Question 1

How will EMDR or Accelerated Resolution Therapy sessions be different than the past therapy I’ve experienced?

Accepted Answer

There will be some similarities and some differences.  If you have never tried an eye-movement type of therapy then you'll notice more differences.  During some of the sessions there will actually be less talking then you may be used to as we will be allowing your brain to do a lot of the work for you.  With these techniques you're often thinking of tough stuff in your mind while your eyes move back-and-forth and the emotional intensity gets less and less. Your mind sorts out what it needs to, images can fade away, and painful memories end up not feeling painful anymore. Also, typically, those new insights, ah-ha moments, neutral feelings, and new thoughts stick around rather than waking up the next day and wondering why nothing feels different.  We get to feel permanent results, permanent relief. It's pretty cool.

I break it down more for you here:
What to expect ()from therapy session together
What to Expect After an EMDR or Accelerated Resolution Therapy
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Other than techniques used, it’s difficult to compare how our sessions will be different without knowing your past history, however, I can assure you that I will be an empathetic listener, you will be in a judgment-free space, I will be invested in helping you reach your goals.

Question 2

What's the difference between accelerated resolution therapy vs emdr?

Accepted Answer

Both are really great at healing from traumas (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/Trauma-PTSD)and micro-traumas. (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/specialties) 
Overall, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/what-is-art)is the most helpful if you have a memory of an experience (big or small) that you could essentially play in your in your mind and you're wanting that memory to stop replaying in your mind and/or causing you emotional and physical discomfort.  It works very quickly, is very body focused, and I feel it does an outstanding job at getting relief at the deepest level.

EMDR (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/what-is-emdr)is more helpful if you have a chapter of your life with various related experiences, not just one, that you're wanting to heal from.  It's more thorough in sorting out the thoughts that you have surrounding the events (the 'Why me's', 'Did I cause this?', 'How could this happen?', 'I'm a bad person' type thoughts). Doing the more thorough process does tend to take longer and may require more coping skills to manage emotions in-between sessions.  
I break down many of the differences piece-by-piece here. (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/post/accelerated-resolution-therapy-vs-emdr)

Question 3

How does EMDR work virtually?

Accepted Answer

Once you get to the step of EMDR where you are reprocessing the memories/traumas/events that you're coming in for, we need to prompt the different sides of your brain back and forth, this i call Bi-lateral Stimulation.  This is most commonly done using eye movements, following something back and forth with your eyes such as your therapist's hand or a light bar.  To do this online, you would be following a dot back and forth on your computer screen.  It's actually pretty cool.  If just reading this confuses you then you're welcome to check out more about what to expect during the sessions here.(https://www.nextchapteraz.com/what-to-expect)

Question 4

How do I prepare for my first session?

Accepted Answer

You can get ready for your first session by completing the paperwork provided to you once you schedule your session, which helps me to get an overall picture of your world and may help you clarify what you’re hoping to achieve in therapy. If you have multiple traumas that you'd like to address, you might find it helpful to create a list and prioritize them.

Want more specifics? I go into some more detail here (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/post/preparing-for-an-art-or-emdr-session)about How to Prepare for EMDR/ Accelerated Resolution  (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/post/preparing-for-an-art-or-emdr-session)

Question 5

Will everything we talk about in sessions be private?

Accepted Answer

Maintaining privacy is very important to me and there are laws that help keep everything you share in sessions confidential.  There are a few exceptions to this which can be found in the Privacy Policy, which I will gladly supply upon request and will be provided to you upon scheduling an appointment.

Question 6

Are we a good fit?

Accepted Answer

Most of the people I work with (adults only) have experienced something in their childhood or adulthood that continues to impact them and they want their life back.  This could be a major trauma or a smaller moment that has seemed to stick with you and replays in your mind.  If you can recall a memory (big or small) and want it to stop being painful or stop it from holding you back, I can help with that very quickly, effectively, and with no judgement.

Take a closer look here.(https://www.nextchapteraz.com/counseling)

Question 7

What if I’m on the fence about scheduling a session?

Accepted Answer

Committing to your first session can be daunting, It’s okay to feel unsure.  If you’d like to, you may send me an email (Brittani@NextChapterAZ.com) ((Brittani@NextChapterAZ.com))and ask some questions or request a 15-20min consult to talk with me and determine if we’ll be a good fit to work together or not.  We can discuss what it is that you would like to work on, you can get to know me and I can get to know you.  If we determine that we are not a good match, I would be glad to refer you to a therapist who may be a better fit of your needs.

Question 8

When can we meet?

Accepted Answer

Once I send you the link to my calendar you can see when when my next available appointment is. You can also email me anytime to ask what how long that may be at anytime (Brittani@NextChapterAZ.com).   
In general, I hold sessions Tuesday- Thursdays between 10am - 5pm.

Question 9

How often will we meet?

Accepted Answer

It’s typical to meet once per week in order to maintain focus, safety, and to stay productive.  However, this is flexible per person and per situation.  If you're eager to get moving along, it's possible to meet twice in a week at the beginning so we can have our initial session, get some skills under your belt, and then switch to once per week once we start more of the EMDR reprocessing part.

Question 10

I want to book a session, how do I get started?

Accepted Answer

• Request an Appointment: Head over to the 'Request Appointment' (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/book-online)form and briefly share what you'd like to work on together. 
 • I'll email you back: I'll let you know if it seems like we'd be a good fit and, if so, I'll provide a link to my calendar where you can pick a day/time to schedule your first session.
 • Fill me in: Once scheduled, I'll send you intake paperwork to complete prior to your first session
 • Contact me if you have any questions at all!

Question 11

Is it worth the money?

Accepted Answer

I get it, I’ve been in your shoes.  Although it may sound a bit cheesy, therapy is truly an investment into your future.  There are many ways to work through challenges in your life, however, if you reach a point where you are no longer improving then it may be time to reach out to someone who has years of experience helping others heal from similar issues.  If you think you will regret more time passing without feeling better then now may be a good time to get started.  I have worked with people who have experienced traumas that have ruled their world for many years and within a few sessions have felt free of that emotional pain, it’s difficult to put a price on what value that can add to a life.  Feel free to learn more about EMDR (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/what-is-emdr)and the impressive resume it has for healing on my website here (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/what-is-emdr)and  EMDR Institute, Inc's website (https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/)here.(https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/)

My rates for online therapy sessions (https://www.nextchapteraz.com/insurance-rates)

Brittani Antunes, MC, LPC

Common Questions