Neurodivergent Affirming EMDR Therapy
You may have heard of EMDR therapy from a friend or in popular culture. It’s a fantastic therapy that I’d recommend everybody try! My goal here is to tell you how we can work together to make it neurodivergent affirming EMDR therapy.
Let’s start by breaking this all down:
What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This is a wonderful therapeutic tool I like to use to help you explore your past!
EMDR is a type of psychotherapy that uses eye movements to help you reduce distress relating to a traumatic event you have experienced.
Once your distress is lowered, you are able to fully process that event. The processing of your past traumatic event(s) can lead to a significant reduction in symptoms.
For more information on EMDR, check out the full description of it here.
What is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is a term that was developed by an Autistic Australian sociologist named Judy Singer. The term is meant to define a shift in the way we view mental health treatment and diagnosis.
The traditional medical approach to mental healthcare is “diagnose and treat”. This approach has been used primarily in mental health treatment due to our western biomedical success in treating certain diseases in recent history with it.
However, the Neurodiversity affirming approach takes a different stance on mental health treatment. Using this approach, I aim to view your conditions as differences in brain biology rather than labeling you as “disordered”.
There are a plethora of conditions that fall under neurodiversity. Viewing yourself as a person with neurological differences vs neurological deficits helps you use your strengths to interact with your environment much healthier for the long term!
For more information on Neurodivergent affirming therapy, check out my article on 7 things to know about Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy.
How can EMDR be Neurodiversity Affirming?
First and foremost, I’m a neurodivergent person (ADHD) who’s done EMDR! As somebody who’s been there, I have insight into what makes the therapy work for our brains’ unique structures.
You can bet I will have many tricks up my sleeve for those of us who are neurodivergent and maybe feel a bit stuck in EMDR therapy.
Better Understanding and Integration of Neuroscience into Treatment
The Neurodiversity affirming approach to therapy calls to include a more neuroscience-based lens to treatment. This is due to the fact that the entire movement is based on the fact that brain imaging has literally shown our brains as structured differently.
Knowing these mechanisms and theories can help you and I go “off script” appropriately in treatment when we need to. This will ensure you get the most individualized treatment plan.
More Tools than Traditional Therapy
Continued off of my last point, I have a plethora of tools to help you through your neurodivergent affirming EMDR therapy.
As an ADHDer I am quite incapable of thinking inside the box. This means your treatment is going to be super-individualized and planned with you instead of for you.
In addition to advanced training in EMDR for neurodivergent folx, you also have access to formal diagnostic services for Autism and ADHD with me. I have developed this process to put you in the driver’s seat of your own diagnostic process if you choose! This way you don’t have to worry about pathologizing diagnoses being put into your record without your permission.
If you are in high sensory distress at our time of beginning treatment, I also offer the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) both in clinic and remotely. This is a listening therapy that can help reduce your sensory overload and “tune” your nervous system to safety.
Who is Appropriate for Neurodivergent Affirming EMDR Therapy?
In short, everyone is appropriate for this type of therapy! It’s my belief that we all have a bit of neurodiversity in us. Having said that, here are the ages and identities I specialize in:
- Pediatric (3-17)
- Young Adult (18-30)
- Adult (31-62)
- Geriatric (63-End of Life)
- Neurodiversity Affirming
- LGBTQIA+ Allied and Affirming
- Anti-Racist
- All-Inclusive
Neurodivergent Affirming EMDR Therapy for Kids Vs. Adults
Neurodivergent EMDR therapy can be adapted to anybody who seeks it. Adults and kiddos, alike, are able to participate in EMDR therapy!
For both adults and kiddos I go with a highly individualized approach. Most adults like to talk and most kids like to play. However, there are absolutely adults who love to play and kids who love to talk.
In other words, both can do both! Here are the therapy modalities in addition to EMDR I’ll use with both adults and kiddos to make treatment individualized and affirming:
- Standard EMDR
- Sandtray EMDR
- “Play-Infused” EMDR
- Safe and Sound Protocol/Listening Therapy and EMDR
- Internal Family Systems and EMDR
- Mindfulness and EMDR
- Sensory Processing and EMDR
- Art Therapy and EMDR
You and I can also come up with other modalities that might fit you better!
Pricing and Insurance
Neurodivergent affirming EMDR therapy, like other psychotherapies, is covered by insurance. Click here to see if your insurance is listed, as I am not paneled with all insurance companies.
Otherwise, see my cash pay prices listed on the same page.
Contact Me Directly!
All inquiries are responded to within 1-3 business days from inquiry. Feel free to use my contact information tomorrow to leave a message!
Hours: Monday-Thursday 12-7pm
Phone: (616) 259-0255
Email: info@michigancrs.com
Location: 1451 East Lansing Dr., Suite 219
East Lansing, MI 48823