Minerva Guerrero Minerva Guerrero

Learn about the benefits of an EMDR Intensive vs. EMDR weekly therapy.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can be conducted either intensively (longer hours in one session) or weekly (one session per week). The benefits of an EMDR intensive includes:

 

  1. Faster progress: An intensive approach allows for more sessions in a shorter period of time, which can lead to a faster resolution of trauma symptoms. One intensive session is the equivalent of months of therapy.

  2. Intense treatment (hence “intensive” : You’re not spending time focusing on anything outside of the already agreed upon treatment goals so your EMDR intensive allows for a deeper processing of traumatic memories.

  3. Increased accountability: An intensive approach can increase the accountability of both the therapist and the client, helping to ensure that the client makes progress towards their therapeutic goals.

  4. Focused processing: This is ideal for clients who have one or two specific problems they are clear they want to work on. 

On the other hand, the benefits of weekly therapy may include:

  1. Gradual progress: The slower pace of weekly therapy can be helpful for some individuals as it allows for a gradual processing of traumatic memories.

  2. Better integration: Weekly therapy allows for time between sessions for the individual to integrate and process the work done in therapy. You can still do this with an intensive but you will have to coordinate with your therapist how to go about the follow-up.

  3. Reduced intensity: The slower pace of weekly therapy can reduce the intensity of therapy, making it a good option for individuals who may not be able to tolerate an intensive approach.

  4. More flexibility: Weekly sessions are better for clients that want more flexibility on what they discuss in session. They may have some awareness on what their struggles are and they want to be able to flow through all of them in therapy.

 

Ultimately, the choice between an intensive or weekly approach will depend on the client’s specific needs, therapeutic goals, and personal preferences. Some people prefer to work intensively. They’re the ones that would prefer an accelerated Master’s program vs a traditional 2 year program or binge watch an entire Netflix show on a lazy Sunday versus watching one episode per week (I don’t actually know those people even exist but maybe they do!). Either way, definitely consult with your therapist and see if they’re offering intensives and if they think you’d be a good fit and discuss your options.

Are you based in New York and want to schedule an EMDR Intensive for yourself? I provide EMDR intensives for other therapists and small business owners. Check out my EMDR Intensive page here.

 

Dr. Minerva Guerrero is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Westchester, New York. She is the owner of Mind Matters Mental Health Counseling, offering telehealth services and in person EMDR Intensives. She specializes in treating anxiety and trauma in adults. For more information about her, make sure to visit her website www.mindmattersmhc.com or follow her on Instagram: mindmattersmhc.

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Dare To End Anxiety

You can learn how to overcome anxiety. Do you DARE?

Don’t you just hate that feeling of anxiety? That nervous energy in your body that starts off as nothing but can escalate really fast if you let it. Anxiety can appear at any given moment, regardless of whether you’re aware of your anxiety triggers or not. There are several treatments known to be effective for anxiety, like Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). As a trauma and anxiety specialist, I am very familiar with both of these treatments but in this blog post, I provide a brief summary of the DARE approach developed by Barry McDonagh that I think can be very helpful for so many people struggling with anxiety.

There are four steps in the DARE approach.

Step 1: Defuse

Usually, when we feel anxiety, we start to ask ourselves “What if?” questions and it’s really rare that those questions are positive like “What if I get really good news today?” or “What if I get promoted after doing such a great job at my presentation?”. When we’re anxious, we instead ask ourselves “What if I lose my job and have to move back in with my parents?” What if I have a panic attack in front of everyone?” “What if these thoughts never stop and I go crazy?” These are automatic negative thoughts that are completely outside of our control. The best thing we can do when we have anxious negative thoughts is respond to them in the right way, to stop them from spiraling. So the first step is to Defuse. The next time you have a negative “What if?” question try answering with “SO WHAT!” or “OH WELL”.

Woman struggling with Anxiety | Therapy for Anxiety and mental health in Westchester, NY 10583 near Scarsdale at Mind Matters Mental Health with Dr. Minerva Guerrero, Anxiety Specialist
  • “What if I lose my job and have to move back in with my parents?”

    • SO WHAT!

    • Remind yourself that you’re fully capable of finding a new job and living with your parents will just be temporary.

  • “What if I have a panic attack in front of everyone?”

    • OH WELL.

    • Someone will help you if you have a panic attack and before you know it, the panic attack will be over.

  • “What if these thoughts never stop and I go crazy?”

    • OH WELL.

    • At some point, your mind is going to settle and your thoughts will stop.

Although this first step might seem simplistic, the reality is that even if some of your anxious thoughts are really terrifying for you, being anxious about them isn’t going to make these thoughts disappear. Giving in to your anxious thoughts is just going to make you suffer so much more than you need to.  

Step 2: Allow

Woman Smiling at Camera | Anxiety Therapy in Scarsdale, NY with Dr. Minerva Guerrero, Anxiety Specialist at Mind Matters Mental Health 10583

Now that you’ve defused your anxious thoughts from spiraling, now you need to accept your anxious feelings and allow them to do whatever they want to do. Sounds crazy right? I know it does because when you’re anxious, you desperately want to keep everything in order to maintain control—letting your anxiety do whatever it wants to do is the complete opposite of what you want to do!

Here’s the deal: The more you fight anxiety, the more it’s going to fight you back- and I hate to tell you but most likely, your anxiety is going to win. Allow your anxiety to be with you. Say hi to it. Befriend it even.

I had an important presentation a few months ago, and my anxiety was through the roof. Right before I walked in, I told my anxiety “Let’s do this!”. I didn’t want my anxiety to be with me, but it was there and it wasn’t going anywhere so I invited it to join me. By the way, my presentation was AMAZING! :)

The more you welcome anxiety, the faster your anxiety will drop.

Step 3: Run Toward

Usually, when we have anxiety, our automatic thoughts are related to fear. What if instead of thinking something bad is going to happen, you tell yourself that something good is about to happen. If you think about it,  feelings associated with fear and feelings associated with excitement are pretty similar. Do those “butterflies in your stomach” ring a bell?

Once you can respond to your anxious feelings as just nervous energy in your body, you’re less likely to view them as a threat. Choose to tell yourself, “I wonder what good things this feeling is preparing me for” or “I’m excited for what’s coming”. This may sound crazy but remember, you’re sending a message to your brain that says “I’m not worried about you.”

Step 4: Engage

So you’ve done steps 1-3, now it’s time to seal the deal to not let your anxious mind try to suck you back into fear. You need to engage in something that will take up your attention. In therapy, we often call this, the use of coping skills. It can be anything. Here are some suggestions: reading a book, exercising, going out with friends, listening to music, or whatever works for you. The key is to do something that will occupy your mind.

To recap, the next time you feel anxiety, remember to DARE

  1. Once you become aware that you’re anxious, defuse it immediately but taking a “so what, oh well” mentality.

  2. Instead of trying to fight off your anxiety, accept and allow your anxiety to be with you.

  3. Change your perspective fearing your anxiety, by telling yourself that you’re excited about what lies ahead. Run toward it!

  4. Lastly, engage in an activity that occupies your mind fully.

As a beginner using this approach, you may have to fake it until you make it, meaning it may take some practice to genuinely believe in these steps, but once you do it, you’ll notice the shift.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the DARE approach! What are some of the things you do to help reduce your anxiety?

Woman hugging herself after working through her anxiety with Dr. Minerva Guerrero | Anxiety therapy in Westchester, NY | Anxiety therapy in New York at Mind Matters Mental Health

BEGIN Anxiety THERAPY IN SCARSDALE, NY

Taking time for your mental health is key to overall wellbeing, especially as a teen, young adult or working professional. Let’s get you feeling good so you can keep doing amazing things for the world! To begin counseling in my Westchester counseling office, follow these simple steps:

  1. Click the button below to schedule our first session.

  2. Meet with me, Dr. Minerva Guerrero, a professional and experienced anxiety therapist.

  3. Begin to feel more peace and less worry about your life!

I want all of your questions to be answered the entire way. If you still have insurance and procedural questions after reading this, I am happy to schedule a free, 15-minute consultation first.

MORE THERAPY SERVICES IN WESTCHESTER, NY

In my Scarsdale therapy practice, I try to help each individual as fully as possible. This is why I also provide therapy for teens, therapy for adults, trauma therapy, therapy for anxiety, and specialized techniques such as EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Cognitive Processing Therapy. If you want to explore these options further, let’s connect!

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Minerva Guerrero Minerva Guerrero

CPT & EMDR: What’s the difference between these two trauma therapies?

Are you interested in trauma therapy but not sure what type of treatment will work best for you? Here I discuss some differences between CPT and EMDR.

A common question from those interested in trauma therapy is:

“What’s the best type of treatment that can help me?”

Woman looking concerned around a NYC street considering trauma therapy in New York. CPT for PTSD and EMDR for Trauma Therapy in Scarsdale, NY and Westchester, NY at Mind Matters Mental Health with Dr. Minerva Guerrero.

There are several types of effective trauma therapies, but I specifically am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).

In this post, I discuss some of the main differences between these two types of treatment to help you decide which one seems like a better fit for you.

EMDR is primarily known as trauma therapy but is used to treat other issues as well. CPT is only used for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

EMDR is a type of treatment that enables you to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress associated with traumatic and negative life experiences. It’s an effective therapy that can help people struggling with a variety of issues including but not limited to, complex trauma, PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, chronic illness, and low self-esteem.

CPT is an effective type of trauma treatment specifically for PTSD. Before determining if CPT is an appropriate treatment for you, a thorough PTSD assessment is necessary.

CPT focuses more on an individual’s thoughts about the trauma rather than the trauma memory. EMDR focuses on the worst parts of the trauma memory.

Snow on the ground with the sunlight in the Winter After Trauma Therapy. CPT can be used for PTSD and EMDR is a type of treatment for trauma in Scarsdale, NY Westchester, NY at Mind Matters Mental Health with Dr. Minerva Guerrero in New York

Although in CPT treatment, there is some focus on the actual trauma memory, CPT is more about your thoughts about the trauma. CPT teaches skills to analyze and challenge negative thoughts related to the experienced trauma. These skills will help you decide whether there are more helpful ways to think about your trauma and whether factual information about the trauma actually supports your thoughts or not. Throughout your treatment, you will decide whether it makes sense to take a new perspective about what happened to you.

EMDR focuses on the worst parts of the trauma memories with bilateral stimulation. Throughout an EMDR processing session, there will be brief moments of exposure to the trauma memory combined with the eye movements which help make the process more tolerable. However, you get to choose how much detail of the trauma memory you want to disclose to your therapist. While EMDR also focuses on your negative thoughts about yourself as a result of the trauma, EMDR is not primarily a cognitive treatment as CPT is. EMDR helps to connect your mind and body by connecting your thoughts to your body sensations and tensions. This treatment helps get both your brain and body on the same page.

CPT involves homework while EMDR doesn’t.

CPT involves weekly homework assignments designed to practice the skills that you will be learning in sessions. Completing these assignments is a big part of the treatment, the most important part in fact! Most people find that the more effort and energy they put into it, the more they get out of it.

EMDR doesn’t involve homework assignments but even though I wouldn’t call it homework per say, I strongly advise anyone in any type of trauma treatment to practice self-care and self-compassion.

CPT is typically 12 sessions while the length of EMDR treatment is dependent on various factors.

On average, CPT will consist of 12 sessions, meaning that if done once a week, your PTSD symptoms will have improved in just 3 months! There is no specific time frame for EMDR as some people can report a drastic improvement in just a few sessions, while others may need to be in treatment longer. The type of problem, life circumstances, and the amount of previous trauma will determine how many EMDR sessions are necessary.

These are just some of the basic differences between CPT and EMDR. Ultimately, patient preference is critical in decision making so make sure to discuss with your therapist your goals for therapy and together you can decide what works best for you!

“Love, Yourself” written in simple Journal After Trauma Therapy. EMDR is a type of treatment for trauma in Scarsdale, NY Westchester, NY at Mind Matters Mental Health with Dr. Minerva Guerrero in New York

BEGINNING THERAPY IN SCARSDALE, NY

Taking time for your mental health is key to overall wellbeing, especially as a young adult or working professional. Let’s get you feeling good so you can keep doing amazing things for the world! To begin counseling in my Westchester counseling office, follow these simple steps:

  1. Click the button below to schedule our first session.

  2. Meet with me, Dr. Minerva Guerrero, a professional and experienced therapist.

  3. Begin to feel more peace and less worry about your life!

I want to be sure you are comfortable with this process from start to finish. If you still have insurance and procedural questions after reading this website, I am happy to schedule a free, 15-minute consultation first.

MORE THERAPY SERVICES IN WESTCHESTER, NY

From my Scarsdale therapy practice, I want to help you feel more comfortable, confident and connected to others. This is why I also provide therapy for teens, therapy for adults, trauma therapy, therapy for anxiety, and specialized techniques such as EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy. If you want to explore these options further, let’s connect!

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Minerva Guerrero Minerva Guerrero

Recover from Trauma with EMDR

Have you been wanting to know more about EMDR? Here, I discuss trauma and some important information on what EMDR is, how it works, and what to expect in trauma therapy!

Mental health issues do not discriminate.

Trauma can happen to anyone.

Young, old, rich, poor, black, white, brown.

You name it.

The only requirement to struggle with mental health is to be a living being.

 In my experience as a licensed mental health counselor, I have worked with many people experiencing a variety of struggles pertaining to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, interpersonal issues, and difficulties regulating emotions. However, almost all of the clients that I have worked with have experienced some type of trauma. Before I continue, I want to differentiate between little “t” traumas and big “t” traumas.

Big “T” Traumas and Little “t” Traumas

Most people are familiar with the big “t” traumas. These are events most likely associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that include acts of violence, sexual or physical abuse, combat/war zone, natural disaster, among other events of similar magnitude.

Little “t” traumas are not exactly life-threatening but do threaten your sense of self and exceed your capacity to cope. These include loss of significant relationships, emotional abuse, neglect from a caregiver, and unexpected life changes.

Differentiating between little “t” and big “t” traumas is very common in the mental health field but most people who specialize in trauma, as I do, recognize that trauma is not necessarily about the event itself and what category it falls under, but more about the impact left behind by the trauma. Experiencing a betrayal from a loved one may not be a life-threatening event but for some people, it can leave a deep, lasting impact on whether or not they experience safety in an interpersonal relationship again, while for someone else, they may not be that deeply impacted and can resolve this issue much easier.

How Our Brains Work to Protect Us from Trauma

Woman with Help Sign, head down on the table after a trauma. Consider EMDR Therapy for Trauma at Mind Matters Mental Health in New York with Dr. Minerva Guerrero. Begin EMDR Trauma Therapy in Scarsdale, NY and Westchester, NY.

Our brain works hard to protect us even in the face of trauma. When something negative happens to us, our brain tries to organize the event in efforts to understand it but sometimes, these disturbing memories get stuck in the wrong part of our brain. Traumatic memories sometimes get stuck in our feelings and in our bodies, rather than the cognitive part of our brain.

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of therapy that can help break up memories and shift them to where they belong. EMDR has been extensively researched and recognized as an effective treatment of trauma by the World Health Organization, American Psychiatric Organization, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, among others.  However, many people do not actually know what an EMDR session consists of.

What happens during an EMDR Trauma Therapy Session?

 In an EMDR session, the client will recall a disturbing event, identifying the thoughts about one’s self or feelings that accompanied the event at the time it happened, while also identifying current thoughts or feelings pertaining to the experienced event. Examples of negative thoughts associated with distressing events include “I am not safe.” or “I am a failure.”  While recalling this event, the client will also undergo bilateral stimulation, which is the core element of EMDR. Bilateral stimulation consists of the use of visual, auditory, or tactile external stimulation occurring in a side-to-side pattern. Clients can choose which type of stimulation feels most comfortable to them. Some people prefer a light bar where light moves back and forth and they follow this light with their eyes. Others might prefer tappers that vibrate from both left and right hands or tones that sound back and forth between each ear.

Thoughts During an EMDR Session

Young woman in trauma therapy at Mind Matters Mental Health in New York with Dr. Minerva Guerrero. Read to learn the benefits of EMDR Trauma Therapy in Scarsdale, NY and Westchester, NY

Once the client and their therapist agree to the bilateral stimulation, reprocessing/desensitization begins. The disturbing event that the therapist and client decide to target is brought up along with the body sensations, emotions and thoughts while simultaneously undergoing bilateral stimulation. The therapist will guide their client to activate thoughts and feelings and will focus on past traumas, current stressors, or worries about the future. During an EMDR session, the client is in control the entire time with the brain really doing most of the work. The therapist will follow the client’s lead, prioritizing emotional safety and comfort. The therapist will guide the client through several sets of this, as more associations come up for the client. Each person will process information differently and there is absolutely no right or wrong way to process information during an EMDR session. Reprocessing will continue until the memory becomes less disturbing and is associated with more positive beliefs about one’s self, such as “I can trust others.” or “I am safe now.” A typical EMDR session lasts from 60-90 minutes while the number of sessions needed to process a traumatic event is dependent on the specific problem and the trauma history of the client.

Staying Safe During Your EMDR Therapy Session

 In order to ensure safety during EMDR, clients will be using several techniques such as grounding, relaxation, and mindfulness skills before, during, and after an EMDR session as taught by their therapist. The therapist will not begin EMDR unless they are sure that their client is ready and able to manage the feelings and sensations that may arise during treatment. During processing, the therapist will work to repeatedly ground their client by keeping them in touch with their current feelings and sense of safety to prevent them from drifting away from reality and into the traumatic experience. As with any other type of psychotherapy, after an EMDR session, there may be a temporary increase in distress as the processing of material and underlying feelings may continue. The therapist will be available to support the client if this were to occur and will review the skills that they have already trained their client in order to relieve the distress.

 As a trauma-informed therapist, I am hopeful that more people will discover EMDR and consider it as a form of treatment to live a life free from the aftermath of traumatic events. Anyone interested in experiencing EMDR should look for a trauma-informed licensed therapist with additional training in EMDR. As with any type of therapy, it is also of utmost importance to find a therapist whom you feel comfortable working with and trust.

Stack of Stones with Flowers on Green Background with ripples in the water. Trauma Therapy and EMDR Treatment for Trauma in New York for women with Dr. Minerva Guerrero, a trauma therapist at Mind Matters Mental Health at Scarsdale, NY and Westchest…

BEGINNING THERAPY IN SCARSDALE, NY

Taking time for your mental health is key to overall wellbeing, especially as a young adult or working professional. Let’s get you feeling good so you can keep doing amazing things for the world! To begin counseling in my Westchester counseling office, follow these simple steps:

  1. Click the button below to schedule our first counseling session.

  2. Meet with me, Dr. Minerva Guerrero, a professional and experienced therapist.

  3. Begin to feel more peace and less worry about your life!

I want to be sure you are comfortable with this process from start to finish. If you still have insurance and procedural questions after reading this website, I am happy to schedule a free, 15-minute consultation first.

MORE THERAPY SERVICES IN WESTCHESTER, NY

From my Scarsdale therapy practice, I want to help you feel more comfortable, confident and connected to others. This is why I also provide therapy for teens, therapy for adults, trauma therapy, therapy for anxiety, and specialized techniques such as EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy. If you want to explore these options further, let’s connect

*This article first appeared on Brown Girls Mental Health December Digital and Print Magazine on November 27th, 2019. All proceeds from their magazine subscriptions supports their providing of relatable mental health resources to women of color.  www.browngirlsandmentalhealth.com

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