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EMDR Lashback - When EMDR Goes Wrong

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I have this one counselor that has refused to see for my PTSD me until I finish the anger management course. She told me the PTSD is fed by my lack of anger management, so I must complete that before I get treated for it. Funny thing is that I have spoken with several professionals that deal with PTSD and they are baffled over this. It's like treating the fever and not the flu. They said so themselves.

I have offered to do the anger management as the counselor wants, but under different circumstances. I'll take that, complete that, and if there is any damage and it's proven to be her incorrect handling of my case, not only will she reimburse me for the damage and the expense of fixing it, but she'll plead guilty to psychological malpractice.
She asked me to leave and not come back. Damn was she nervious! I mean she was shaking! Except I was calm and cool the entire time.
For some reason I got a kick out of that.
 
not good

my therapist tried it on me a few times briefly and I felt nothing either way. Then one day we did it for 45 minutes and I asked him to stop because I felt even worse than I normally do. An hour later I felt as if I had no body but was instead a balloon bobbing along the ceiling. The wacky world of therapy, it sure is fun. Some time later a hypnotherapist told me that he wasn't surprised, because according to him, some 30% of people who try emdr go on to dissociate.
 
Re-traumatized during EMDR

This was all good information I just wish I'd known it before the EMDR sessions, I have had long term multiple traumas so I wasn't a good candidate, the therapist used 'diodes flashing left to right across a black box,' at first I thought it was great because it seemed to work, then I became more and more traumatized, and now five years later that "new" trauma has appeared again, I don't think the therapist was concerned. I am concerned as to what this represents, does anyone have any similar experiences with re-traumatization and how did you handle it and how did it turn out for you?

I'm glad I quit when I did, but I wish I'd quit sooner, it wasn't good for me, I had not known that it could be the therapy that was wrong, sadly again, I'd believed it was me that was wrong.
Heather
 
It's interesting, I'm reading all these replies and I'm with Bec I didn't get asked any questions and I was told it was EMDR but I am starting to wonder if it was?? He used some sort of eye movement but I was still in a pretty high state of alert so maybe he didn't progress any further... because that's all it seemed to be for me. very strange....
 
I was offered EMDR treatment, but due to a lawsuit at the time, was told to come back whent he lawsuit was settled. (Something about triggering false memories??) Anyway, after reading these posts, I'm fairly sure my over worked Guardian Angel had a hand in keeping me out of there. Many thanks!!
 
Thanks, this helped me understand EMDR a lot better. I was wondering why my T never recommended it. I guess it is because I am a multiple trauma survivor.
 
I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through:Hug_emoticon:

Thanks to this forum I now know not to agree to this. Thank you
 
Glad I Read This Thread

After a difficult week ending in an intake to Government Supported Therapy and Psych, (alone a traumatic experience for me), I was told EMDR would be in my future.
I am so glad I read this, I will now proceed with GREAT caution in this area.
Thanks for the thread!
 
For clarification, there are NUMEROUS threads about what EMDR is and how well it works and how wonderful it is. This is the only thread discussing the dangers it can present to the uniformed by the uniformed. That is what this thread is about.

This thread IS about it not working and what happens when it doesn't. That is the discussion. If you want to go on and on about how wonderful it is, then please pick the appropriate thread.

BTW, I am the one who started this thread, because I have permanent damage from EMDR so I would appreciate some sensitivity from those of you whom it does work for.

Thanks,
bec
 
Sorry Bevcan.

I & I'm sure other posters had no intention of being insensitive to your experiences of EMDR. My post was purely to give the thread a balanced view to support existing & new members in exploring all aspects of therapy not to frighten them off before they've even tried it or taken advice. I usually avoid reading threads with negative titles but got drawn into this one out of interest.

I have requested that my post be removed.

Cat
 
I don't believe anyone intended to offend you, Bec - thank you for keeping this thread on track.

Cat, I'll do you one better! Instead of removing, your post and four others discussing the benefits of EMDR have been moved over to
[DLMURL]http://www.ptsdforum.org/thread6815.html[/DLMURL]
where there is an excellent long-standing discussion on the topic. Feel free to use the above-linked thread to discuss any and all experiences of EMDR!
 
I have bumped up this thread, because I personally think that WAY too many people on the forum are doing self EMDR and are having others help them in doing this. It's DANGEROUS, and should NEVER be attempted by anyone other that a trained therapist.....Please read this carefully and make an INFORMED decision about EMDR...

My last therapist recommended I do EMDR, when I explained to her(AGAIN) that I have had multiple traumas, and EMDR id NOT recommended for people with multiple traumas. She just handed me the number of a therapist trained in EMDR. I called, and the first thing he asked was, "Do you have multiple traumas?" That was the end of the discussion, and I should have made it my LAST appointment with my old therapist too. She just didn't *get it*...

I now have a great therapist who does get PTSD.......
 
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