EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.  EMDR therapy facilitates the accessing and processing of traumatic memories and other adverse life experience to bring these to an adaptive resolution. After successful treatment with EMDR therapy, affective distress is relieved, negative beliefs are reformulated, and physiological arousal is reduced. During EMDR therapy the client attends to emotionally disturbing material in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus such as lateral eye movements, hand-tapping and audio stimulation.

 

Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a music therapy intervention designed to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity while enhancing social engagement and resilience. Based on Dr. Porges’ Polyvagal Theory, the program is derived from nearly four decades of research.  The SSP is commonly used as an adjunct therapy to help patients regulate their nervous system, process external cues and signals more effectively, and attain a grounded state in which they feel safe and calm.  Once patients are able to regulate, they respond more effectively to life’s challenges, can access higher learning and cognition more easily, build positive social relationships, and ultimately can be more available for other therapies.