EMDR therapy as suicide prevention

Did you know that people who’ve experienced trauma are up to 15x as likely to die by suicide than those who have not?

Addressing a person’s trauma with EMDR reprocessing can be an important part of suicide prevention.

This is because once the dysfunctional beliefs about self, others and the world have been shifted to healthier, more adaptive and realistic beliefs, there is often a resolution of what has been driving a person to seek such a drastic solution to end their pain or perceived burdensomeness.

“Suicidal thinking is a normal response by normal people to an abnormal set of circumstances” according to John Henden.

It’s important to neither ignore nor to pathologize suicidal thoughts. Understanding why someone feels the way they do and is considering this step is important.

EMDR reprocessing can be a powerful tool in reducing distress enough that suicide is no longer needed to escape their present reality.

EMDR reprocessing can also help suicidal clients to connect to moments of more positive affect and experience that can be so hard for them to access when in such profound pain.

Source: EMDR Therapy and Suicide by Simon Proudlock