There's One Method of Healing Trauma That Prince Harry Uses, and Here's How to Practice It

Prince Harry recently opened up about his journey with post-traumatic stress disorder following the loss of his mother, Princess Diana. In a candid discussion, he revealed his exploration of a groundbreaking therapy that helped him.

The therapy is called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to address the debilitating effects of his anxiety attacks. This revelation offers a glimpse into the royal’s personal struggles and his proactive approach towards mental health care, shedding light on the significance of seeking innovative treatments of traumas.

In a video, Prince Harry can be seen undergoing EMDR therapy, where he taps his shoulders and moves his eyes rapidly. This therapy is relatively new and is used to treat PTSD. Prince Harry shared that he decided to try EMDR to deal with severe anxiety attacks he was experiencing.

Prince Harry mentioned that he was open to trying EMDR because of the therapy and work he had done over the years.

During a therapy session with UK-based psychotherapist Sanja Oakley, Prince Harry demonstrated how EMDR helped him feel better about returning home. He described feeling scared and helpless before, but the therapy helped him cope with those feelings.

Prince Harry’s openness about his experience with EMDR therapy sheds light on alternative treatments for post-traumatic disorder and mental health struggles. It shows that seeking help and trying different therapies can make a difference in managing mental health conditions.

EMDR is a therapy made in 1987 to help with emotional traumas. It’s a structured therapy where you think about a tough memory while moving your eyes back and forth. This helps lessen the strong feelings tied to the memory.

EMDR works on a theory called Adaptive Information Processing (AIP). It says that trauma sticks around because it hasn’t been dealt with properly. So, when something reminds you of the trauma, those memories can come back strongly.

Unlike other therapies that try to lessen your reaction to trauma, EMDR tries to change how your brain stores those tough memories. Sometimes, instead of eye movements, you might listen to alternating tones. Usually, EMDR happens once or twice a week for about six to 12 sessions. But it can vary depending on the person.

Benefits of EMDR therapy

EMDR is a structured therapy and usually needs fewer sessions than ongoing therapies.
You don’t have to keep going back to the tough memory for a long time.
You don’t have to talk a lot about what happened to you.
There’s no homework to do.
EMDR doesn’t try to change your thoughts and beliefs.

Disadvantages of EMDR therapy

While EMDR is known to help with PTSD, it hasn’t been studied as much for other mood or mental health problems.
If you’re avoiding talking about a tough event, EMDR might not be the best choice. Other types of talk therapy might work better.
EMDR can sometimes make you feel worse at the start of treatment. The person who created EMDR warns that this could be dangerous for people who have gone through really tough things.

The process of EMDR

EMDR is a structured process with eight phases, each aimed at helping you deal with traumatic memories:

History taking: Discuss your past with the therapist to identify which memories to focus on.
Preparation: Learn about EMDR and how the therapist will use bilateral stimulation.
Assessment: Identify your negative and positive beliefs related to the trauma.
Desensitization: Use bilateral stimulation while recalling the memory.
Installation: Focus on positive beliefs while processing the memory.
Body scan: Talk about how you feel emotionally and physically.
Closure: Prepare for what may happen between sessions.
Reevaluation: Assess your progress and decide if more sessions are needed.

As you go through EMDR, you may start feeling less overwhelmed by the trauma. It’s normal for other painful memories to surface, indicating that suppressed memories are being processed.

When grappling with deep emotional traumas, it’s crucial to seek out specialists who can provide the appropriate form of treatment tailored to your needs. Whether it’s EMDR therapy or other therapeutic approaches, finding the right professional can make a significant difference in your healing journey.

Preview photo credit Good Morning America / YouTube

This girl was able to lose 352 lbs and this is how she looks now!

Nikki Weber from America is only 34 years old, but she has weighed a lot since childhood, devouring cakes and burgers without thinking about the consequences.

When the girl grew up, she realized that she had to lose weight and tried to go on strict diets. But every time she broke down, and attacked sweet and fatty foods. And as soon as she began to weigh 650 lbs, she realized that she had to change her life.

Then Nikki practically could not walk and get out of bed without someone’s help, so she moved to the house with her parents, who did not consider her daughter’s problem to be something global and did not try to direct her to a healthy lifestyle. They even came up with a special mechanism that lifted food to her on the second floor.

A program called “My whole 661 lbs” came to the rescue. Nikki was invited to participate in the program. The program supports fat people and tries to help them lose weight. The girl underwent surgery to make her stomach smaller, and nutritionists made up a personal diet.

Nikki was very worried, and doubted whether she could restrain herself and whether she would succeed, but her fears were in vain. She pulled herself together and overcame all fears. After the operation she threw off 198 lbs.

Nikki was able to lose 352 lbs in the end, and underwent another operation to remove excess sagging skin, which weighed as much as 55 lbs.

Now Nikki weighs 198 lbs and is not going to stop there, she does physical activity and walks a lot every day. Nikki herself can not yet believe that she managed to lose weight and turn into a beautiful woman with a normal life.