Neurofeedback vs EMDR - which is best for you?

When it comes to addressing the mental health of you and your family, the options can be overwhelming. All it takes is a quick Google search to get sucked into the infinite world of treatment modalities, from Brainspotting to CBT and more. If you've read about EMDR or neurofeedback as a way to reduce your mental health symptoms and improve your quality of life, you might be wondering which option is best for you and your family.

Continue reading to learn about EMDR, neurofeedback training, and which one is best able to empower your family through their mental health journey.

What is EMDR therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a type of therapy that's especially effective in treating patients with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), developmental trauma, mental illness, and other trauma or stress-related issues.

Therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy or "talk therapy" often require patients to remember and to talk about traumatic events during the therapy session. But for many people with traumatic pasts, it can be difficult to access and reprocess these painful memories; instead, many patients find this experience to be just as painful and traumatic as the original incidents they're remembering.

EMDR allows patients to recount traumatic experiences without reliving them.This can open the door to healing by teaching the patient that these traumatic experiences are not their current reality: they can find safety, peace, and comfort in the present moment instead of fearing or reliving their traumatic pasts.

How does EMDR work?

Although no one is really sure exactly why EMDR works the way it does, the effects tend to speak for themselves. As emdr.com explains:

"EMDR therapy is an eight-phase treatment. Eye movements (or other bilateral stimulation) are used during one part of the session. After the clinician has determined which memory to target first, he asks the client to hold different aspects of that event or thought in mind and to use his eyes to track the therapist's hand as it moves back and forth across the client's field of vision. As this happens, for reasons believed by a Harvard researcher to be connected with the biological mechanisms involved in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, internal associations arise and the clients begin to process the memory and disturbing feelings. In successful EMDR therapy, the meaning of painful events is transformed on an emotional level. For instance, a rape victim shifts from feeling horror and self-disgust to holding the firm belief that, 'I survived it and I am strong.'"

For whatever reason, when we move our eyes back and forth while holding on to traumatic memories, we are able to reshape the internal beliefs we have about these traumatic events or stressful memories. Through EMDR we are able to "get some perspective" and process things that have happened years ago that still affect our everyday lives.

This can be especially powerful for those who have tried other methods of therapy, such as narrative therapies, with no lasting results.

Who can benefit from EMDR therapy?

While EMDR is remarkably effective in treating PTSD and mental illness, it is also useful for other types of stress-related issues, such as:

Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias
Chronic illness
Depression and bipolar disorders
Dissociative disorders
Eating disorders
Grief and loss
Performance anxiety
Personality disorders
Sexual assault
Sleep disturbance
Substance abuse and addiction
Violence and abuse

How effective is EMDR?

According to an article by Healthline, numerous studies have supported EMDR as a way to relieve emotional distress and ease somatic symptoms like pain or muscle tension. While most agree that more large-scale peer reviewed studies are necessary, so far the results are promising that EMDR can be just as effective as more traditional trauma treatment modalities (if not more).

What is neurofeedback?

Neurofeedback is a tool that uses electrical brain waves to help shape the way a person reacts to stress. Similar to EMDR, it has recently become more popular among mental health practitioners as a way to improve quality of life, improve brain function, reduce emotional stress, and lessen the negative effects of trauma.

How does neurofeedback work?

In a typical neurofeedback session, the patient will be connected to a neurofeedback machine consisting of a few sensors and a screen. Then the patient will be given headphones and the machine will begin to monitor and target the patient's brain waves.

Suggested read: Learn more about how neurofeedback works in our recent blog post.

One form of neurofeedback, called linear neurofeedback, requires that the patient and neurofeedback specialist set goals for the session. They will determine what kind of brain wave patterns they want to encourage and what type they want to discourage. For example, those struggling with anxiety might want to encourage more calming brain waves while those struggling with depression might encourage more energizing ones. Once these goals are set and the neurofeedback system is programmed, the patient uses the on-screen prompts to attempt to control and regulate their brain wave patterns.

In another form of neurofeedback, called NeurOptimal or dynamical neurofeedback, the process is slightly different. Instead of setting goals and actively trying to "hack" brain waves, NeurOptimal brain training happens automatically. The user is simply connected to the machine and asked to simply listen to the music playing. While the patient listens to the music, the neurofeedback system will monitor their brain waves and "skip" the music when there are shifts in their brain activity. This allows the brain to subconsciously self correct without the need for the patient to consciously push their brain into new patterns.

Should I use neurofeedback or EMDR?

There are many types of treatment that can improve your quality of life. From dealing with chronic stress to other difficult situations, there are many solutions that can help you and your family. We recommend reaching out to a licensed practitioner to discuss what options might be best.

Psychology Today has resources for finding an EMDR therapist or neurofeedback specialist in your area.

You can also request a free consultation with Ohana Neurofeedback to learn more about our flexible at-home brain training options. Contact us today to learn more about how neurofeedback can help your family.