Specialist online EMDR and trauma-focused psychological therapy for adults across Ireland.
Sometimes an experience is over, but part of us continues to respond as though the danger, fear or distress is still happening.
You may understand logically that you are safe now, yet still experience anxiety, panic, shame, intrusive memories, strong emotional reactions or patterns that seem difficult to change.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based psychological therapy that can help people process traumatic or distressing experiences that continue to affect them in the present.
EMDR is available with psychologists within the BlueSky Psychology team, with online appointments currently available across Ireland.
When the Past Still Feels Present
Trauma does not always mean one catastrophic event. Difficult or overwhelming experiences can affect us in different ways, particularly when they happen repeatedly, occur within important relationships or take place at a time when we have limited ability to understand or cope with what is happening.
Sometimes we know exactly which experience continues to affect us. At other times, we notice the consequences without having a clear sense of where they began.
You might find yourself:
- Feeling anxious or on edge even when you are safe
- Experiencing intrusive memories or reminders
- Avoiding situations connected with difficult experiences
- Feeling overwhelmed by particular triggers
- Experiencing shame or self-blame
- Reacting strongly in certain relationships or situations
- Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected
- Struggling with beliefs that you are unsafe or not good enough
- Repeating patterns you understand but find difficult to change
- Feeling that something from the past still has a hold on you
What Is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.
It was developed to help people process distressing or traumatic experiences and is particularly well established as a psychological treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
When experiences have not been fully processed, reminders in the present can sometimes activate emotions, physical sensations and beliefs associated with what happened in the past.
EMDR aims to help the brain process these experiences so that they can be remembered without producing the same level of distress or feeling as though they are still happening now.
The aim is not to erase memories or suggest that difficult experiences did not matter. Instead, EMDR can help change the way those experiences are held and experienced in the present.
What Can EMDR Help With?
EMDR is particularly associated with the treatment of trauma and PTSD. Depending on your individual circumstances and psychological assessment, EMDR may be considered when working with experiences such as:
- Traumatic or frightening events
- PTSD and trauma-related symptoms
- Complex trauma
- Childhood adversity
- Relational or attachment trauma
- Medical trauma and frightening healthcare experiences
- Distressing memories that continue to feel emotionally charged
- Experiences of loss, threat or humiliation
- Anxiety or fear linked to previous experiences
- Shame and negative beliefs about yourself connected with the past
EMDR is not automatically the most appropriate therapy for every difficulty. An initial psychological assessment helps us understand what you are experiencing and whether EMDR is likely to be a suitable approach for you.
What Happens in EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is more than simply following someone's fingers with your eyes.
Therapy begins by developing an understanding of what has brought you to therapy, your history, your current circumstances and the difficulties you would like help with.
Before processing traumatic memories, time is spent preparing for the work and considering how you currently manage difficult emotions and experiences.
When appropriate, EMDR processing involves briefly bringing aspects of a distressing memory to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation. This commonly involves guided eye movements, although other forms of alternating stimulation can also be used.
You remain awake, aware and in control throughout the process. EMDR is not hypnosis, and you do not lose control of what you say or experience.
The work takes place at a pace appropriate to you and within the context of an established therapeutic relationship.
EMDR for Complex Trauma
Not everyone seeking EMDR has experienced a single traumatic event.
For some people, current difficulties are connected with repeated or prolonged experiences, difficult childhood relationships, emotional neglect, instability, criticism, abuse or other experiences that occurred over time.
In this kind of work, therapy may require more preparation and a broader psychological understanding before particular memories or experiences are processed.
At BlueSky Psychology, EMDR is integrated within broader psychological and trauma-informed therapy rather than being treated as an isolated technique. This allows the work to be adapted to your history, current needs and readiness for processing.
EMDR at BlueSky Psychology
EMDR is provided by psychologists within the BlueSky Psychology team as part of individually tailored psychological therapy.
Dr Áine Lombard, Clinical Director, is a Chartered Counselling Psychologist, EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner and EMDR Consultant in Training. She has a particular professional interest in trauma, complex trauma and medical trauma.
Dr Anna Maciak, Counselling Psychologist & Associate, works integratively and includes EMDR within her therapeutic approach. Anna also has a particular professional interest in physical health, illness, medical treatment and the psychological impact of these experiences.
Dr Liam Grisley, Clinical Psychologist & Associate, also uses EMDR alongside other evidence-based psychological approaches and works with adults experiencing trauma, anxiety and a range of other psychological difficulties.
Where you contact BlueSky Psychology for EMDR, we can consider your needs, availability and preferences when identifying the psychologist who may be most appropriate to work with you.
Online EMDR Therapy Across Ireland
EMDR therapy can be provided online where this is clinically appropriate.
Online sessions allow you to attend therapy from a private and familiar environment and make EMDR accessible to adults throughout Ireland without travelling to a clinic.
You will need a private space, a reliable internet connection and a device suitable for video appointments.
Whether online EMDR is appropriate for you will be considered as part of the initial assessment and therapy planning process.
EMDR After Medical Trauma
Serious illness, emergency treatment, surgery, hospitalisation or frightening and unexplained physical symptoms can sometimes leave people feeling unsafe long after the immediate medical crisis has passed.
If this is relevant to you, you may find our article on medical trauma helpful:
Read: EMDR After Medical Trauma – When a Health Crisis Leaves You Feeling Unsafe →
Is EMDR Right for Me?
You do not need to know whether EMDR is the right therapy before contacting us.
Some people seek EMDR because they have read about the approach or have been advised to consider it. Others simply know that something they have experienced continues to affect them and want help understanding what might be useful.
The first stage of psychological therapy involves developing an understanding of what you are experiencing. From there, you and your psychologist can consider whether EMDR or another psychological approach is likely to be most appropriate.
Considering EMDR Therapy?
BlueSky Psychology is currently accepting new clients for online EMDR therapy across Ireland.
You can choose a free 15-minute suitability call or book an initial 60-minute psychological therapy appointment online. If you would prefer to ask a question first, you can also send us an enquiry.
