FAQs
- Parents with infants
- Adults
- Older adults
Here at Solana psychology we value diversity, acceptance and inclusion of all peoples and acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land
Here at Solana Psychology we deliver a number of different types of therapy including:
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Mindfulness
- Compassion Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Schema therapy
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
If you are interested in exploring any of these therapies, please contact us for an appointment.
Book now
Below is some information on steps you can take to care for your mental health and well-being during this time of uncertainty.
Mental Health Considerations during COVID-19 Outbreak
Coping with stress infographic
Tips for psychological well being at this time
Should you wish to book a session (sessions are available online, via phone or in person) with one of our team about any of these issues, please book via the form on the contact us page.
Each couple brings their own unique circumstances, experiences, challenges, and goals to therapy. It is common for couples to present to therapy hoping to improve communication, resolve conflict, rebuild trust, or better understand each other’s actions and behaviours. Overall, couples’ therapy is for those who wish to improve any aspect of their relationship and experience a more fulfilling connection.
At Solana Psychology we approach couples counselling using an integrated approach. This often involves Narrative Therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy as these modalities focus on ‘externalising’ parts of people that may be contributing to difficulties within in the relationship. This can help alleviate blame and guilt during the therapeutic process and cultivate curiosity and compassion within the relationship.
We also explore how each partner’s early lived experiences may have shaped their thoughts, feelings and behaviours within relationships and help partners understand each other’s previous experiences. We take the stance that understanding each other more fully can become the foundation of a safe and connected relationship.
If you are interested in exploring couples therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
A MHCP is only necessary if you wish to claim the Medicare rebate, you are able to see a clinician or therapist without a referral or MHCP if you are willing to pay the full cost. Should you wish to obtain a MHCP, you will need to:-
- Book an appointment with a GP. You will need to ask for an extended consultation or tell the receptionist that you specifically require a MHCP.
- Discuss your concerns with your doctor. They may ask you to complete a brief questionnaire.
- Be sure to get your GP to refer you to Solana Psychology.
- You must remember to bring your referral along to your first appointment with the psychologist in order to claim the rebate.
Please note – Psychiatrists can also refer directly to a Psychologist by writing a letter (without preparing a MHCP).
For more information, see this fact sheet
If you already have a MHCP and referral and you are ready to book an appointment now, or would like further advice about the MHCP process, please contact us.
You only need a referral if you intend on claiming the Medicare rebate or a private insurance rebate. If you are happy to pay the full out-of-pocket costs you do not require a referral from your GP. For more information about the costs associated with our therapy options, see our fees page.
Whether or not you have engaged in counselling or therapy in the past it is normal and natural to feel nervous before your first appointment with a psychologist. Listed below are some points that outline what you can expect from your first appointment:
- Each session will run for 45-50 minutes.
- At Solana Psychology, therapy is completely confidential, with certain exceptions that will be explained to you before therapy begins.
- During the first appointment, your psychologist will explain the way they work and answer any questions that you may have.
- The first session is an opportunity for you to discuss the reasons you are seeking treatment, and for the therapist-client relationship to start forming. We will ask questions about your current symptoms, distress, relationships, family and defining, significant or traumatic experiences. This is so we can assess and explore the things that might be contributing to how you are currently coping, and decide the best approach to treatment.
- The pace of the therapy is directed by the client.
- The assessment phase will typically take two to four sessions depending on your specific circumstances and history.
- At the end of each session you will discuss and decide when you will next meet and whether or not to book a regular recurring appointment in.
If you would like to begin this process, please contact us for an appointment.
Here at Solana psychology we have a keen interest in treating people with psychological trauma, dissociation, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and postnatal depression and anxiety, perinatal issues, children, parenting, attachment and feeding issues.
We also treat clients with:
- Depression
- Anxiety (social anxiety, panic, phobias)
- Bipolar
- Self-harm
- Adjustment issues
- Family and relationship issues
- Communication skills, interpersonal skills, assertiveness, setting boundaries
- Anger management
- Grief and loss
- Personality disorders
- Self esteem
- Obsessions and compulsions
- Identity issues
- Co-dependence
- Parenting work
- Pre and post-natal mental health
- Loneliness and isolation
- A sense of not feeling like your self
Please Note: Solana Psychology does not see people for the purpose of providing court or medico-legal reports or victims of crime reports.
If you would like our help with any of the issues listed above, please contact us for an appointment.
Client-therapist fit is one of the most important factors in the therapy because the therapeutic work needs to occur in the context of a trusting relationship. Research has shown that the quality of the client-therapist fit is one of the primary predictors of client progress in therapy. In short, for the therapy to be effective, there must be trust and positive regard in the client-therapist relationship.
The psychologist should address this in the first few sessions by open up the conversation and encouraging the client to think about how they feel the relationship is going, the potential for the relationship and the fit. The psychologist should encourage the client to be open about sharing any concerns and feedback about what they do, and do not, like or want. If you as a client, at any point feel you would like to stop the work and find a new therapist you should feel safe to say so and the psychologist should offer and resources they have to assist you in this process.
Here at Solana Psychology we have many highly trained and experienced clinicians and therapists. Your intake officer will assist you in finding the right fit for your situation. Please contact us for an appointment.
- Do you experience distressing triggers throughout the day that make it difficult to cope?
- Have you ever wondered if you may be experiencing trauma like symptoms or PTSD?
- Do you ever drift off or space out, lose time you cannot account for, experience a sense of being outside of your body, feel detached from reality or in a dream like state while awake?
- Do you find it difficult to relate to others or be in a relationship because of your intense feelings?
- Do you find navigating boundaries or making decisions almost impossible?
- If you answered yes to any of these questions you may be experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, dissociation or PTSD.
Here at Solana Psychology we specialise in assessing and treating trauma and trauma-related symptoms. Please contact us for an appointment.
The mind can often heal itself naturally, in the same way as the body does. Much of this natural coping mechanism occurs during sleep, particularly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Francine Shapiro developed Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) in 1987, utilising this natural process in order to successfully treat Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Since then, EMDR has been used to effectively treat a wide range of mental health problems.
How Does EMDR Work?
No one knows how any form of psychotherapy works neurobiologically or in the brain. However, we do know that when a person is very upset, their brain cannot process information as it does ordinarily. One moment becomes “frozen in time,” and remembering a trauma may feel as bad as going through it the first time because the images, sounds, smells, and feelings haven’t changed. Such memories have a lasting negative effect that interferes with the way a person sees the world and the way they relate to other people.
EMDR seems to have a direct effect on the way that the brain processes information. Normal information processing is resumed, so following a successful EMDR session, a person no longer relives the images, sounds, and feelings when the event is brought to mind. You still remember what happened, but it is less upsetting. Many types of therapy have similar goals. However, EMDR appears to be similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Therefore, EMDR can be thought of as a physiologically based therapy that helps a person see disturbing material in a new and less distressing way.
Bilateral physical stimulation appears to tax working memory and to stimulate the orienting response. Bilateral physical stimulation also appears to facilitate the rapid reprocessing of information, as what might occur naturally during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase of sleep. One theory of the mechanism of change in EMDR therapy proposes that by focusing attention on the key elements of a disturbing memory whilst engaging in bilateral physical stimulation (particularly eye movements) and stimulating the orienting response, traumatic episodic memories are reconsolidated as semantic or narrative memory.
The aim of EMDR therapy therefore is to replace the perpetual re-experiencing of traumatic events with a ‘learning experience’ that becomes a source of resilience. Divested of their affective load, traumatic memories are contextualized and reconsolidated as semantic memory, and become part of a client’s life narrative. Desensitisation and adaptive resolution are experienced as outcomes of this reprocessing and reconsolidation process.
There are now numerous randomised controlled trials and several robust systematic literature reviews that demonstrate the clinical efficacy of EMDR therapy and the positive effects of eye movements in the treatment of trauma and providing symptom relief and it is now included as a recommended treatment within several international treatment guidelines.
.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 30.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 80%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 80%; height: 100%; }
What Is An EMDR Session Like?
EMDR utilises the natural healing ability of your body. After a thorough assessment, you will be asked specific questions about a particular disturbing memory. Eye movements, similar to those during REM sleep, will be recreated simply by asking you to watch the therapist’s finger moving backwards and forwards across your visual field. Sometimes, a bar of moving lights or headphones is used instead. The eye movements will last for a short while and then stop. You will then be asked to report back on the experiences you have had during each of these sets of eye movements. Experiences during a session may include changes in thoughts, images and feelings.
With repeated sets of eye movements, the memory tends to change in such a way that it loses its painful intensity and simply becomes a neutral memory of an event in the past. Other associated memories may also heal at the same time. This linking of related memories can lead to a dramatic and rapid improvement in many aspects of your life.
Can anyone benefit from EMDR?
EMDR can accelerate therapy by resolving the impact of your past traumas and allowing you to live more fully in the present. It is not, however, appropriate for everyone. The process is rapid, and any disturbing experiences, if they occur at all, last for a comparatively short period of time. Nevertheless, you need to be aware of, and willing to experience, the strong feelings and disturbing thoughts, which sometimes occur during sessions.
How long does treatment take?
EMDR can be brief focused treatment or part of a longer psychotherapy programme. EMDR sessions can be for 50 to 80 minutes.
Will I will remain in control and empowered?
During EMDR treatment, you will remain in control, fully alert and wide-awake. This is not a form of hypnosis and you can stop the process at any time. Throughout the session, the therapist will support and facilitate your own self-healing and intervene as little as possible. Reprocessing is usually experienced as something that happens spontaneously, and new connections and insights are felt to arise quite naturally from within. As a result, most people experience EMDR as being a natural and very empowering therapy.
What evidence is there that EMDR is a successful treatment?
EMDR is an innovative clinical treatment which has successfully helped over a million individuals. The validity and reliability of EMDR has been established by rigorous research. There are now nineteen controlled studies into EMDR making it the most thoroughly researched method used in the treatment of trauma, (Details on www.emdr-europe.org and www.emdr.org) and is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an effective treatment for PTSD.
Adapted from www.thetraumacentre.com.
If you feel haunted by emotionally distressing memories or feel like you re-experience old memories in you everyday life that make it hard to function or maintain relationships contact Solana Psychology now to make an appointment to see one of our trained EMDR practitioners.
Psychodynamic therapy, also known as insight-oriented therapy, focuses on unconscious processes as they are manifested in a person’s present behaviour. The goals of psychodynamic therapy are a client’s self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behaviour. In its brief form, a psychodynamic approach enables the client to examine unresolved conflicts and symptoms that arise from past dysfunctional relationships.
Psychodynamic therapy uses the therapeutic relationship to gain insight into unconscious relationship patterns that evolved since childhood. Memories and other evidence of early relationships are used to make sense of current concerns.
In psychodynamic therapy, therapists help people review emotions, thoughts, early-life experiences, and beliefs to gain insight into their lives and their present-day problems and to evaluate the patterns they have developed over time. Recognizing recurring patterns helps people see the ways in which they avoid distress or develop defense mechanisms as a method of coping so that they can take steps to change those patterns.
People tend to develop defense mechanisms. Defense mechanisms may keep painful feelings, memories, and experiences in the unconscious. A few common defense mechanisms include:
- Denial
- Repression
- Projection
- Intellectualisation
- Displacement
Psychodynamic therapists encourage people to speak freely about their emotions, desires, and fears. Being open may help reveal vulnerable feelings that have been pushed out of conscious awareness. According to psychodynamic theory, behavior is influenced by unconscious thought. Once vulnerable or painful feelings are processed, the defense mechanisms reduce.
The therapeutic relationship is central to psychodynamic therapy as it can demonstrate the manner in which the client interacts with his or her friends and loved ones. In addition, transference in therapy—the transferring of one’s feelings for a parent, for example, onto the therapist—can also help illuminate the ways that early-life relationships affect a person today. This intimate look at interpersonal relationships can help a person to see his or her part in relationship patterns and empower him or her to transform that dynamic.
Features of psychodynamic therapy:
- Focus on affect and expression of emotion
- Exploration of attempts to avoid distressing thoughts and feelings
- Identification of recurring themes and patterns
- Discussion of past experience (developmental focus)
- Focus on interpersonal relations
- Focus on the therapy relationship
- Exploration of fantasy life
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
References
Leichsenring, F., & Rabung, S., (2008). Effectiveness of long-term psycho-dynamic psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association, 300(13), 1551-1565.
Shedler, J. (2010). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 65(2), 98-109. Available online: www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-65-2-shedler.pdf
CBT is an evidence-based psychological approach which operates on the basic premise that thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviours are interconnected. Dysfunctional information processing is posited to lie at the heart of psychological distress or pathology. Therefore, the aim of CBT is to change problematic emotions and maladaptive behaviours by modifying cognitive processes, which occur in the form of automatic thoughts (a private, involuntary ‘stream of consciousness’ specific to a particular situation), beliefs (tacit attitudes, rules and assumptions that influence automatic thoughts), and schemas or core beliefs (underlying global templates used for organising and processing information).
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
CBGSH Is a form of therapy taught by the Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED) in Melbourne. It is a self-help book that the client follows with support from a therapist. The therapist focuses on retraining behaviours around disordered eating in relation to symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating.
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
Please read this fact sheet – https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/two-takes-depression/201102/introduction-acceptance-and-commitment-therapy
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
Please read this fact sheet – https://www.umass.edu/studentlife/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/Motivational_Interviewing_Definition_Principles_Approach.pdf
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
People with PTSD often experience feelings of panic or extreme fear, similar to the fear they felt during the traumatic event. A person with PTSD experiences four main types of difficulties.
Re-living the traumatic event – The person relives the event through unwanted and recurring memories, often in the form of vivid images and nightmares. There may be intense emotional or physical reactions, such as sweating, heart palpitations or panic when reminded of the event.
Being overly alert or wound up – The person experiences sleeping difficulties, irritability and lack of concentration, becoming easily startled and constantly on the lookout for signs of danger.
Avoiding reminders of the event – The person deliberately avoids activities, places, people, thoughts or feelings associated with the event because they bring back painful memories.
Feeling emotionally numb – The person loses interest in day-to-day activities, feels cut off and detached from friends and family, or feels emotionally flat and numb.
It’s not unusual for people with PTSD to experience other mental health problems at the same time. These may have developed directly in response to the traumatic event or have followed the PTSD. These additional problems, most commonly depression, anxiety, and alcohol or drug use, are more likely to occur if PTSD has persisted for a long time.
If you would like help with any of the issues described above, please contact us for an appointment.
- Parents with infants
- Adults
- Older adults
Here at Solana psychology we value diversity, acceptance and inclusion of all peoples and acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land
Here at Solana Psychology we deliver a number of different types of therapy including:
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Mindfulness
- Compassion Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Schema therapy
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
If you are interested in exploring any of these therapies, please contact us for an appointment.
Book now
Below is some information on steps you can take to care for your mental health and well-being during this time of uncertainty.
Mental Health Considerations during COVID-19 Outbreak
Coping with stress infographic
Tips for psychological well being at this time
Should you wish to book a session (sessions are available online, via phone or in person) with one of our team about any of these issues, please book via the form on the contact us page.
Each couple brings their own unique circumstances, experiences, challenges, and goals to therapy. It is common for couples to present to therapy hoping to improve communication, resolve conflict, rebuild trust, or better understand each other’s actions and behaviours. Overall, couples’ therapy is for those who wish to improve any aspect of their relationship and experience a more fulfilling connection.
At Solana Psychology we approach couples counselling using an integrated approach. This often involves Narrative Therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy as these modalities focus on ‘externalising’ parts of people that may be contributing to difficulties within in the relationship. This can help alleviate blame and guilt during the therapeutic process and cultivate curiosity and compassion within the relationship.
We also explore how each partner’s early lived experiences may have shaped their thoughts, feelings and behaviours within relationships and help partners understand each other’s previous experiences. We take the stance that understanding each other more fully can become the foundation of a safe and connected relationship.
If you are interested in exploring couples therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
A MHCP is only necessary if you wish to claim the Medicare rebate, you are able to see a clinician or therapist without a referral or MHCP if you are willing to pay the full cost. Should you wish to obtain a MHCP, you will need to:-
- Book an appointment with a GP. You will need to ask for an extended consultation or tell the receptionist that you specifically require a MHCP.
- Discuss your concerns with your doctor. They may ask you to complete a brief questionnaire.
- Be sure to get your GP to refer you to Solana Psychology.
- You must remember to bring your referral along to your first appointment with the psychologist in order to claim the rebate.
Please note – Psychiatrists can also refer directly to a Psychologist by writing a letter (without preparing a MHCP).
For more information, see this fact sheet
If you already have a MHCP and referral and you are ready to book an appointment now, or would like further advice about the MHCP process, please contact us.
You only need a referral if you intend on claiming the Medicare rebate or a private insurance rebate. If you are happy to pay the full out-of-pocket costs you do not require a referral from your GP. For more information about the costs associated with our therapy options, see our fees page.
Whether or not you have engaged in counselling or therapy in the past it is normal and natural to feel nervous before your first appointment with a psychologist. Listed below are some points that outline what you can expect from your first appointment:
- Each session will run for 45-50 minutes.
- At Solana Psychology, therapy is completely confidential, with certain exceptions that will be explained to you before therapy begins.
- During the first appointment, your psychologist will explain the way they work and answer any questions that you may have.
- The first session is an opportunity for you to discuss the reasons you are seeking treatment, and for the therapist-client relationship to start forming. We will ask questions about your current symptoms, distress, relationships, family and defining, significant or traumatic experiences. This is so we can assess and explore the things that might be contributing to how you are currently coping, and decide the best approach to treatment.
- The pace of the therapy is directed by the client.
- The assessment phase will typically take two to four sessions depending on your specific circumstances and history.
- At the end of each session you will discuss and decide when you will next meet and whether or not to book a regular recurring appointment in.
If you would like to begin this process, please contact us for an appointment.
Here at Solana psychology we have a keen interest in treating people with psychological trauma, dissociation, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and postnatal depression and anxiety, perinatal issues, children, parenting, attachment and feeding issues.
We also treat clients with:
- Depression
- Anxiety (social anxiety, panic, phobias)
- Bipolar
- Self-harm
- Adjustment issues
- Family and relationship issues
- Communication skills, interpersonal skills, assertiveness, setting boundaries
- Anger management
- Grief and loss
- Personality disorders
- Self esteem
- Obsessions and compulsions
- Identity issues
- Co-dependence
- Parenting work
- Pre and post-natal mental health
- Loneliness and isolation
- A sense of not feeling like your self
Please Note: Solana Psychology does not see people for the purpose of providing court or medico-legal reports or victims of crime reports.
If you would like our help with any of the issues listed above, please contact us for an appointment.
Client-therapist fit is one of the most important factors in the therapy because the therapeutic work needs to occur in the context of a trusting relationship. Research has shown that the quality of the client-therapist fit is one of the primary predictors of client progress in therapy. In short, for the therapy to be effective, there must be trust and positive regard in the client-therapist relationship.
The psychologist should address this in the first few sessions by open up the conversation and encouraging the client to think about how they feel the relationship is going, the potential for the relationship and the fit. The psychologist should encourage the client to be open about sharing any concerns and feedback about what they do, and do not, like or want. If you as a client, at any point feel you would like to stop the work and find a new therapist you should feel safe to say so and the psychologist should offer and resources they have to assist you in this process.
Here at Solana Psychology we have many highly trained and experienced clinicians and therapists. Your intake officer will assist you in finding the right fit for your situation. Please contact us for an appointment.
- Do you experience distressing triggers throughout the day that make it difficult to cope?
- Have you ever wondered if you may be experiencing trauma like symptoms or PTSD?
- Do you ever drift off or space out, lose time you cannot account for, experience a sense of being outside of your body, feel detached from reality or in a dream like state while awake?
- Do you find it difficult to relate to others or be in a relationship because of your intense feelings?
- Do you find navigating boundaries or making decisions almost impossible?
- If you answered yes to any of these questions you may be experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, dissociation or PTSD.
Here at Solana Psychology we specialise in assessing and treating trauma and trauma-related symptoms. Please contact us for an appointment.
The mind can often heal itself naturally, in the same way as the body does. Much of this natural coping mechanism occurs during sleep, particularly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Francine Shapiro developed Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) in 1987, utilising this natural process in order to successfully treat Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Since then, EMDR has been used to effectively treat a wide range of mental health problems.
How Does EMDR Work?
No one knows how any form of psychotherapy works neurobiologically or in the brain. However, we do know that when a person is very upset, their brain cannot process information as it does ordinarily. One moment becomes “frozen in time,” and remembering a trauma may feel as bad as going through it the first time because the images, sounds, smells, and feelings haven’t changed. Such memories have a lasting negative effect that interferes with the way a person sees the world and the way they relate to other people.
EMDR seems to have a direct effect on the way that the brain processes information. Normal information processing is resumed, so following a successful EMDR session, a person no longer relives the images, sounds, and feelings when the event is brought to mind. You still remember what happened, but it is less upsetting. Many types of therapy have similar goals. However, EMDR appears to be similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Therefore, EMDR can be thought of as a physiologically based therapy that helps a person see disturbing material in a new and less distressing way.
Bilateral physical stimulation appears to tax working memory and to stimulate the orienting response. Bilateral physical stimulation also appears to facilitate the rapid reprocessing of information, as what might occur naturally during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase of sleep. One theory of the mechanism of change in EMDR therapy proposes that by focusing attention on the key elements of a disturbing memory whilst engaging in bilateral physical stimulation (particularly eye movements) and stimulating the orienting response, traumatic episodic memories are reconsolidated as semantic or narrative memory.
The aim of EMDR therapy therefore is to replace the perpetual re-experiencing of traumatic events with a ‘learning experience’ that becomes a source of resilience. Divested of their affective load, traumatic memories are contextualized and reconsolidated as semantic memory, and become part of a client’s life narrative. Desensitisation and adaptive resolution are experienced as outcomes of this reprocessing and reconsolidation process.
There are now numerous randomised controlled trials and several robust systematic literature reviews that demonstrate the clinical efficacy of EMDR therapy and the positive effects of eye movements in the treatment of trauma and providing symptom relief and it is now included as a recommended treatment within several international treatment guidelines.
.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 30.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 80%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 80%; height: 100%; }
What Is An EMDR Session Like?
EMDR utilises the natural healing ability of your body. After a thorough assessment, you will be asked specific questions about a particular disturbing memory. Eye movements, similar to those during REM sleep, will be recreated simply by asking you to watch the therapist’s finger moving backwards and forwards across your visual field. Sometimes, a bar of moving lights or headphones is used instead. The eye movements will last for a short while and then stop. You will then be asked to report back on the experiences you have had during each of these sets of eye movements. Experiences during a session may include changes in thoughts, images and feelings.
With repeated sets of eye movements, the memory tends to change in such a way that it loses its painful intensity and simply becomes a neutral memory of an event in the past. Other associated memories may also heal at the same time. This linking of related memories can lead to a dramatic and rapid improvement in many aspects of your life.
Can anyone benefit from EMDR?
EMDR can accelerate therapy by resolving the impact of your past traumas and allowing you to live more fully in the present. It is not, however, appropriate for everyone. The process is rapid, and any disturbing experiences, if they occur at all, last for a comparatively short period of time. Nevertheless, you need to be aware of, and willing to experience, the strong feelings and disturbing thoughts, which sometimes occur during sessions.How long does treatment take?
EMDR can be brief focused treatment or part of a longer psychotherapy programme. EMDR sessions can be for 50 to 80 minutes.Will I will remain in control and empowered?
During EMDR treatment, you will remain in control, fully alert and wide-awake. This is not a form of hypnosis and you can stop the process at any time. Throughout the session, the therapist will support and facilitate your own self-healing and intervene as little as possible. Reprocessing is usually experienced as something that happens spontaneously, and new connections and insights are felt to arise quite naturally from within. As a result, most people experience EMDR as being a natural and very empowering therapy.What evidence is there that EMDR is a successful treatment?
EMDR is an innovative clinical treatment which has successfully helped over a million individuals. The validity and reliability of EMDR has been established by rigorous research. There are now nineteen controlled studies into EMDR making it the most thoroughly researched method used in the treatment of trauma, (Details on www.emdr-europe.org and www.emdr.org) and is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an effective treatment for PTSD. Adapted from www.thetraumacentre.com. If you feel haunted by emotionally distressing memories or feel like you re-experience old memories in you everyday life that make it hard to function or maintain relationships contact Solana Psychology now to make an appointment to see one of our trained EMDR practitioners.
Psychodynamic therapy, also known as insight-oriented therapy, focuses on unconscious processes as they are manifested in a person’s present behaviour. The goals of psychodynamic therapy are a client’s self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behaviour. In its brief form, a psychodynamic approach enables the client to examine unresolved conflicts and symptoms that arise from past dysfunctional relationships.
Psychodynamic therapy uses the therapeutic relationship to gain insight into unconscious relationship patterns that evolved since childhood. Memories and other evidence of early relationships are used to make sense of current concerns.
In psychodynamic therapy, therapists help people review emotions, thoughts, early-life experiences, and beliefs to gain insight into their lives and their present-day problems and to evaluate the patterns they have developed over time. Recognizing recurring patterns helps people see the ways in which they avoid distress or develop defense mechanisms as a method of coping so that they can take steps to change those patterns.
People tend to develop defense mechanisms. Defense mechanisms may keep painful feelings, memories, and experiences in the unconscious. A few common defense mechanisms include:
- Denial
- Repression
- Projection
- Intellectualisation
- Displacement
Psychodynamic therapists encourage people to speak freely about their emotions, desires, and fears. Being open may help reveal vulnerable feelings that have been pushed out of conscious awareness. According to psychodynamic theory, behavior is influenced by unconscious thought. Once vulnerable or painful feelings are processed, the defense mechanisms reduce.
The therapeutic relationship is central to psychodynamic therapy as it can demonstrate the manner in which the client interacts with his or her friends and loved ones. In addition, transference in therapy—the transferring of one’s feelings for a parent, for example, onto the therapist—can also help illuminate the ways that early-life relationships affect a person today. This intimate look at interpersonal relationships can help a person to see his or her part in relationship patterns and empower him or her to transform that dynamic.
Features of psychodynamic therapy:
- Focus on affect and expression of emotion
- Exploration of attempts to avoid distressing thoughts and feelings
- Identification of recurring themes and patterns
- Discussion of past experience (developmental focus)
- Focus on interpersonal relations
- Focus on the therapy relationship
- Exploration of fantasy life
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
References
Leichsenring, F., & Rabung, S., (2008). Effectiveness of long-term psycho-dynamic psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association, 300(13), 1551-1565.
Shedler, J. (2010). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 65(2), 98-109. Available online: www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-65-2-shedler.pdf
CBT is an evidence-based psychological approach which operates on the basic premise that thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviours are interconnected. Dysfunctional information processing is posited to lie at the heart of psychological distress or pathology. Therefore, the aim of CBT is to change problematic emotions and maladaptive behaviours by modifying cognitive processes, which occur in the form of automatic thoughts (a private, involuntary ‘stream of consciousness’ specific to a particular situation), beliefs (tacit attitudes, rules and assumptions that influence automatic thoughts), and schemas or core beliefs (underlying global templates used for organising and processing information).
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
CBGSH Is a form of therapy taught by the Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED) in Melbourne. It is a self-help book that the client follows with support from a therapist. The therapist focuses on retraining behaviours around disordered eating in relation to symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating.
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
Please read this fact sheet – https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/two-takes-depression/201102/introduction-acceptance-and-commitment-therapy
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
Please read this fact sheet – https://www.umass.edu/studentlife/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/Motivational_Interviewing_Definition_Principles_Approach.pdf
If you are interested in exploring this therapy, please contact us for an appointment.
People with PTSD often experience feelings of panic or extreme fear, similar to the fear they felt during the traumatic event. A person with PTSD experiences four main types of difficulties.
Re-living the traumatic event – The person relives the event through unwanted and recurring memories, often in the form of vivid images and nightmares. There may be intense emotional or physical reactions, such as sweating, heart palpitations or panic when reminded of the event.
Being overly alert or wound up – The person experiences sleeping difficulties, irritability and lack of concentration, becoming easily startled and constantly on the lookout for signs of danger.
Avoiding reminders of the event – The person deliberately avoids activities, places, people, thoughts or feelings associated with the event because they bring back painful memories.
Feeling emotionally numb – The person loses interest in day-to-day activities, feels cut off and detached from friends and family, or feels emotionally flat and numb.
It’s not unusual for people with PTSD to experience other mental health problems at the same time. These may have developed directly in response to the traumatic event or have followed the PTSD. These additional problems, most commonly depression, anxiety, and alcohol or drug use, are more likely to occur if PTSD has persisted for a long time.
If you would like help with any of the issues described above, please contact us for an appointment.