Laurel Parnell – EMDR for a Sleep Issue Related to Medical Trauma

Imagine the terror of lying in an ICU hospital bed after an unexpected surgery, and drifting in an out of consciousness as the medical staff works to keep you sedated. You experience sensations and thoughts as if you are awake, but you are actually only experiencing a patchwork of what is going on around you. You are unable to communicate or interact with the medical staff, leaving you feeling powerless and confused. You are scared that if you fall back to sleep you will never wake up.

For the client in this demonstration video, the trauma associated with the medical procedure keeps her from being able to sleep well and wake rested. She is unable to fall asleep and allow herself to stay asleep, constantly afraid that if she falls asleep, she might never wake up. EMDR expert Laurel Parnell teaches the steps taken to allow the client to finally face the lingering fears, emotions and memories of being in that hospital bed. Dr. Parnell integrates bilateral stimulation into therapy and directs the client as she processes her memories and emotional triggers. As the session progresses, the client is able to see bed as a safe and welcoming space, and is no longer afraid of falling asleep.