Does Anyone Have Experience Of EMDR?

[Tija]

Thank you Mina for your support. I did not see this thread!

The posts were very helpful and gave me a relatively good insight into others experiences with EMDR, but I have an additional 2 questions for anyone?

1. Is the distance between you and the lightbar important? Does this have an impact on
the success of the therapy? I sometimes want the lightbar closer to me.. it's more like
an intuition. I never say anything though, thinking my P knows best.

2. Does anyone have positive affirmations incorporated into their EMDR sessions?
I have rarely had this done and just wondering what the norm is.

Thanks:smile: Tija

 

[amethist]

I myself do not know very much about EMDR, except my husband has had one session and it has cut down his flashbacks and nightmares considerably.

They did not use a light but some clicking gizmo that hubby held.

It seems to work for some and not for others.

Amethist

 

[Mina]

Tija, my therapist doesn't use a lightbar. I'm curious, though - what does it entail? I either follow her hand movements with my eyes, or she sits directly in front of me and I close my eyes while she alternately taps on my knees. The latter usually works better, as each tend to start counting when I watch her hand - the movement reminds me so much of a metronome! I would ask your P about moving the lightbar closer and just see what they say. They might be putting it at a default distance that has worked well for others, but you certainly could be right that closer would be better for you.

We always end an EMDR session by doing a "short set" on a positive affirmation to give me closure. It has to be something I can really believe at the time, so sometimes I've rejected T's suggestions and found something that feels more true for me that day. Often that's meant going from something that seems a bit grand to something rather specific...it can be hard to believe BIG good things about myself, but SMALL good things can be much more palatable. I've noticed that if we don't do the short, positive set at the end, I stay in a rather messed up, agitated state. The last time when we forgot, I remembered on my way home. I sat down in the dining room and had my husband sit in front of me while I closed my eyes, focused on a positive affirmation, and he alternately tapped on my knees. It helped!

 

[Jestadud]

I've not had experience of the lightbar, but I do think it's important that the distance is set so that you feel comfortable. My therapist used hand movements and I made sure that she sat far enough away so that if I lifted my foot it wouldn't touch her elbow.
We always ended a set by winding down and relaxing, going to my safe/restful place.

Incidentally when my therapist changed from moving her hand left to right to moving it up and down it virtually always made me feel sad. Has anyone else noticed a change of direction equals a change in mood?

 

[Tija]

Thanks everybody for your replies :smile:

Hi, Mina. The light bar works similarily to how your therapist uses their hands..
There are about 10 tiny green lights on the bar. The light flashes on from one to the next, left to right. Without a hiccup, it then moves back the other way, right to left. It continues in this mode until the therapist stops it. The speed is also controlled by the therapist.

Ironically, in my last session my P moved the light bar closer to me, than it's ever been!?
Hmmmm... :think: In any case, it actually did seem better for me!! I will make a point of ensuring it is the same way next times!

Mina, I like the affirmations part of EMDR that you write about, and would like to try it! Usually at the end of my session, we do the safe place thing.. Still, most times I am agitated and completely unfocused when I get home. I usually take a hot bath with Magnesium Oil (which helps a lot) but still have to call it a day. LOL

Hi, Jestadud. I've only experienced the lightbar, however, I do listen to a brain entrainment meditation mp3 where the sounds are coming from all different directions. I have a different sensation with each sound, so I think what you are feeling about the change in direction in your emdr, is very valid!

Best :rolleyes:Tija

 

[Lisa]

Unfortunately I didn't even get to starting it. I had one appointment with an EMDR therapist, and didn't even remember the session other than knowing that the next week I was meant to be trying it on something 'not too upsetting' and the time after on flashbacks over 6 sessions. It was all too quick for me. Because I completely and utterly collapsed, barely slept all week and when I did, the nightmares was the worst I have had. I don't know, maybe that's just me being impossible or something. I went back and told her how I was and she changed her mind and told me she didn't even want to do it on a spider phobia because my fear and anxiety was so high. I felt great! Not... LOL.

Having said that, my understanding of EMDR is that there is an 8 phase treatment guideline and you don't start the actual process on the second meet though?

 

[Tija]

Hi Lisa.

I'm sorry, I am not familiar with the 8 phase treatment guideline, but I can answer your question about starting EMDR on the 2nd visit. I did start my 1st EMDR session on the 2nd visit. The 1st visit was spent talking with my P, and him knowing what my trauma was, and some background stuff. Once I started EMDR, we would spend every other session just talking about what came out in the last EMDR session. CBT therapy was also applied. This helped me further process everything, and provided some stability and safety around it, to progress further..

I can relate to the symptoms you had. It can be pretty intense in the beginning.. I was pretty exhausted for many months, but now it being over 1 year later, the worst symptom I have is usually that I am unfocused, restless and a bit irritable. On my therapy days, I take special care of myself, and don't ask too much of myself.. I like to destress by taking warm baths in Magnesium Oil or lie in my infrared sauna :rolleyes:

I think what is so crucial in therapy, is the trust and the care/support you receive from your therapist. For me, this was a very big factor in having the strength to keep going at it. If there was ever a time where I would freak out too much, I know my P would just stop it. Also he was always available if I needed to talk to him on the phone. I think that EMDR doesn't need to be done every session.. It can definitely be intermingled with as many talk and CBT sessions you need, until you feel strong or comfortable enough to continue with the EMDR.

I hope that helps a bit, and that everything goes well for you.. I have probably babbled too much :rolleyes:

Take Care:smile: Tija

 

[dharmaBum]

I have been receiving EMDR with vibrating hand paddles for about 6 months. I have multiple traumas and was involved in an on-going traumatic criminal case when I was first diagnosed with PTSD. Nightmares, insomnia of every type, intrusive memories, intensely destructive self-criticism and continual hyper-arousal/anxiety were my main struggles at that time. I had been through about 6 months of CBT prior to switching to an EMDR specialist. The CBT seemed to be increasing my suicidal ideation and I needed help fast.

Since beginning EMDR treatment (and a coinciding introduction of taking a 5 mg dose of beta blocker daily) the nightmares are down from 3-6 a night to maybe 3 a month. The suicidal ideation has almost disappeared. Self-criticism ebbs and flows, but is generally less intense at its worst. My reactions to anxiety stimuli are often less intense and distressing than they were before.

However, my brain is still very involved in replaying memories and I still continue to have an "overcast" from the memories that bleeds into my present- causing me to feel (emotionally) as if my life IS as disturbing as it WAS when I was experiencing a lengthy childhood of abuse and neglect. I'm more toward the category of C-PTSD, and my EMDR practitioner told me early on that I have experienced more traumas than any one else she has worked with.

At first, I was frustrated that 3 or 6 sessions of EMDR didn't turn me around like cases I had read in books and psychiatric journals. But it seems that because the target I want to resolve (ongoing rape and sexual exploitation from the age of 10-15) is linked with root traumas that are too overwhelming for me to bring up that we are taking a more lengthy, indirect approach. I also don't have much of a talk therapy component, although I do a check-in with the practitioner before starting EMDR sets that sometimes lasts for 30 minutes of a 90 minute session. I simply can't manage more sessions or an additional treatment setting- even a free weekly group session is too disruptive to my family life. As it is, I have to make special arrangements to travel a 3 hour round trip once every two weeks to get to the EMDR practitioner.

At my last session, my practitioner said that there are some specialists who do 3 day intensive EMDR treatments. As she said that, I was feeling very up from my session and joked that I didn't think that I had 3 days of material left in me. As I write this post, it has clarified quite the contrary!

 

[Artista]

Any Personal Experiences Using EMDR?

I have considered this to get to my missing pieces of the trauma. I would like to know what any of you think that have used it. Have you found it helpful? And I did hear you really need the right therapist for this! Certified in it, not just someone "trying" it! Which of course makes sense.

Any clues to this treatment would be appreciated.

 

[Mina]

Here are two existing, ongoing discussions on EMDR...you might consider reading/bumping these:

[DLMURL="http://www.ptsdforum.org/threads/6815-Does-Anyone-Have-Experience-of-EMDR?"]Does Anyone Have Experience Of EMDR?[/DLMURL]
[DLMURL="http://www.ptsdforum.org/threads/2862-EMDR-Lashback-When-EMDR-Goes-Wrong"]EMDR Lashback - When EMDR Goes Wrong[/DLMURL]

 

[Artista]

Appreciate this... Sorry to post something already asked. I don't have a great deal of time to peruse this site of all it's wealth of info. I should use the search function next time!! Appreciate the heads up!

 

[James B.]

I did EMDR with a good therapist.

First off, I am going to agree with and underline the cautionary notes on this forum regarding EMDR.

Especially as it has attained "buzz-word" status, and is probably (predictably) being seen (by some T's) in a kind of "push button" mentality. EMDR is a little bit of voodoo. I didn't have any adverse reactions to it, I believe, because it was all old news, the things we covered. There was nothing new to be "uncovered", it just help me find emotions (grief) to stuff I had deeply archived (buried) in my mind. Think my brain became quite skilled or practiced at "deep sixing" entire segments of my life. I did EMDR and worked with my T for ten months, once and sometimes twice a week. I was in my mid 40's at the time, and very much in need of help.

My brain *did* have a hard time with the initial "uncorking" process with my fist T, however. I wish I had known of better tools to manage my life and symptoms at that time (early 30's).

But again, let me stress, this stuff is kinda voodoo, so be careful. I am certainly not recommeding it, but in my case, it was beneficial.