Empowered Solutions is now your source for Kelowna EMDR therapy
Recover from past experiences that are affecting your mental health and wellbeing.
Kelowna EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement desensitization and reprocessing or EMDR, is a powerful technique that involves the mind and nervous system.
What Is EMDR?
EMDR is considered a breakthrough therapy because of its simplicity in quieting the amygdala (the fear centre in the brain) so the client can work through the disturbance in present time.
EMDR can bring quick and lasting relief for most types of distress.
EMDR allows one to quickly process the experiences that are not adaptively connected in the brain, draining any disturbance that has been caught in the nervous system. This way the past is no longer disturbing to the present, allowing one to change the trajectory of their future.
This therapy involves using side to side eye movements combined with talk therapy to achieve the desired outcome.
What issues can EMDR resolve?
EMDR has been very successful in helping people find relief from a number of issues:
PTSD
Anxiety
Panic
Disturbing memories
Chronic pain
Depression
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR can help you to process negative emotions, beliefs and body sensations associated with past trauma. Your therapist will work through several different stages with you. These stages may include assessment of your current symptoms, your readiness for EMDR, and sessions to fully understand how your past has shaped your present.
The next part of your EMDR therapy moves on to accessing the traumatic memories and starting bilateral stimulation. This process stimulates either side of your brain in an alternating pattern, helping you to access your subconscious mind and process your memories.
Bilateral stimulation can be achieved by either making eye movements from side to side, listening to sounds in headphones, or by tapping either side of your body. The eye movements are similar to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which take place when you dream.
Ashlea Kilpatrick
Your Kelowna EMDR Therapist
Ashlea has worked the last 13 years in Social Work. As a former competitive figure skating coach, she has a lot of experience working with youth.
As an EMDR therapist, she loves to see people grow, find wholeness and connection through embodied living. She helps her clients come into more fullness in themselves and their relationships.
For anyone who has ever felt unsafe or insufficient in their own body, Ashlea offers an invitation through EMDR to live a better story with one’s body and to come home to the gift of oneself and the wholeness that has been there all along.
Education
Lakehead University — BA undergraduate degree, graduated with honours.
Yorkville University— Masters Degree (partial)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Training