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
You Won’t Believe Your Eyes: Unseen Princess Diana Photos Finally Revealed!
Princess Diana earned the title “The People’s Princess” because she was loved by many, not just because it sounded nice. She was important to the British people because of her charity work and kindness. She once said she wanted to be the Queen in people’s hearts, not just on paper.
Her death in a tragic accident in Paris was one of the saddest events in recent British history. Even though she’s gone, people still remember her, especially through her sons William and Harry.
We’ve seen many beautiful photos of Diana over the years, but some of them haven’t been talked about as much.
Princess Diana’s life had many challenges, and she passed away when she was still young. After she married into the royal family, she faced a lot of difficulties, and people followed her everywhere.
Diana had two sons, Harry and William, who she raised on her own.
Even with all the struggles, Diana was a loving mother. She always put Harry and William first, wanting them to have as normal a childhood as possible.
Diana often took her boys to fun places like amusement parks. She knew they were royal, but she also wanted them to have regular kid experiences. Sometimes, she would even take them out of the palace to eat fast food.
Her chef, Darren McGrady, once said Diana came into the kitchen one day and said, “Cancel lunch for the boys, I’m taking them out, we’re going to McDonald’s.” He was surprised, but Diana said it was because the boys wanted the toys that came with the meal.
William and Harry loved spending time with their mom. She raised them to be like any other kids, and in many ways, they were!
Diana always wanted to be the best mom she could be, even though she knew brothers sometimes fight.
She wanted her sons to always be close friends.
A historian named Robert Lacey talked about Harry and William’s childhood in his book. He said Diana wanted her boys to promise to always be best friends.
Lacey mentioned a psychic named Simone Simmons in the book. Diana apparently told Simmons’ sons to promise to always be best friends. Both boys promised and hugged their mom.
It was a really sweet moment. Then, they went to play soccer together.
From the beginning, Diana put her children first, even though she was royal. She wanted to keep them close and protect them from anything that might separate them, even from the rest of the Royal Family.
A statue of Diana was revealed by William and Harry. Even though they promised to always be close, their relationship has gotten worse lately. It started when Harry decided to leave the Royal Family in 2020.
A year ago, William and Harry got together on what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday to show off a new statue of her. The statue, made of bronze, showed Diana with three kids and was put in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, where she used to live.
They said in a statement that they remember her love, strength, and the good things she did in the world. They wish she was still here, and they hope the statue will always remind people of her.
This year marked 25 years since Diana died. William and Harry both remembered her, but they did it separately.
A source close to the royal family told People Magazine that William spent the day quietly with his wife, Kate Middleton, at Windsor.
Ahead of the anniversary on August 31, Harry spoke about his mother, saying he hoped to make her proud.
Princess Diana – Charles’s affair with Camilla
“I want it to be a day filled with memories of her incredible work and love for how she did it,” Harry said on the anniversary. “I want it to be a day to share the spirit of my mum with my family, with my children, who I wish could have met her. Every day, I hope to do her proud.”
Besides leading an extremely public life, Diana had personal issues like any other person. For the Princess, one of the biggest problems involved her husband, then-Prince Charles.
Just years after his wedding to Diana, Charles engaged in an affair with Camilla, who would later become his wife.
According to Prince Charles’ authorized biography, as quoted by Town Country, their affair started in 1986. Charles was still married to Princess Diana then, and she found out about it.
In 1989, Diana confronted Camilla over the affair, telling her to back off.
Diana once spoke to Camilla, telling her she knew about her and Charles. She said Camilla had everything she could want, including two beautiful kids, but Diana still wanted her husband back. Diana felt sad and knew what was happening, not wanting to be treated like she didn’t know.
At Diana’s funeral, the Queen did something unusual. Normally, she doesn’t have to bow to anyone. But at Diana’s funeral, she broke that rule and bowed to Diana’s coffin as it passed by her.
Things didn’t stay normal for Charles and Diana for long. In 1992, they said they were separating, but they still did their royal duties. Four years later, they got divorced. Diana got to keep her home and title as Princess of Wales, but she gave up the title of Royal Highness and any claim to the throne.
Diana’s death in 1997 was a big shock to everyone. Her funeral was in Westminster Abbey, and then she was buried at Althorp Park, her family’s home. More than 2000 people came to her funeral. After the ceremony, her coffin was taken through London, where people could say goodbye.
Diana was always followed by photographers. She was one of the most photographed people in the world. Newspapers paid lots of money for her photos, even if they were blurry.
Her sons, William and Harry, saw how the press treated her. Harry said he wanted to leave the Royal Family when he was young because of how they treated his mom before she died.
Over the years, many photos of Diana were taken. Some were just for selling, but some showed her warmth and her life. There are lots of unseen photos of Diana out there. People are now sharing them to show a different side of her.
Diana became a style icon at the height of her fame, and she took that with her to the slopes while skiing.
In 1990, Diana and the children – alongside her sister’s children – went to Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. Virgin’s Richard Branson owned the island.
Diana sure knew how to have fun. Look at this beautiful picture of when she and Harry visited the amusement park Thorpe Park in 1992.
Diana was often referred to as “The People’s Princess.” She participated in many humanitarian efforts, setting an excellent standard for how a kind and compassionate person should behave. Here, Princess Diana is seen visiting an Orthopedic workshop in Luanda, Angola, sitting with victims of land mines.
We can go on and on about these beautiful pictures of Diana. This one was taken in 1971 when she was on a summer holiday in Itchenor, West Sussex.
This one was taken outside Diana’s flat in Coleherne Court, London, before her engagement to Charles.
In this picture, Harry is poking his tongue out at people near Buckingham Palace. Diana looks a bit surprised.
The brand Barbour is still popular with royals, but Princess Diana wore it the best.
Diana really liked Barbour. During a visit to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland in 1985, she wore a Barbour-style waxed cotton jacket, and it suited her perfectly.
In this picture, Harry is sticking out his tongue to people near Buckingham Palace. Diana looks a bit surprised.
The clothing brand Barbour is still loved by royals, but Princess Diana may have worn it the best.
Diana really liked Barbour. During a visit to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland in 1985, she wore a Barbour-style waxed cotton jacket, and it suited her perfectly.
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