When we compare ourselves to others — from celebrities to random internet people — we’re trying to match up with carefully curated and modified images. This leaves us chasing unrealistic standards and perfectionism.
If low self-esteem and negative self-talk have infiltrated your mindset, there’s a therapeutic approach called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) that can help transform your self-image in very positive ways. Your EMDR therapist can help you reframe past misperceptions and assumptions that are preventing you from blossoming. Let’s learn more.
Some Basics About EMDR
An EMDR session starts as you might imagine. You and your therapist work together to help you pick a negative memory or image on which you’ll focus. Once that image is locked in, the therapist will perform hand and finger movements (called bilateral stimulation) directly in front of your face. Your task is to follow these movements solely by moving your eyes — while maintaining a focus on the chosen thought.
Such a process induces a state similar to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. In this state, you can process and resolve negative or traumatic memories without being triggered by them. Simultaneously, you can replace the negative image with a positive belief that will help boost your self-esteem. You’re not trying to erase something negative. Rather, EMDR empowers you to detach from counterproductive emotional associations you hold.
All of this and more — in eight to twenty sessions without using medication.
EMDR’s Effect on Self-Esteem
Naming Your Wounds and Narratives
When you identify your emotions and their root causes, you can more clearly recognize the negative self-beliefs that have arisen from past experiences. EMDR enables you to see the connections between distorted beliefs and distorted thinking. When you’re aware of the steps that brought you to a place of low self-esteem, you are more likely to practice self-compassion as you take steps to heal.
Resolving Traumatic Memories
How you think and behave is frequently the result of how you’ve been treated — especially during childhood. Working with an EMDR therapist positions you to rewire how your brain perceives memories. The use of bilateral stimulation engages both hemispheres of the brain to attain a healthy perception of the past.
Developing Self-Acceptance
A major component of low self-esteem is the need to blame oneself for any perceived problem or shortcoming. Self-acceptance is how we instead use healthy tactics to accept that no one is perfect. Sure, we can make mistakes, but we also have countless positive attributes and memories. During EMDR treatment, as highlighted above, negative patterns are replaced by positive thoughts and resources. This makes you more resilient and far more skilled when it comes to self-care and self-love.
What Might You Feel After EMDR Treatment?
The majority of people report any combination of outcomes like:
Becoming more aware of their strengths and how to utilize them
Acceptance of imperfection as a universal reality
Commitment to growth, self-improvement, and self-trust
Feeling capable, unique, creative, and proud
Embracing what makes you unique and authentic
Trading black-and-white thinking for the more nuanced gray area
All of This From Finger Movements?
Sure, you probably imagine EMDR therapy as being all about talk and lasting for many months or years. For some folks, that might be the ideal approach. For many others, a short-term, minimal-talk approach like EMDR could be precisely what the psychologist ordered. If you find low self-esteem is hampering your life and you don’t know what to do about it, let’s connect soon and talk about your options.
