I recently moved into my partner's house so no photos are up yet but in my house I had a gallery wall with photos of me with my friends and chosen family. It really helped on the lonely days.
Welcome to the site Grace! I can relate with a lot of what you're saying, and have found some comfort in reading posts and talking to some people here. I hope you do too!
For me, we often pivot from the EMDR session to doing some parts work. It's typically easier for me to access, and if that isn't possible then we will focus on talk therapy. My therapist is excellent at pivoting quickly, and also guiding me back to where I need/want to be.