Explore how EMDR and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) can help transform mental wellbeing by reshaping perceptions of reality and fostering compassion.

Paul Gilbert, a brilliant and pioneering psychologist, who is known for developing Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), often discusses how the brain constructs our perception of reality.

He uses the analogy of the brain as a "headset" to explain this concept. According to Gilbert, just as a headset filters and shapes what we see and hear to create an immersive experience, the brain filters sensory inputs and constructs a subjective experience of the world. This process involves a continuous stream of sensory data from the environment, which the brain interprets through various cognitive and emotional processes influenced by past experiences, beliefs, emotions, and expectations.

As a result, what we see and feel is created by our mind (our perception) and can be very different from what is actually happening around us (reality).

Constructing Reality vs. Perception

Gilbert's explanation of the brain as a headset highlights the distinction between perception and reality.

While objective reality exists independently of our perception, our experience of it is always mediated by the brain's interpretation. This has significant implications for mental health. For example, anxiety can make us perceive situations as more threatening than they are, while depression can lead to a more negative outlook on life.

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) helps individuals understand and manage these cognitive and emotional processes. By developing self-compassion and understanding the brain’s constructive nature, individuals can learn to respond to their experiences more effectively and with less distress.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help too.

ACT helps us to "take off the headset" of our minds by teaching us to diffuse the impact of intrusive thoughts and feelings. Just as a headset can create a virtual reality, our minds can create a distorted view of the world through negative thoughts and emotions. ACT helps us step back from these thoughts and feelings, seeing them for what they are – just thoughts and feelings, not absolute truths.

By learning to accept these experiences without being overwhelmed by them, we can ground ourselves in the present moment. This grounding allows us to see the world, others, and ourselves from a more objective and compassionate viewpoint. Instead of being caught up in our minds' negative interpretations, we can experience reality more clearly and respond to it with kindness and understanding.

How EMDR Helps Restructure Reality and Perception

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy technique that helps us process and integrate traumatic memories. These can be big or smaller traumatic experiences from long ago or as recent as last week.

By helping us process these aversive experiences, EMDR can help restructure our sense of reality and shift the impact of past experiences on perception. Here’s how EMDR helps to do this:

1. Processing Traumatic Memories

• Desensitisation - EMDR involves us recalling distressing memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements, but sometimes tapping the sides of the body, using hand held buzzers or using sounds). This process helps reduce the emotional intensity of the memories.

• Reprocessing - Through EMDR, we can reprocess these memories, integrating them into our broader life narrative in a way that feels less threatening and makes more sense to them. This can change how past experiences influence current perceptions and emotions.

  “The EMDR therapy helped improve my feeling, thought process and ability to regulate my emotions following a terrible trauma. It was not easy to start with but overall it was worth the pain of having to relive the experiences of the trauma. Online therapy was convenient, no need for travelling, everything was done in the comfort of my house. I can already feel the benefits of the EMDR therapy in my daily life”

2. Shifting Negative Beliefs

• Cognitive Restructuring - Traumatic experiences often lead to the development of negative beliefs about oneself and the world (e.g., "I am unsafe," "I am powerless", “I can’t cope”). EMDR helps the us to access and re-evaluate these beliefs, replacing them with more adaptive and balanced ones (e.g., "I am safe now," "I have control", “I can cope”).

• Positive Cognitions - During EMDR, we are encouraged to develop positive beliefs about ourselves, which can help counteract the negative self-perceptions rooted in past traumas.

3. Reducing Hyperarousal and Anxiety

• Normalisation of Responses - By reprocessing traumatic memories, we can reduce high levels of arousal and anxiety associated with triggers that remind them of past traumas. This helps shift our perception of current situations, making us feel less threatening and more manageable.

• Calm and Safety - The bilateral stimulation used in EMDR can have a calming effect on our nervous system, helping us feel more grounded and present. This physiological calming can help alter the perception of reality to be less coloured by past trauma and more focused on the present moment.

  “Experiencing EMDR has been transformative for me. The bilateral stimulation brought a deep sense of calm allowing me to feel more grounded and present.”

4. Enhancing Emotional Regulation

• Improved Coping Mechanisms - As we process traumatic memories, we often develop better emotional regulation skills. This means we can respond to current stressors in a more adaptive way, rather than being overwhelmed by past trauma responses.

• Emotion Integration - EMDR helps us to integrate fragmented emotional responses, allowing us to experience a fuller range of emotions in a more balanced way, thus enhancing our overall emotional health.

  “I was amazed that there was a shift in my mindset after the first session. Although part of the process was going back to the trauma which was difficult, I felt like I could trust the process with (my online therapist) Stephanie and felt in safe hands. Stephanie made me feel totally at ease, I felt safe, understood and validated, Stephanie was with me every step of the way. I can honestly say my therapy with Stephanie has been life changing. I am able to move forward after the trauma I experienced, which I never would have imagined before undertaking therapy.”

5. Facilitating Narrative Coherence

• Coherent Life Story - EMDR helps us to make sense of our life experiences. By processing traumatic memories in a less painful way, we can see our past as a part of a bigger, understandable story rather than a collection of confusing and overwhelming events.

• Empowerment and Mastery - By gaining a clearer and more coherent understanding of our past, people often feel more empowered and capable of mastering their current and future experiences.

  
  

Promoting Adaptive Neuroplasticity

EMDR is thought to promote neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganise itself by creating new connections. This can cause lasting changes in how memories are stored and how we process experiences, altering how past events affect our current perceptions or our brain's "guesswork."

Constructing New Perceptions of the World.

Developing a positive self-view is an important part of EMDR and CFT therapy. As we reprocess traumatic memories and replace negative beliefs, we develop a more empowered and positive self-perception. This new self-view encourages us to take better care of ourselves and have a greater sense of self-worth. With a positive self-view, we are more likely to practice self-compassion, recognising our own needs and treating ourselves with kindness.

EMDR therapy not only enhances empathy and compassion for others but also significantly improves our relationships. With reduced anxiety and better emotional regulation, we become less reactive and more understanding, relating to others' struggles with greater empathy. This can lead to healthier boundaries, mutual respect, and a compassionate self-perception that fosters deeper, more supportive, and nurturing connections with those around us.

EMDR therapy helps us see the world more clearly and realistically. It teaches us to recognise potential dangers while also seeing what is safe, viewing some situations (despite them sometimes being challenging) as opportunities for growth and healing. With this balanced perspective, we become more open to new experiences and relationships, approaching life with curiosity and compassion instead of fear and avoidance.

Conclusion

EMDR facilitates the desensitisation and reprocessing of traumatic memories, leading to shifts in negative beliefs, reduced anxiety, enhanced emotional regulation, narrative coherence, and adaptive neuroplasticity.

All these changes help us to construct new, healthier perceptions of the world and develop a more compassionate mind towards ourselves and others.

By developing important insights, skills, and resources in Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) alongside EMDR therapy, we can transform our relationship with our past, present, and future, fostering a compassionate and fulfilling life.

A skilled EMDR and CFT-trained therapist can guide you through this journey, helping you achieve better mental well-being. The combination of these two therapies often results in very positive outcomes.

If you would like to speak with a CFT-trained EMDR therapist, My Therapist Online (MTO) has many specialists in these areas. We can arrange for you to meet with one of our experts to start your path to better mental health.

Further reading on EMDR and CFT in therapy

EMDR in the UK

1. EMDR Association UK - This organisation is dedicated to the practice and promotion of EMDR therapy in the UK. They provide numerous resources and research evidence supporting the efficacy of EMDR for various mental health conditions.

   • Source: EMDR Association UK

2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): NICE guidelines recommend EMDR for the treatment of PTSD. These guidelines are based on extensive reviews of research and evidence.

   • Source: NICE Guidelines on PTSD

3. Research Study - Birkbeck, University of London: A study conducted by researchers at Birkbeck, University of London, found that EMDR is effective in treating trauma and PTSD, leading to significant reductions in symptoms.

   • Study: "EMDR Therapy for PTSD: A Review of the Evidence" by Professor Mark Jarvis et al.

CFT in the UK

1. Paul Gilbert's Work - Professor Paul Gilbert, a UK-based psychologist, developed Compassion-Focused Therapy. His research highlights the effectiveness of CFT in treating various mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and trauma.

   • Source: Gilbert, P. (2010). "Compassion Focused Therapy: Distinctive Features." Routledge.

2. Research Study - University of Derby - A study conducted at the University of Derby found that CFT significantly improved mental wellbeing and reduced self-criticism and shame among participants.

   • Study: "The Efficacy of Compassion-Focused Therapy: A Pilot Study" by Dr. Chris Irons et al.

Combining EMDR and CFT

1. UK-based Therapists' Insights - Many UK-based therapists integrate EMDR and CFT in their practice, finding that combining these therapies enhances treatment outcomes for patients dealing with trauma and emotional regulation issues.

   • Insight: Articles and case studies published by the EMDR Association UK and Compassionate Mind Foundation.

2. Case Studies and Reports - Various case studies and reports from UK therapists highlight the successful integration of EMDR and CFT in clinical practice, showing improvements in patients' mental health and emotional resilience.

   • Case Study: "Integrating EMDR and CFT in Clinical Practice" published by the British Psychological Society.

Lisa Johnston

Clinical Director - My Therapist Online

Images - Pexels.co.uk