Emdr Question

[Ejectionseatfixr-ESF]

Is it common to have very little noticeable effect during EMDR therapy, with after effects? I have had two sessions and didn't have much immediate response during therapy, but since the EMDR on Saturday, I felt exhausted and weak Sunday, haven't slept well Monday through Tuesday- is this to be expected?

 

[Satuma]

Was searching the forum for an answer to that same question. Hopefully someone can answer. I've been having high anxiety levels since last session but more emotional about other things than what were working on.. is that common?

 

[DucatiGirl]

Must be -- my first EMDR session last Tuesday had me in floods. It was supposed to be setting a safe place/baseline, I think, butI was completely unstable the two days following. I know it's not easy but dang!

I'm interested to hear from others too.

 

[mary1979]

Hopefully it is in the same category as all therapy, in which the 'always gets worse before it gets better' rule stubbornly applies.

They do 4 or 5 sessions total dont they?

Can I ask guys, the criteria to meet before deciding if the therapy is right for you, I've read that it focuses on flash backs, memories that cause you to relive the terror.
Do you think that someone with no reaction to their own memories of the ACTUAL trauma (like thinking about it as just another event) would qualify?

 

[The ANP]

I have been doing EMDR off and on over the last 4 years. Everytime I have a reactive period for a few days to a week after. When my dissociated trauma first came back following an EMDR session I spent 2 weeks in my house peeking out the window waiting for "them" to come get me. That said this therapy has worked for me in a way nothing else has. My life today is so much richer and connected and calmer than the life I was living for 15 years before.

 

[trying2movefwd]

My T actually asks questions about how the week went in between sessions. He has told me he gets concerned for me when I leave with highly bothersome memories. This last week my happy place and mindfulness excersizes

Couldn't even calm me down. It must be normal though because he said things like that are common throughout the week (the feelings you are talking about)

 

[The ANP]

My therapist encouraged me to practice grounding and take time off after a session unexpectedly triggered increased dissociation. I was working on a current event as target that had triggered me. Quickly led to memory of previous torture. Was driving around without glasses even though I need them to see and hadn't noticed for over an hour. My mind scares me sometimes.

 

[The ANP]

My T told me trauma memories are stored in right of brain. EMDR causes movement in processing across sides and onto prefrontal cortex where knowing occurs. I guess sometimes it's good to slow down on that knowing because it can take some getting used to.

 

[Deleted member 33880]

I have tried EMDR three times now. I have extremely severe multiple trauma from early childhood onwards. The most severe level.
Each time the EMDR therapist cannot contain the meltdown.
And they bail out on me.
Recently I heard someone called David Ground talking about Brainspotting for therapy for trauma. He said that EMDR often makes complex multiple trauma worse. And also that EMDR does not value the relational aspect with the therapist which is crucial. He was an EMDR therapist until he started doing brainspotting 15 years ago. (he found that trauma survivors tend to get a fixed gaze on one spot when trauma is being replayed. So instead of insisting they stop that, he lets them stay with that and process the trauma there up until about a level 7 on the SUDS scale. I don't live near any brainspotting therapists so I am just muddling along on my own.

 

[The ANP]

I think it depends on theT. I have been with mine for 4 years and only done a handful of actual EMDR sessions most have been talking and building trust, some art therapy which has been an asset for me and a lot of resource training on calming techniques and strategies to use when triggers happen. We never end a session without using a resource to recover.