Emdr: Questions/comments From An Emdr Therapist Who Also Has Ptsd

[heyheyhey]

Hi @orangeweezel :). Thank you for being so kind as to answer our questions, love the wisdom, clam and kindness in all your posts.

I have some questions, I had some EMDR for social anxiety and found it so, so helpful. Is it useful for other phobias as well as trauma memories?

However, I hit a roadblock when I had it for my more serious trauma memories.... it just made me feel scared and I felt scared after sessions and I wasn't sure if anything really worked? Kind of like my mind was all jumbled and felt dark... not sure if I'm making sense. Anyway, I think it's an interesting approach and I think there is a lot of value in it.

I have multiple traumas over a few years, but wouldn't say anything was super severe (at least not relatively!), I doing 'okay' most of the time. I guess I'm scared EMDR will leave in a worse place again (not sure if it left me in a worse place, just felt it bought stuff up that didn't get resolved). Do you have any advice? It is okay for complex, multiple traumas? As I remember reading it wasn't as affective for them... I also think self-esteem issues are a big one for me, which I don't think my current therapy will really address (Somatic Experiencing, which is wonderful but I don't see how it would help address such an issue), do you think EMDR is good for self-esteem issues and shame issues?

Sorry, I don't feel like I'm really asking you anything concrete, I hope my jumbled reservations are understandable! I guess I would just like some reassurance or some advice about whether EMDR is always appropriate :). Thanks loads :)!!

 

[orangeweezel]

@orangeweezel. Some advice if you can. I have done the groundwork for the emdr with a...

I'm sorry for my delayed response. Unfortunately I've been pretty dissociative and haven't had the capacity to come on here. It looks like you got great suggestions from others, especially about using alternative methods such as sound or the light-bar. If there were any unanswered questions, feel free to ask! :)

 

[orangeweezel]

That's awesome u came here to share and make available to ask questions. I think everyone has heard all...

Thanks for the encouragement, and I'm sorry for taking so long to respond. Unfortunately I've been experiencing quite a bit of dissociation lately and it's really getting in the way. The rewind technique is something that can be helpful, as long as there are sufficient grounding and regulation techniques taught. I'm not sure if I would call it necessarily the equivalent of EMDR, since it's significantly different, but I have heard good things about it if EMDR isn't available, and you feel safe enough with your therapist. The rewind technique is supposed to help decrease the charge connected to the trauma. Things can sometimes get worse when you start processing trauma, because you are essentially bringing to light scary things that are at least semi-buried, semi-consciously, and seeing them more closely is certainly scary. If you have further questions, please let me know :)

 

[orangeweezel]

I would have liked to asked my EMDR trained trauma therapist what other skills and techniques they w...

Thank you for the question. I agree with what you said about everything looking like a nail. Although I do have other alternatives I use, your question encouraged me to think about telling new clients this, so they know they aren't stuck with EMDR if it isn't working. While EMDR is certainly the most researched, there are certainly other options if it doesn't work for someone or they aren't comfortable enough. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[orangeweezel]

Hi @orangeweezel :). Thank you for being so kind as to answer our questions, love...

hey, thanks for the questions. Sorry for taking so long to respond. Unfortunately I've been pretty dissociative lately and having trouble with thinking clearly.

EMDR can definitely be useful for other phobias and trauma memories. I like to say, "Everything comes from somewhere." When I think about self-esteem and shame, I believe it comes from trauma. Nobody earns low self-esteem, or actually deserves that kind of negativity. Our life circumstances teach us how much we should value ourselves. EMDR would directly connect with the trauma-memories that created those negative beliefs about your worth. More ongoing, complex trauma is more difficult to work out, no matter which tools you use to work through it. EMDR is the same in that respect. I think of it like a carrot is a root, like a single trauma, that can be pulled out. Other things have complicated webs of roots that go deep, in many directions, and can't simply be pulled out. Kind of a silly illustration.

Sometimes when EMDR starts to bring to light the trauma, it looks so scary and unmanageable, and people decide to stop EMDR, but that's actually the most important time to continue, to get through it. **Of course if someone is unstable and in risk of hurting themselves, etc, this is not recommended until there is stability.

An interesting thing about "doing well most of the time" is relative to what you've probably always been experiencing. Sometimes when we start to go through our trauma, we notice the things that weren't working out so well, and suddenly we see them. I've certainly seen this as true for me. I thought I was doing pretty well, but didn't realize til later how much I'd been dissociating, isolating, and filled with negative thoughts about myself. I hope this answers some of what you wanted to know, and feel free to ask follow-up questions! :)

 

[Rumors]

Sorry you are struggling @orangeweezel. I hope you can take a step back from life for a minute and breathe. Those grounding techniques can be lifesavers! I like to incorporate some outside activities as well. For some reason just listening to a summer breeze can carry me far away from my nightmare. Best wishes to you...

 

[heyheyhey]

hey, thanks for the questions. Sorry for taking so long to respond. Unfortunately I've been pretty...

Thank you so much, that was a great reply! Very thoughtful and eloquent! Thank you :)! Best wishes!