TIM RAJA (Dip.Hyp.HWHP, GQHP)

Clinical Hypnotherapist, Performance Coach and Master NLP Practitioner

EMDR – Highly Effective Treatment For Distressing Life Events.

Call Us: 07525364258

A specialist in EMDR based in Cheltenham

CONQUER WHAT
HOLDS YOU BACK

EMDR – Effective Relief From:

Emotional Abuse ➔

PTSD ➔

Grief ➔

Sexual Abuse ➔

Physical Abuse ➔

What Is EMDR ➔

More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy. Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions. Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions.

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based, eight-stage psychotherapy method using bilateral stimulation to help people recover from trauma as well as other distressing life events. Eye movements are typically used, but sometimes tapping or noise will be used depending on the client’s preferences/needs. This method focuses primarily on the mind/body connection by addressing distressing memories that the client still feels stuck or frozen in. During a traumatic incident different parts of the brain usually communicate with each other, allowing the person to properly process and resolve the incident, which also affects how the person remembers the incident. However, when this doesn’t happen, the person can become “frozen in time” and they aren’t able to reprocess the memory properly, leaving them with distressing emotional and physical associations with the memory. The client can find themselves reliving the trauma time and time again.

This is where EMDR can help.

 

Is EMDR different from Hypnotherapy

EMDR is totally different to hypnotherapy It can be used by itself or in addition to Hypnotherapy and other talking therapies. EMDR allows the client to address traumatic memories without having to relive the memory or immerse themselves in the memory. Instead, the client is asked to use a brief clip or snapshot that represents the worst part of the memory. While I will guide the client through the stages, the client is essentially in control, using verbal and/or non-verbal ways to communicate when they need to stop or take a break. It is important to note that the memory is still present after successful reprocessing, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the memory is resolved.

EMDR is also beneficial for more than just trauma. It has been used for anxiety, OCD, depression, anxiety, pain, grief, and many other things.

What an EMDR session looks like in eight steps:

 

  1. Client history gathering and treatment planning

I will begin gathering information to assess for previous traumatic events, mental and medical health history, support system, and internal and external resources. This is also where potential target memories will be identified.

  1. Preparation

In this stage I will explain in more detail how EMDR works and what the client should expect during and in between sessions. I will also work with the client to develop grounding and self-relaxation exercises for the client to use during and outside of sessions.

  1. Assessment

This is where I assess the memory to be targeted and how the client is most affected by the incident. A negative and positive cognition will be identified. A negative cognition is a negative belief the client holds about themself related to the target memory. The positive cognition is what they would like to believe about themselves now. The therapist can assist the client in identifying these If needed and both will be scaled numerically to assist in measuring progress as the therapy progresses. How valid the positive cognition currently feels to the client and the level of disturbance the client feels about the target memory will be assessed at this point.

  1. Desensitization

This is where I will guide the client through bilateral stimulation to reprocess the incident. In this phase the incident and any other emotional or physical associations will be reprocessed.

  1. Installation

In this phase bilateral stimulation will continue to be used to focus on and increase the belief in the positive cognition with the goal of replacing it with the negative cognition.

  1. Body Scan

In this stage the therapist guides the client through a body scan to make sure there are no physiological sensations still attached to the memory remaining and if so, more bilateral stimulation will be used to target these sensations and reprocess them.

  1. Closure

Each session ends this way regardless of whether the reprocessing was completed or not. I will check in with the client to determine the client’s mental state. I then may guide the client through grounding and/or self-relaxation exercises before the session ends. These exercises can also be used in between sessions. The client will be briefed on what to expect in between sessions as well.

  1. Reevaluation

I will open each new session by checking in with client to see how the client is feeling and to make sure the treatment plan is effective and up to date. Revisiting the target for reprocessing may be done if needed.

EMDR was developed to help clients with PTSD but extensive studies have shown it extremely effective in also treating anxiety, depression, phobias, eating disorders, substance abuse, schizophrenia, sexual dysfunction, chronic illness-related stress, disturbing experience, and traumatic events.

 

More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy.  Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.  Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions. 

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is a common form of abuse that occurs in close relationships. It is also known as psychological abuse and includes verbal abuse.

Emotional abuse is about one person maintaining power or control over another person. It usually takes place between intimate partners or comes from a parent to a child. It can also happen in situations such as schools or workplaces (for example, in the case of bullying).

  • There are many different types of emotional abuse, including:
  • restricting a person’s freedom
  • controlling or taking your money, food or transport
  • deliberately doing things to hurt you (bullying)
  • making you feel scared or threatened
  • verbal attacks or threats
  • putting you down, insulting or humiliating you, or blaming you
  • making you isolated
  • deliberately doing things to hurt you (bullying)
  • being very jealous

For children, emotional abuse may include:

  • isolating or confining the child, or failing to create opportunities for the child to learn, explore or socialise with others
  • insulting or humiliating comments made towards the child
  • emotional neglect (not expressing love, not showing affection or not playing with the child)
  • rejection or hostility towards the child
  • not recognising the child as a separate individual (using the child to satisfy a parent’s needs or wishes)
  • inappropriate parenting (such as having excessive expectations of the child, or exposing them to domestic violence)

Emotional abuse can have serious negative effects on the physical and mental health of adults and children.

Not all emotionally abusive relationships are physically violent, but most physically violent relationships also include some form of emotional abuse.

Emotional abuse is experienced both by men and women but is more likely to be experienced by women. An Australian study found that around 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men experience emotional abuse by a partner in their lifetime.

Emotional abuse and neglect of children also occurs but can be hard for authorities to detect and it may go unrecognised.

Although emotional abuse may be less obvious than physical abuse, it can still have devastating effects on the mental health and wellbeing of adults and children.

Research has shown that psychological or emotional abuse in adults can be linked to:

Emotional abuse of children can have serious effects on their development, and these effects can continue into adult life.

EMDR is extremely effective at treating PTSD caused by instances of emotional abuse.

PTSD 

 

EMDR is extremely effective at treating PTSD

 More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy.  Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.  Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions. 

 

PTSD, Post-traumatic stress disorder, consists of a series of symptoms that arise from a traumatic event which occurs in one’s life. The symptoms of PTSD usually consist of but are not limited to the following:

  1. Intrusive flashbacks (reliving a violent scene in your mind)
  2. Anxiety disorders resulting in chronic physical pain, body tensions, teeth grinding
  3. Overreacting to situations with seemingly little control
  4. Sudden outbursts of rage or temper tantrums
  5. Unexplained fears or phobias, such as a fear of butterflies
  6. Sleep disorders
  7. Inability to relax the mind and the body
  8. Persistent stress, tension, fears
  9. Nightmares or recurrent bad dreams
  10. Inability to concentrate, loss of memory

 

Certain people or situations may remind the suffering person of the traumatic event. This is called a trigger.

 

An example of a PTSD trigger is someone who has served in combat who may be walking down the street and hears a car backfire. The individual then reacts in a similar manner to when they were in a high-stress combat situation, re-living the past as if it were happening in the present.  This trigger from the car backfire may cause this combat veteran to begin to sweat, feel his heart pounding, his breathing may increase rapidly, and he or she may even find himself running for cover. The triggered PTSD veteran may begin to have flashbacks where intrusive memories flood their mind and they may, for some period of time, feel like they are right back on the battlefield

 

It is very important to emphasise that anyone can suffer from PTSD

 

PTSD often goes undiagnosed by the medical profession and even in the psychological community. Common examples of undiagnosed people with PTSD can be adults who, as children, grew up with parents who were alcoholic, where there was violence, yelling, fighting and bullying in the household. A person who was physically, emotionally or sexually abused during the formative years most likely has grown up with symptoms of PTSD without it ever having been recognized or treated as well. Familiarity with the principles of the mind through hypnotherapy gives us the most effective tools to truly recognize, diagnose, and then treat PTSD.

 

Grief

Grief is a strong, often totally overwhelming emotion for people, they might find themselves feeling numb and detached from daily life, unable to carry on with regular work and social activities while burdened with an acute sense of loss.

Grief is the natural reaction to loss. Individual experiences of grief vary and are influenced by the nature of the loss. Some examples of loss include the death of a loved one, the ending of an important relationship, job loss, loss through theft or the loss of independence through disability.

Experts generally accept that there are five stages of grief, a theory first developed by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.

 

  1. Denial

Denial helps us minimize the overwhelming pain of loss. As we process the reality of our loss, we are also trying to survive emotional pain. It can be hard to believe we have lost an important person in our lives, especially when we may have just spoken with this person the previous week or even the previous day.

Our reality has shifted completely in this moment of loss. It can take our minds some time to adjust to this new reality. We are reflecting on the experiences we have shared with the person we lost, and we might find ourselves wondering how to move forward in life without this person.

This is a lot of information to explore and a lot of painful imagery to process. Denial attempts to slow this process down and take us through it one step at a time, rather than risk the potential of feeling overwhelmed by our emotions.

Denial is not only an attempt to pretend that the loss does not exist. We are also trying to absorb and understand what is happening.

 

  1. Anger

It is common to experience anger after the loss of a loved one. 

There is so much to process that anger may feel like it allows us an emotional outlet.

Keep in mind that anger does not require us to be very vulnerable. However, it tends to be more socially acceptable than admitting we are scared. Anger allows us to express emotion with less fear of judgment or rejection.

Unfortunately, anger tends to be the first thing we feel when we start to release emotions related to loss. This can leave you feeling isolated in your experience and perceived as unapproachable by others in moments when we could benefit from comfort, connection, and reassurance.

 

  1. Bargaining

When coping with loss, it isn’t unusual to feel so desperate that you are willing to do almost anything to alleviate or minimize the pain. Losing a loved one can cause us to consider any way we can avoid the current pain or the pain we are anticipating from loss. There are many ways we may try to bargain.

For example

  • “God, if you can heal this person I will turn my life around.”
  • “I promise that I will be a better person if you will let this person live.”
  • “I’ll never get angry again if you can stop him/her from dying or leaving me.”

When bargaining starts to take place, we are often directing our requests to a higher power, or something bigger than we are that may be able to influence a different outcome. 

This feeling of helplessness can cause us to react in protest by bargaining, which gives us a perceived sense of control over something that feels so out of control. While bargaining we also tend to focus on our personal faults or regrets. We might look back at our interactions with the person we are losing and note all of the times we felt disconnected or may have caused them pain and promise to do better with another chance.

It is common to recall times when we may have said things we did not mean, and wish we could go back and behave differently. We also tend to make the drastic assumption that if things had played out differently, we would not be in such an emotionally painful place in our lives.

 

4.Depression

During our experience of processing grief, there comes a time when our imaginations calm down and we slowly start to look at the reality of our present situation. Bargaining no longer feels like an option and we are faced with what is happening.

We start to feel the loss of our loved one more abundantly. As our panic begins to subside, the emotional fog begins to clear and the loss feels more present and unavoidable.

In those moments, we tend to pull inward as the sadness grows. We might find ourselves retreating, being less sociable, and reaching out less to others about what we are going through. Although this is a very natural stage of grief, dealing with depression after the loss of a loved one can be extremely isolating 

 

  1. Acceptance

When we come to a place of acceptance, it is not that we no longer feel the pain of loss. However, we are no longer resisting the reality of our situation, and we are not struggling to make it something different.

Sadness and regret can still be present in this phase, but the emotional survival tactics of denial, bargaining, and anger are less likely to be present.

 

Mourning can last for months or years. Generally, pain is tempered as time passes and individuals do not always transit through these stages in the same way.

It is also common for people grieving to become stuck at a certain stage, feeling that they are consumed by the grief and can’t see any future without their loss.

EMDR is highly effective at helping the individual process what has happened

EMDR treatment for Grief is based on cognitive theory. When you experience trauma, your brain freezes and hinders how it normally processes memories. Disempowering emotions and negative self-beliefs are attached to these memories, which are repeatedly triggered by stimuli such as images, people, and sensations.

EMDR helps to overcome PTSD and Trauma by re-connecting (or “re-processing”) the neural associations in the brain associated with the negative beliefs and memories. Simulating the natural steps of memory processing, EMDR first acts to reduce (or “desensitize’) the unwanted emotions such as anger, sadness, fear, and emotional pain, and then replace these with empowering emotions such as hope, confidence, self-belief and control

Sexual Violence and Abuse

EMDR has been well researched as an effective treatment approach to eradicate symptoms related to trauma. This technique can alleviate anxiety, depression, and other related disturbances resulting from emotionally abusive experiences. EMDR helps the individual eradicate any disturbance related to an abusive incident; the memory of the incident remains but the disturbing emotions and sensations associated with the memory are eliminated. Then, the person can move on in their life free from the “ghosts” of the past. EMDR can relieve symptoms rapidly.

More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy.  Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.  Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions. 

Sexual Violence is a term used to encompass any type of unwanted sexual act or activity, including rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse and many others and can involve strangers, family, friends, colleagues and partners. It’s an issue that can affect anyone, whatever their gender, age, social background, sexuality, or lifestyle.

 

How prevalent is sexual abuse

According to figures from the Office of National Statistics, “the volume of sexual offences recorded by the police has almost tripled in recent years.”

According to a leading charity, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 20 men in England and Wales are victims of rape or sexual assault. That breaks down to around 618,000 women and 155,000 men who’ve experienced rape or sexual assault in one year.

These sobering statistics concern sexual violence against adults. The figures for sexual abuse against children in England and Wales is estimated to be 1 in 20. But it’s thought that up to 80% of incidents in children and adults go unreported.

 

Sexual violence and abuse have commonly been associated with rape, attempted rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault and indecent exposure. However, there has been a growing understanding that unwanted sexual acts can also include activities such as ‘up-skirting’, non-consensual image sharing, revenge porn, prolonged sexual harassment. Also, stalking behaviours can include a threat of sexual violence. 

Any of these things can create a trauma response and therefore result in PTSD or C-PTSD and it’s often debilitating symptoms. 

It’s estimated that up to 94% of survivors of rape or sexual assault develop symptoms of PTSD in the first two weeks after the event, leading to around 50% of victims suffering long-term symptoms. This is even more pronounced with child victims, who often don’t know how to seek the help needed, often resulting in a lifetime of PTSD, anxiety and depression.

Many survivors of non-consensual image sharing experience shock and feel overwhelmed in the immediate aftermath of the event. In the longer term, victims often exhibit symptoms of depression, anxiety, abnormally high suicidality and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) —effects also common among survivors of physical sexual assault. In fact, 93 percent of victims of NCIS report suffering “significant emotional distress.”

One major factor in the development of PTSD for victims of sexual assault is the feeling of shame and guilt. It can be difficult to reconcile what happened and blaming yourself is another common factor for many survivors.

Many survivors of rape and sexual violence find it difficult to move past the violation that occurred to them and experience hypervigilance, a key symptom of PTSD. 

Dissociation can be one-way victims handle the violence as it takes place and this is strongly linked to the development of PTSD after the event.

PTSD is far more common for victims who thought their life was in danger during the assault. Other factors in the onset of PTSD are the absence of  and also the survivor having a history of mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

When Sexual abuse happens to a child it often results in them ‘pressing it deep into their subconscious’. This can then lead to complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).  As already mentioned many occurrences of childhood sexual abuse go unreported so the first indication that it has occurred is when symptoms of C-PTSD are identified, or when an adult seeks help with severe mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, self-harming and eating disorders.

One of the most common obstacles to getting help is people don’t always want to acknowledge that the incident ever happened. They may feel Shocked, Confused or numb. Some people feel guilt and shame because they feel that they ‘brought it on themselves’, or a deep embarrassment that they found themselves in such a vulnerable position.

Some people keep quiet for fear of being judged, or to avoid having to answer questions or in some way relive the trauma.

The stigma they fear is not helped by myths. Such as, how someone acts or dresses lessens an offence, or that not fighting back indicates acceptance of a sexual act.

No matter the circumstance, consent is always needed, and can be withdrawn at any stage. ‘Whether someone experienced sexual violence a long time ago, recently or aren’t sure what happened, it is important to remember, it is never a survivor’s fault. The responsibility lies solely with their perpetrator.’

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is any way of causing deliberate physical harm to another person, including hitting, slapping, punching, shaking, throwing, kicking, poisoning, burning or scalding, biting, scratching, breaking bones, drowning, or suffocating.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimated that 7.6% of adults aged 18 to 74 years experienced physical abuse before the age of 16 years (3.1 million people)

An estimated 4.5% of adults aged 16 to 59 years had experienced partner abuse in the last year.

around 1 in 7 (14.1%) disabled adults aged 16 to 59 years experienced any form of domestic abuse in the last year in England and Wales

Both adults and children can be victims of physical abuse from those people they value in their lives. This can be their parents, carers, teachers, siblings or partners. Apart from the physical abuse resulting to clear physical injuries, it can also cause severe emotional effects on the victims. Some of the effects of physical abuse can either be long term or short term and can lead to serious consequences. Children are likely to carry the effects of the physical abuse to their adulthood which may extend to their families or their environment. 

The signs 

When you are a victim of physical abuse, body injuries are some of the early effects that you shall experience. The effects can both be external and internal injuries hence the need for proper examination during the medication of any physical abuse. Visible evidence such as bruises, deep cuts, broken bones, and pain are highly related to most cases of physical abuse.

 

Emotional harm

Even though the abuse is physical, the long-term effect can result in substantial emotional harm. Victims of physical abuse are highly likely to experience depression which may affect their emotional stability and behaviour. Physical abuse may lower the self-esteem, cause fear, anxiety, panic attacks and make it difficult for the victim to openly express their feelings. Emotional effects may result in PTSD, suicidal behaviour, extreme cases of stress, self-harm and panic disorder 

Unfortunately, some of the longest-lasting and most debilitating effects of physical abuse are psychological in nature. Depression is the primary psychological response to physical abuse but drug and alcohol abuse are also common. Abused women have a 16-times greater risk of abusing alcohol and a 9-times greater risk of abusing drugs when compared to non-abused women. 

Physical Harm

Different victims of physical abuse can be subjected to extreme physical beating  which may permanently affect the body parts leading to disability. Cases such as blindness, eye damage, and brain damage among many other possible disabilities are likely to be experienced.

Sometimes it can be difficult to recover or treat physical abuse especially when it has been experienced for a long time. Even those who don’t undergo physical abuse but witness it happening to their loved ones can equally be affected.

Children are severely affected by physical abuse even if they, themselves, were not actually the victims of violence. It has been found that one-third of children who witness the battering of their mother demonstrate significant behavioural and emotional problems. The effects of physical abuse on children may include but are not limited to:

  • Anxiety; fears; compulsive behaviour
  • Excessive crying
  • Sleep disruption
  • Depression
  • Stuttering
  • Psychosomatic disorders (disorders in which mental factors play a significant role – often vague complaints of pain)
  • Anxiety; fears; compulsive behaviour
  • Sleep disruption
  • Excessive crying
  • Problems at school
  • Depression
  • Self-destructive behaviour; running away
  • Anger and hostility
  • Low self-esteem
  • Difficulty trusting others; relationship problems

Children who witness physical abuse are also more likely to be victims or perpetrators of physical abuse as adults.

 EMDR is extremely effective at treating the trauma causes by physical abuse.

 More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy.  Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.  Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions. 

CONQUER WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR was developed to help clients with PTSD but extensive studies have shown it extremely effective in also treating anxiety, depression, phobias, eating disorders, substance abuse, schizophrenia, sexual dysfunction, chronic illness-related stress, disturbing experience, and traumatic events.

Pricing

Tim Raja Hypnotherapy – EDMR

£95.00

£142.50

Per HourPer Session

Real change can happen in only 4 - 6 sessions.

Provided by a fully trained expert who is passionate about helping you overcome the issues holding you back in life.

More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy. Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.

Tim Raja (Dip.Hyp.HWHP, GQHP)

Tim Raja is a certified Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapist, Performance Coach, Master NLP Practitioner and a loving father of 4.

Having spent 25 years working at senior manager level in the corporate sector, Tim personally understands the stresses, anxieties and demands of both corporate and personal lives.

Tim is a member of the General Hypnotherapy Register, which is the professional association for therapists in the United Kingdom.  He adheres to all the codes of conduct and subscribes to the continual professional developmental training.

HYPNOTHERAPY RESEARCH

A recent ‘Clinical Review’ of hypnosis and relaxation therapies published in the BMJ looked at the existing research on hypnosis and concluded that hypnosis was proven to be effective for treating insomnia. (Vickers & Zollman, ‘Hypnosis and relaxation therapies,’ BMJ 1999;319: 1346-1349)

“The hypnotic state makes the person better able to respond to suggestions. Therefore, hypnotherapy can help some people change certain behaviors, such as stopping smoking or nail biting. It can also help people change perceptions and sensations, and is particularly useful in treating pain“. – WebMD

Following an extensive review of the existing literature on hypnotherapy, the British Medical Association concluded that hypnotherapy was not only effective but may be ‘the treatment of choice’ in dealing with anxiety (‘psychoneurosis’) and stress-related (‘psycho-somatic’) disorders: 

‘When you believe yourself to be master of your thoughts, you become so’.

Emile Coue