Trauma comes in so many shapes, forms, and presentations, and only you know what kind of impact it is having on your life. For example, for one person, a difficult birth may not feel like a lasting trauma, but to another mother this experience may be debilitating for months and years to come. Whether you're processing a difficult birth, childhood experiences, or any life experience that has left a lasting emotional mark, the journey to healing is deeply personal - and therefore the tools that we use are always unique. If you’re searching for trauma therapy in Buffalo, you might come across terms like EMDR, Progressive Counting, or Brainspotting and wonder,
What’s the difference?
Which one is right for me?
We thought we’d break these down so you can feel more confident reaching out for the kind of therapy that may fit you best. However, it is important to know that depending on your situation, there may be additional “tools” that could also be helpful, and your therapist may also make other suggestions to help you on your journey!
EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
According to the
American Psychological Association, EMDR is among the top most effective psychotherapies for PTSD, and is often used in conjunction with other therapies to support clients with anxiety, depression, panic, distressing memories, birth trauma, and more. It is a thoroughly researched, evidence-based method that can help support our clients suffering from the lingering effects of trauma. During EMDR sessions, you are gently guided through your distressing memories while using bilateral stimulation, like guided eye movements or tapping, to help your brain reprocess and desensitize the emotional charge of those memories. What is unique about EMDR is that it doesn’t require in-depth retelling of your traumatic experience. Instead, it helps you process through your trauma by providing you with a tool for managing those memories.
Progressive Counting (PC)
Progressive Counting is frequently used in the treatment of PTSD, anxiety, grief, and repetitive traumas. During this therapy, you imagine a mental “movie” of the distressing memory. Each time you visualize the event, the therapist counts aloud (for example, for 10, 20, or 30 seconds…), increasing the length over time. This repetitive process helps the memory lose its emotional charge. We picture this therapy as slowly rewinding and replaying a moment until your brain can process it safely. One of the reasons clients love PC is that, as the
Child Trauma Institute references, it’s often more efficient and easier to learn than other methods - and it gives you a clear sense of progress without having to verbally discuss your trauma in overwhelming detail. This can be a great option for traumas that are so distressing that it is hard to actually speak about them. This is also a therapy we believe in so much that we actually do a training on it for other therapists. If this is you, here is more info about our next upcoming
Progressive Counting Training!
Brainspotting
Brainspotting is a body-based approach that works by identifying "brainspots" - specific eye positions that correspond to stored trauma in the brain. It is used in conjunction with other treatments for complex traumas, dissociation, anxiety, and deep emotional pain. Research out of the
Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology shows that Brainspotting achieves meaningful reductions in PTSD symptoms - making it a possible alternative to EMDR. Brainspotting can be used on its own or combined with other therapies like EMDR or Progressive Counting. It’s especially helpful for our clients who feel stuck or have tried talking therapy without lasting results.
So, Which One Is Right for Me?
There’s no wrong answer - and it’s likely that your therapist won’t just suggest a single option. Our therapists at Ott Counseling are trained in EMDR, Progressive Counting, Brainspotting, and numerous other therapies that will help you get the most out of your sessions and provide you with the tools to start managing your specific trauma. We work collaboratively with you to explore what feels safest to you, most effective, and aligned with your goals for therapy.
Want to meet the team? Click here to explore
our office and learn more about our therapists.
Curious how EMDR can help after birth trauma?
Read our recent blog on that here.
Ready to Start?
Whether you're new to therapy or exploring something new, we’re here to support you!
Reach out today to schedule an appointment or get your questions answered, and let’s talk about what might be right for you.
