Embracing Your Story with EMDR Therapy in Melbourne
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A Simple Guide for EMDR shame-based therapy Melbourne’s LGBTQIA+ Community
Perhaps there are parts of your story that you would rather forget. For example, maybe you separate from your adolescent self, which to you seems awkward, embarrassing and ‘too much’. You say to yourself: you have come a long way from being that person, and the cringe factor or having a different relationship with that period feels too much.
Maybe several very painful things happened to you in your teenage years and those experiences have shaped who you are today. These experiences exist in your mind now as negative beliefs that impact your life daily. For instance, you sabotage opportunities to advance your career because you find it unbearable to ask for what you want. The negative belief of ‘I’m not good enough’ is actively shaping the decisions you make.
You have perhaps forgotten that this negative belief was seeded in your adolescence. Maybe you were bullied for your gender expression or ridiculed for undiagnosed neurodivergence. EMDR can help us process painful memories and their associated negative beliefs. That way, we can live in the present less hindered by traumatic experiences.
In my experience working with LGBTQIA+ clients, I have consistently noted trauma in adolescence that needs addressing. This is a time when same-sex attraction and questions around gender identity become increasingly intense. There are often experiences of rejection, loneliness and overwhelm associated with these topics, resulting in mental health problems. I have found that when clients can embrace parts of the self that hold shame, they feel more confident and able to live more fully in the present.
Perhaps you have tried traditional talk therapy and, on reflection, questioned how much value you got out of those therapeutic approaches. EMDR has become increasingly popular because it helps you deal with memories and the associated negative beliefs that are holding you back.
How EMDR Therapy Supports the Mental Health of LGBTQIA+ Clients in Melbourne
As an LGBTQIA+ person, you have likely experienced some form of discrimination or family rejection that was overwhelmingly painful for you. On top of that, you most likely felt alone with this experience, which compounded your original distress. EMDR therapists are invested in helping you identify distressing memories you try your best not to think about so that we can work on them together so they don’t bother you anymore.
Shame is often referred to as the master emotion, and LGBTQIA+ folk usually have more than their fair share of it. Homophobia/Transphobia gets internalised and manifests as an intense inner critic whose job is to prevent you from doing something associated with an unwanted identity – such as looking too ‘femme’, for example, because in adolescence, you are ridiculed for how you dressed.
By processing out shame-based memories with EMDR, you are actively addressing the impact of external prejudice on how you feel about yourself. EMDR helps LGBTQIA+ clients move from the negative belief ‘I’m permanently damaged’ to ‘I’m okay the way I am’.
Success Stories: How EMDR Therapy Has Helped LGBTQIA+ Clients in Melbourne
Sarah for instance, came to therapy for self-worth problems, which left her feeling depressed, anxious and lacking confidence to go on dates despite desperately wanting more intimacy in her life. Through EMDR therapy, we worked through a series of shame-based memories in her adolescence.
Through this process, the negative belief that she was worthless no longer held weight. The painful memories now faded in her memory; she could feel these experiences were in the past. She finally felt self-confident enough to ask her crush to go on a date, a massive milestone she feels proud of regardless of the outcome.
The Benefits of EMDR Therapy for LGBTQIA+ Clients in Melbourne: A Path to Self-Acceptance
Here are some of the benefits my clients report to me regarding the benefits of shame-focused EMDR therapy.
- No longer being held back by negative beliefs that were having wide-ranging impacts on their lives.
- They feel hopeful for the future and feel confident to work towards meaningful goals.
- Can regulate feelings of shame and the inner critic, which leaves them feeling more empowered and self-accepting.
- They can connect more deeply with the people around them because they are more able to be vulnerable and have less shame about their feelings and the associated needs.
- Feeling less anxious and depressed and gentler with themselves.
Ready to Embrace Your Story with EMDR Therapy in Melbourne?
If you’re an LGBTQIA+ person seeking healing from past trauma, self-doubt, or identity struggles, EMDR therapy might be the key to revealing your path to greater self-acceptance. As an honest and creative EMDR therapist in Melbourne, I offer a supportive, affirming environment where you can safely explore and learn to embrace your story. Contact me today to start your healing journey with EMDR therapy.
