Page 33 - Final 10th Anniversary PDF For Printer

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction

Ruth A. Gillis, LMFT

EMDR Certified Therapist

By Mimi C. Hall

She was able to take all exams without the bad memory. This is achieved by
feeling anxious. “I knew at that mo- engaging the senses in one of three
ment that this form of healing was not ways: one way is by watching a hor-
only effective, but would give relief to izontal bar of green LED lights that
so many people. I immediately started light up from left to right and go back
my EMDR training to get certified to and forth, which the client follows
help my clients get relief from trauma with their eyes. The second way is us-
they experienced in their lives. For six ing headphones and listening to beeps
ROM THE OUTSIDE, YOU years this has been my specialty.” that go from one ear to the next. The
Fwould never know the amazing I asked her to give an example third way uses a dual pulse generator
transformation that is happening of a patient that benefitted from this that provides tactile stimulation that
within the Balanced Life Therapy type of treatment. She recounted an alternates from one hand to the other.
Center in El Cajon. Inside, Ruth Gillis experience she had with a teenage girl, Ruth let me try out the pulse
LMFT, Licensed Marriage and Family named Lydia (not real name), who generator, which looked like two small
Therapist, and four other therapists, would not let anyone touch her except plastic egg shapes with electric cords
plus interns, help clients reprogram her mother. Her self-esteem was very coming out of them connected to small
their lives, reducing stress, improving low, primarily due to a violent event pulse generator. When I held them in
relationships, and most impressively, that happened to her when she was each of my hands, I felt a short burst of
overcoming PTSD (Post Traumatic six years old. She had been visiting vibration, first one hand then the other
Stress Disorder). her family and an eight-year-old boy, hand, over and over. My brain was
Ruth Gillis is an expert in this a relative, tried to strangle her. Al- forced to shift focus from one hemi-
type of therapy winning awards for though she got away from the boy in sphere to the other. If I were a client,
her work with her clients. She special- time, the trauma of the event stayed I would be visualizing and feeling the
izes in a clinically proven procedure with her, affecting her current rela- effects of a bad memory, while going
that has been used for 25 years called tionships, trust in others, and making through this bilateral brain exercise.
EMDR, an acronym for Eye Move- her feel powerless. After a series of This is especially effective for veterans,
ment Desensitization Reprocessing. EMDR treatments and therapy, Lydia rape, and victims of violence.
Amazingly, the EMDR treatments proclaimed to Ruth, “I am cured. I am Ruth is passionate about this
actually transform bad memories from free of carrying this emotional bur- revolutionary treatment. Ms. Gillis
a dysfunctional anxiety that affects den. I no longer feel fear when I think told me, “My passion is to see progress
a person’s everyday life and relation- about that horrible incident. I can let and relief from a client’s struggles as
ships, to a bearable dull recollection. go now, and live my life the way I want quickly as they want to heal.”
Ruth was convinced that EMDR to.” The effect is usually permanent. Perhaps you or someone you
worked when she was having trouble Most of her clients get to that point know, could benefit from this type of
with test anxiety, preventing her from after a series of EMDR treatments. treatment, please check out the Bal-
moving to the next level of her educa- I asked Ruth how the treatment anced Life Therapy Center website for
tion. Every time she sat down to take works. Ruth explained that the EMDR their services, or contact Ruth Gillis:
an exam her anxiety level went up so treatments are based a scientific Balanced Life Therapy Center
high that she could not complete it. process of reprogramming the brain. 127 E. Lexington Avenue
She told me it only took four EMDR It’s a process of disconnecting the fear El Cajon, CA 92020
sessions with a certified therapist to and anxiety from the nervous system, 619.341.4737
overcome her fears, and she never thereby reducing or eliminating the BalancedLifeTherapyCenter.com
experienced this type of anxiety again. effect of those feelings connected to RuthGillisMFT@gmail.com

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