EMDR for Millennials
Over the past decade, I’ve had the beautiful opportunity of providing talk and EMDR therapy for millennials. As a millennial myself, I’m often struck by the amount of change and adversity that we’ve faced. And the impact on our sense of safety and trust not only in the world, and those around us, but also in ourselves.
Millennial Stress
✨ You may have a clear memory of exactly where you were when you heard about Columbine or 9/11.
✨ Likely you have struggled with anxiety and uncertainty following the 2008 crash.
✨ You may have been left with a brand new shiny college degree… and no job or maybe you took on extra student loans to start grad school while hoping your job prospects would be better when you finished.
✨ Then you are likely a part of the ongoing student debt crisis.
✨ Or maybe you were just starting college and needed to pivot to a degree that would hopefully pay the bills or you had to take time out of school because of your parent’s finances.
And here we are in this changing world.
✨ You might have become isolated from your friends and family.
✨ Maybe you lost your ability to access your self-care and routines (e.g., coffee dates, going to the gym, traveling home to see family).
✨ Maybe you became a parent in the middle of quarantine.
✨ You may have lost your job or needed to pick up a few extras.
✨ You might have had to transition to parenting from home, worrying about your children’s safety as schools reopened, and found yourself wondering what their futures will look like.
The Effects of Being the First Technology Generation
Through all of the changes and stressors that have impacted millennials, one thing has remained a constant. We are the first technology generation. We grew up with the internet, cell phones, and social media and we’ve learned to turn to these outlets when we’re overwhelmed, unsure, or lonely.
When I ask my parents how they learned about raising children, finances, and all things adulting, they talk about trusting themselves, talking to those in their direct community, leaning into their own intuition, and knowing and accepting that they would make mistakes and keep learning. For millennials though, we often share that we learned from Google, Pinterest, Youtube, Instagram, Tiktok, and online courses to name a few. We tune into resources outside of ourselves and as a result, we often end up feeling overwhelmed and flooded (decision fatigue) or stuck (analysis paralysis). We ask others what they think, what worked, and what was right for them… before we stop to consider to ask ourselves.
Let’s explore about EMDR Therapy for millennials ✨
Millennials and Anxiety
When was the last time you leaned into your own intuition, knowing that you are capable of learning, making mistakes, and creating the right path for yourself? ✨
As millennials, we are often faced with anxiety around the economy, our finances, and if we’re where we “should” be. Throw in the pandemic and worry around health and it’s easy to lapse into a scarcity mindset. Some questions I’ve heard from clients are…
✨ Can I take care of myself?
✨ Will I always feel so alone?
✨ Am I good enough if I’m not where my parents were by my age?
So what’s the answer?
Busyness.
We step into the space of trying to fill that scarcity gap ourselves. What if I just work harder or add another job? If I stay busy or stay productive no one can say I’m not doing this “right”, that I’m not trying hard enough, or that I’m lazy.
Technology.
How many of us spend endless amounts of time scrolling the internet? We’ve learned that we can look up literally anything… and that someone always has an answer that we can listen to or follow. Our phones go everywhere with us, giving us instant access to content outside of ourselves. This content becomes a constant companion and something that we reach for not only to fill the space but also as a temporary bandaid for our stress. We’ve come to believe that more content, more visual and auditory stimulation will minimize our stress levels, and yet, all that content can lead us down a path of overwhelm and fatigue.
Sometimes, we’ll even reach for technology out of habit. When was the last time you picked up your phone, because there was a lull in a conversation, you were waiting for your order at a coffee shop, or standing in line at the grocery store? So many of these moments, these rare moments for inner reflection and learning to trust more about our own voice are skipped over and drowned out by others’ voices, perspectives, and opinions.
Fix-it Approach.
And so we find ourselves in therapy to “fix it.” Many of the millennials I’ve worked with are looking for a quick fix… the “right” therapy approach, a new podcast to listen to, a worksheet to fill out, or my advice.
And the best advice that I can give, is that it’s time to come home to yourself. To get curious about who you are, and how your world and history impact the stories you carry about yourself. To dive deep into your triggers and your hard moments as well as where you already flourish and where you can continue to grow. EMDR therapy for millennials is a beautiful space to slow down, quiet the outer world, and tune into who you are, how you’re showing up, and where you want to go.
How often do you pass on opportunities to lean into your own voice?
Therapy for millenials is a space to sort through the filters of your life to find yourself again. ✨
Reach out to get started!
Let’s chat about EMDR Therapy for Millenials!
Unfortunately, there are many therapy approaches that play into the millennial approach of “let’s fix it.” You may have even tried approaches that tell you to think differently and that changing your thoughts will change your emotions. While true, it can also serve as a bandaid that keeps you from truly sitting with and experiencing yourself. Yes! The way we think impacts how we feel and the way we feel about ourselves certainly impacts our self-talk. And yet, it is so important to learn more about our emotions, to explore with curiosity all the unique parts of ourselves:
✨ What am I feeling?
✨ Why am I feeling that way?
✨ Where do I feel that?
✨ How do I feel about myself for feeling this way?
✨ What is this emotion trying to tell me?
✨ What are my needs in this moment?
It’s about accepting our emotions and creating space for them, not trying to think them away. EMDR for millennials will help you learn to address those issues that are stored in your memory and help you to tackle those pesky self-critical thoughts. EMDR therapy in Los Angeles will help you to address those areas that have been impacted by your millennial experience including:
Trust
Safety
Power and/or control
Self-esteem.
Busy?
Consider Virtual EMDR Therapy!
How Can EMDR Therapy in Los Angeles Help Millenials?
Our fast-paced, productivity-centered culture can lead us to tune out our own intuition and self-trust. EMDR therapy for millennials helps you center yourself around your own story, lean into your emotional experience, and allow your brain to heal through processing.
EMDR is a relational therapy that addresses your past, present, and future! The clients I work with share that they value the opportunity to take a look at how their critical self-talk and anxiety are impacted by their history, how they’re living right now, and even how they fortune-tell their futures 🔮.
One thing I absolutely love about EMDR therapy for millennials is that you are able to emotionally shift how you relate to your own thoughts and emotions. Your EMDR therapist is your guide, but you learn to create a new narrative by looking inward. In this space, you finally get to turn off all those outside distractions and learn to trust yourself.
If you’re ready to learn to trust yourself, work through your scarcity narrative, address anxiety, and increase your self-confidence, EMDR therapy for millennials might be the right fit for you.
Start EMDR Therapy in Los Angeles, Irvine, or Orange County
EMDR therapy is one of the most highly requested services at Worth and Wellness Psychology. With modern technology, I love that I can easily provide clients with online EMDR therapy when they want to address anxiety and/or trauma online.
As a Los Angeles Psychologist and EMDR therapist, I often engage EMDR therapy for clients struggling with anxiety, trauma, and/or PTSD, as well as for those with phobias (e.g., fear of driving, flying, heights, etc…). Clients who engage in virtual EMDR often remark that they like that they can take a break from home after a session, rather than having to hop back in their car and sit in traffic.
If you are in Irvine, Los Angeles, Orange County, New Port Beach, San Diego, or anywhere in California and want to start virtual EMDR follow these steps:
Reach out for a free consultation where you can ask questions and we can connect.
Schedule your first appointment for EMDR therapy.
Start letting your brain heal.
Other Counseling Services I Offer in Los Angeles, California
At Worth and Wellness Psychology, I offer a variety of services. This includes individual therapy for relationship issues and dating. In addition to therapy for therapists and women of color, I also love working with Highly Sensitive People (HSPs). Reach out to talk about how I can support you.
About the Author, an EMDR Therapist in Los Angeles
Dr. Adrianna Holness, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist for women at Worth and Wellness Psychology, serving clients in-person in Orange County and online throughout California. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology from Loma Linda University. As an EMDR psychologist, she specializes in creating space for healing and wholeness as clients take on the brave and beautiful work of addressing life’s hardest moments. She is trained in many evidence-based approaches, including EMDR therapy for anxiety, trauma, and more! She also works with clients in the spaces where trauma intersects with your self-confidence, relationships, dating, and identity.
Disclaimer:
This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, website, or in any linked materials are not intended and should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This blog does not constitute the practice of any medical or mental healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We cannot diagnose, provide second opinions or make specific treatment recommendations through this blog or website.
