What BIPOC Women can Expect From EMDR and Brainspotting for Anxiety Therapy in Walnut Creek
The topic of mental health can often be taboo in BIPOC communities. Misconceptions and fears about mental illness and therapy are prevalent, leading to stigmatization and reluctance to seek help. This internal stigma often stems from a lack of understanding of what mental illnesses truly are, and how they can be addressed.
Debunking Common Myths
One common myth is that therapy is only for severe mental health issues. The truth? Therapy can be beneficial for anyone, at any time. It's a tool to gain perspective, learn coping strategies, and improve your overall quality of life.
Another misconception is that seeking therapy is a sign of weakness or failure. In reality, recognizing when you need support and actively seeking it is a sign of strength and self-awareness.
Benefits of Therapy
Therapy provides a safe space for you to express yourself openly and honestly. It allows you to explore your feelings, confront your fears, and work towards healing. It can help you cope with stress, grief, trauma, and anxiety, improving your mental and emotional wellbeing.
Tips for Starting Therapy
Find the Right Therapist: Look for a therapist who understands your cultural background and experiences. This can help you feel more comfortable and understood. Our therapists come from a variety of backgrounds and understand the importance of culturally competent care.
Set Your Pace: Remember, therapy is a journey, not a race. It's okay to take your time to build trust with your therapist and open up about your feelings.
Prioritize Self-Care: Therapy can bring up intense emotions. Make sure to take care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally outside of your sessions. This can look different for everybody and is not limited to what society has promoted as self-care.
What to Expect
Starting therapy can feel like a leap into the unknown, but knowing what to expect can help ease any anxiety. Therapy sessions are typically once a week, lasting around 50 minutes, but they can be adjusted based on your needs. It's a collaborative process where you and your therapist work together to set goals and discuss the best ways to achieve them. Remember, it's okay to express how you feel and ask questions at any point during this process. Over time, you'll likely find that therapy becomes a regular part of your routine, a safe space where you can explore your feelings and work towards healing. Below we’ll go over two different therapy modalities and what you can expect from a session.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing):
The process involves a few steps. First, the therapist assesses the client's history and identifies targets for EMDR processing, often including distressing memories and current situations causing emotional distress.
The main part of the therapy involves bilateral stimulation in order to activate the brain and prime it for reprocessing and healing. This can occur in a multitude of ways dependent on the clients’ preference and comfortability: guided side-to-side eye movements, tapping, buzzing, rocking side-to-side, etc. The client focuses on the distressing memory or thought while the therapist initiates the bilateral stimulation. This helps stimulate the brain's adaptive abilities, leading to the reprocessing of the distressing material.
During reprocessing, clients often experience changes in the images, thoughts, and feelings associated with the memory. The memory becomes less distressing and feels more like a normal memory. The therapist guides the client through this process, helping them gain new insights, eliminate distressing emotions, and reduce physiological arousal. Unlike other therapies that focus on changing dysfunctional thoughts, EMDR directly addresses unprocessed memories. This can provide rapid and long-lasting relief from anxiety by effectively addressing its underlying causes.
EMDR therapy allows individuals to reprocess specific memories without the need to share every detail with the therapist. This can provide a safe and supportive environment for BIPOC women to confront and process distressing experiences.
Brainspotting
A brainspotting session usually begins with the therapist helping you bring your anxiety or distress to the surface. Then, they'll guide your eyes across your field of vision until you both notice a shift in your body language or eye movement. This 'brainspot' is believed to be linked to the part of the brain holding onto the distress.
Once the brainspot is found, the therapist will encourage you to focus on it and observe what comes up for you. This might include memories, emotions, or physical sensations. While this is happening, the therapist provides a supportive and grounding presence, helping you to process whatever comes up.
What sets brainspotting apart from some other forms of therapy is its ability to bypass our conscious, thinking mind and tap directly into the parts of our brain where unprocessed anxiety and trauma resides. It's a bit like having a shortcut to the deeper, often more elusive layers of our mind.
Unlock Your Healing Potential
Take control of your life and manage anxiety with tailored support and effective treatment. Seeking assistance is a sign of strength and resilience. Our dedicated team is here to stand by you, providing the guidance and support you need on your journey to a healthier, happier life. You don't have to face anxiety alone - together, we can overcome it.
Struggling with Anxiety in Walnut Creek or the greater San Francisco Bay Area?
At Empowered Mind Therapy Center, we are dedicated to offering compassionate care and unwavering support for individuals who are seeking personal growth and healing amidst the challenges of depression. Our highly experienced therapists specialize in trauma-informed therapy, ensuring you receive the utmost care and understanding.
Whether you call Walnut Creek, Oakland, or any corner of the San Francisco Bay Area your home, rest assured that we offer evidence-based treatment options tailored to your unique needs. Our goal is to empower and assist you on your journey to healing and personal growth.
We are fully committed to your well-being. Let us be your strong and reliable support as you journey towards healing and resilience. Together, we will conquer new horizons and embrace a brighter future.
If you're interested in starting counseling at Empowered Mind Therapy, follow these steps:
Get in touch with our Intake Coordinator at 925-257-0205 or book your free consultation.
Get started on your healing journey and finally feel better.
Other Counseling Services We Offer in the San Francisco Bay Area & Throughout California
In addition to anxiety support, we also offer a variety of counseling services for women of color. This includes relief and support for depression, trauma processing, and relationship issues. Our caring therapists also offer Brainspotting, EMDR & EMDR Intensives. All of these services are available in person at our Walnut Creek, CA-based therapy practice or online throughout California.