Celebrities Who Have Experiences With EMDR Therapy
In today's world, people are a lot more willing and open to discussing things that may have been kept quiet in the past.
On social media, your timeline and newsfeed may be filled with photos of family, life announcements like engagements or births, food, workouts, clothing, etc. Social media has become a way for people to share their life experiences and day-to-day.
More recently, mental health has been a huge topic. People are a lot more open about their mental health journeys and mental health in general. Even celebrities share photos post-therapy or with a caption about an experience they may have had during a therapy session. A fairly new trending topic among celebrities is EMDR.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a therapy technique that has been widely discussed, especially among celebrities. EMDR is a type of therapy where a therapist will guide their client's eyes with their hands, lights, or sounds while asking them to recall memories as a way to reprocess them.
Let's dive deeper into Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and some celebrities that swear by it:
1. Prince Harry
Yes, you read that right. Prince Harry, the former Duke of Sussex, first learned about EMDR from his therapist. After moving to the United States with his family, he noticed feelings of anxiety when he had flights back home to the United Kingdom. He stated that London is triggering for him due to things he saw and experienced, especially relating to his mother's death.
2. Sandra Bullock
After dealing with a stalker who broke into her home in 2014, Sandra Bullock decided to try EMDR therapy to cope.
When describing her experience with EMDR she said, "I was so scared to do it. They use it for trauma and PTSD. It can be tapping, I had the paddles. It is literally the therapist going, 'Start where you first find yourself in the house,' and I was like, 'I was in the closet and I heard him banging on the door,' and then he says, 'hold that feeling.' And then he started vibrating the paddles and the paddles were inconsistent, so, in your mindset when your eyes are closed, I was going back and forth mentally to wherever the paddle was vibrating. So, what that is doing is rewiring your synapses."
3. Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood, actress, model, and singer, told the world that she was going through EMDR therapy through an Instagram post in 2019. She posted a selfie showing her face with mascara running down her cheeks after her first EMDR session.
Her caption read, "I just started #EMDR. (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Its a kind of trauma therapy and I must say, is absolutely fantastic. Crying has never felt so good. For people struggling with their past traumas or PTSD and have the means to do so (which everyone should and it pisses me off that mental health is a luxury) I highly recommend this intense but very effective treatment. This is what I look like after a session. Been through a lot, purged a lot, but my eyes are clear and hopeful. Also, NO. SHAME. IN. GETTING. HELP. 💜✌🏻"
4. Whitney Cummings
Whitney Cummings, stand-up comedian, actress, filmmaker, and podcaster, also shared her love of EMDR via Instagram. In response to Evan Rachel Wood's post, Whitney stated, "EMDR saved my life".
5. Jameela Jamil
Jameela Jamil, an actress known for her role on The Good Place, also shared her experience with EMDR therapy on her Instagram page.
She posted a photo on October 10, 2019 with text that read, "Today is #WorldMentalHealth Day. This month, 6 years ago, I tried to take my own life. I'm so lucky that I survived, and went on to use EMDR to treat my severe PTSD. I urge you to hang on just a bit longer and ask for help if you need it. Because things can turn around. I promise."
Her caption read, "Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to access affordable therapy. But if you can’t, in the mean time, there are helplines ( @crisistextline @giveusashoutinsta ) and community groups online around the world and friends and family who might surprise you as to how supportive they can be. It’s not something you have to tolerate on your own. You have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. I feel you. I’ve been there. And it’s a process of radical self forgiveness, patience and care that will help you out. It feels like the pain, nightmares and exhaustion will never end sometimes, but they can. And they will.❤️"
These are just a few examples of celebrities that have tried EMDR. Like many of them mentioned in their interviews or social posts, there is no shame in getting help. Reach out today if you'd like to try EMDR yourself.
