Therapist Refuses To Start Emdr...and That Is Why I Went To Her

[Springer80]

I had hoped the EMDR could help with the intrusive memories and disconnection I was still having from my traumas. I am not sure why you would suggest I am doing EMDR "just for the sake of it" or why anyone would do EMDR for that reason.

Precisely. No one would consciously prolong trauma. You probably have continued denial on some level which you can't just talk out, hence emdr? D'uh??!! But that isn't your fault, it is actual physical denial which serves a protective purpose and if you could have removed it before now you probably would have managed it by now.

I initially met with 1 other therapist regarding EMDR and they indicated 2-3 sessions of preparation given that I have had 10 years of mostly CB therapy already.

I also went through alot of ill fitting therapy. I'm sorry that after 10yrs of it your still trying. It shows immense courage, belief and stamina on your part.

One of the biggest issues I had with this therapist is continually changing when the EMDR would start and then not having any idea how many more sessions it would be before I started the eye movement portion. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a therapist to have a general idea if it would be 2, 10 or 100 more sessions before starting EMDR.

I understand completely that you would need it laid out for you what to expect, it is the considerate thing to do in most situations in which you have to place trust in a professional but especially in medical situations and infinitely more so in trauma circumstances.

However, I think it's probably right that they didn't and don't try and put a time frame of or the rate of measurable benefit on the process.

Ultimately you are the person in control of your progress, you know if you are being genuine about your needs. You don't have to justify your position to anyone else, I hope you find a T who you respect and trust. Good luck and take care...

 

[anthony]

Both my cognitive behavioral therapist and the EMDR therapist I saw for 3 session said I was an excellent candidate for EMDR and that EMDR can help in ways that CB or other talk therapies cannot.

If that is the case, then it still comes back to pre-session criteria. There simply isn't one. It is done on a therapists best instinct and also assessment, on when they're ready to treat you with EMDR. The affects will heighten symptoms quite dramatically, initially. If they don't feel you can handle the fallout of that, then they just won't do it, because their arse is on the line.

Maybe you're better of just trying another therapist!

 

[Autumncolors]

Tea Leaf,
I would have gotten frustrated too! Nothing worse than a flaky misleading therapist. Get out of there, that's a sign she doesn't know what she's doing or how to handle you case. I do EMDR but she uses two hand buzzers and headphones that send a signal to your ears. I chose that over the eye movement because it is tiring..