Athletes and performers have a lot on their plate. They’re expected to perform at their best, often under intense pressure and scrutiny. Unsurprisingly, the pressure can be too much and, at times, affect their performance. That’s where EMDR for athletes comes in!

What is EMDR for athletes?

In essence, EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapy that helps people process and overcome traumatic experiences. And while it’s often associated with PTSD, it’s also been found to be incredibly beneficial for athletes and performers. Here’s why:

1. It can help with performance anxiety: Athletes and performers often suffer from performance anxiety, affecting their ability to perform at their best. EMDR for athletes helps by re-processing negative experiences and emotions, reducing their impact and allowing for a more helpful mindset on the field or stage.

2. Improves focus and concentration: The pressure to perform can be distracting, but EMDR therapy can help athletes and performers to focus and concentrate better, improving their overall performance.

3. Decreases stress and anxiety: Whether it’s the pressure of competition or the fear of injury, stress and anxiety can take a toll on an athlete’s or performer’s mental and physical well-being. EMDR therapy can help decrease these feelings, allowing performers to step up more easily and confidently.

4. Can help with injury recovery: Injuries can be a big setback for athletes and performers, but EMDR therapy can help with the psychological effects of injury, such as decreased confidence and motivation. By processing these emotions and experiences, athletes and performers can recover faster and return to performing at their best.

How does EMDR even work?

Generally, EMDR therapy is a treatment mainly used for PTSD. However, EMDR can also help with issues like anxiety and depression and improve performance in activities like sports. In essence, it works by making traumatic memories less intense and reducing physical symptoms linked to these memories. EMDR involves eight stages, focusing on changing how distressing memories are perceived and increasing positive beliefs about oneself related to these memories.

Undeniably, traumatic events sometimes don’t get processed correctly in the brain. The theory behind EMDR is that new experiences should fit into our existing memory networks, making sense of what we experience. As a result, if an experience isn’t processed right, it can get stuck in our memory and cause problems later, like negative reactions to similar situations in the present.

What does the Research Say about EMDR for athletes?

As can be seen in the neuroscience research, EMDR reduces the strength of traumatic memories better than other methods like relaxation techniques. It has also been seen to improve symptoms of depression and overall quality of life in just a few sessions. This therapy is promising for athletes who face traumas or performance issues due to past negative experiences, like a tough loss, an injury or mental blocks in sports.

In summary, EMDR therapy is evolving beyond treating PTSD.  EMDR for athletes is increasingly used to help overcome trauma and enhance performance. EMDR, for athletes, is not a quick fix; however, it is an exciting alternative to traditional sports psychology approaches.

References:

Curdt, A., & Eggleston, B. (2023). EMDR-based interventions for athletic traumas: A case study of two female golfers. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 17(2). DOI: 10.1891/EMDR-2022-0036.

Hartung, J. (2008). Enhancing positive emotion and performance with EMDR. In M. Luber (Ed.), EMDR scripted protocols.

Luber, M. (2009). Chapter 33: [EMDR Performance Enhancement Psychology Protocol]. In Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Scripted Protocols: Basics and Special Situations (pp. 406-426). Springer Publishing Company.

Shapiro, F. (2001). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

EMDR for Athletes: Video of Interest : EMDR to Overcome Performance Anxiety