Giving emdr another try

[Freida]

My T tried Brainspotting with me and it was a total flop. But I've heard it works really well for people - so it's fabulous that it is out there as another option!

 

[ChanandlerBong]

I wish you the best! I’m also starting EMDR after trying it a year ago. I spun out uncontrollably and it brought me back to residential. I’m a bit more optimistic because I trust this therapist more and she informed me the previous therapist did it wrong. I hope it works out for you

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

Before I started EMDR many on the forum said it worked wonders, only a few said it not not work for them, but none said they had a bad experience. Yet in this thread I read of two who had a bad experience that has some similarities to my own experience.

I had EMDR for 4 weekly sessions, I got overwhelmed quickly, the trauma T would not slow it down after I asked saying that's not how its done, I handled it pretty well considering what it stirred up. That was until I started getting body memories. This went on for months. It was enough that over time it changed my brain chemistry and set-off a major bi-polar depression episode.

My new current T is approaching my trauma with CBT. And for me that's probably the only way I can be treated. While the EMDR did do some desensitizing, I can't do it safely at present as my trauma was all three forms for 24/7 over a couple of years (living as the low person on the totem pole in a prison would be a cake walk compared to what I went thru). I can barely even talk about my trauma before disassociating or shutting down. Generally I feel I am un-treatable because my trauma experience was so intense. I have no hope I will ever get better enough for it to make any difference to my daily life or my suffering from PTSD.