Fear of the dentist

Losing dental fear with EMDR 

Anxious of going to the dentist? Is this fear causing you problems and do you want to remedy it? In that case an EMDR-treatment by a psychologist is probably a good solution for you. Tandheelkunde Oss collaborates with psychologist Annemieke Brinkman from Commovare, who can guide you in our practice. Interested? Feel free to contact us for additional information.

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing. This therapy was invented in 1987 by the American psychologist Francine Shapiro. It is a proven and short-term treatment for trauma. It is also very effective with fears and phobias.

Typical of fearful memories are the intense emotions and the physical reactions to them. For example, an image that you see, a scent that you smell or a sound that you hear can trigger intense images, feelings, and reactions.

In the EMDR session, we work with these thoughts, feelings and emotions. While someone recalls a fearful incident through fixed steps, distraction is offered by making eye movements or hearing sounds through headphones. This way, the brain is activated to give the event smaller significance, which results in reduced feelings of fear.

Method

If you are interested, you can set up an appointment for an intake (introductory meeting) with Annemieke Brinkman (06 – 102 989 44). Together you will look at where the fear is coming from and what the most significant moments are. Usually, one or two following EMDR sessions are effective. At the end there is always a closing conversation.

By who?

The psychologist Annemieke Brinkman is from the practice Commovare in Oss. She is NIP registered, affiliated with the professional associations NVPA and RBCZ and trained in giving EMDR.