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What are your emdr experiences?

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piratelady

MyPTSD Pro
I am starting with a new therapist who focuses more on trauma. I think it’s time to finally deal with it. I had the initial meeting with him yesterday and so far I like him. A few things he said bugged me, but I think it was just my own issues perking up.

He prefers EMDR and said that is what we would likely do, down the road after we do the other work. I am going to remember to ask him next time if I don’t want EMDR if he has other options.

I’ve been researching it quite a bit, on advice of a friend, but I’m also curious what others have experienced. Googling seems to be filled with people saying it’s the best thing since sliced bread, even though it’s hard. I’m sure not everyone has great experiences though.

Is anyone willing to share their experience with me, good or bad?

Thank you :)
 
I did EMDR very, very early in my healing process - so early that I was barely even aware of how traumatized I was.

The EMDR I did didn't address my trauma directly. It helped me recover many important childhood memories, though, that put my abuse into context. After finishing EMDR, I was able to better understand how my abuser was able to manipulate me.

I did not freak out during or after or at any time during the EMDR process like some people seem to. It was very emotionally difficult recovering those unpleasant memories, though.

I am slightly curious what might happen if I did EMDR now that I am much further along, but I'm pleased enough with my progress without it. My therapist also doesn't do EMDR so I'd have to break in someone new, which I really don't want to do.
 
Scary at first. i won't lie to you, I thought it was a torturous experience the first time.

After some time for recovery I started thinking, hey, that was an EFFECT, not a SIDE EFFECT like all of the drugs I had been prescribed and dumped after experiencing no change to primary symptoms.

My first counselor was brand new to EMDR, had only recently been through what some call the "holiday inn" level of weekend seminar training and was quite frankly, in her own words, scared to death when we got started by all that came up.

Later, better counselors knew what they were doing and had a much better grasp on the whole technique before we started dredging stuff up.
I think thats pretty important, that the counselors have experienced it many times. Good ones will stay with it, bad ones will run away scared.

One was just a machine operator, no connection between us, another was TOO careful and we got nowhere slowly. the latest has been great and we are making huge steps forward, each session is productive.

It is a little scary, I think that depends on you and your buried trauma and how it effects you when they come up and you get to look at them in the light.

I would recommend it in general but not knowing you or your counselor can't just give a blanket "go for it'. There are things I don't know that might keep me from expressing an opinion. It works for me but at one point I was ready to never try it again.

didn't say:
best of luck. Do what helps and not what hurts. If you decide to do it be sure you have a support in place for after.And I hope it all works out for uyou either way.
 
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Most awful thing I've ever done
Best thing I've ever done

Not everyone's experiences are the same but mine has been tough. Horribly tough. Days I didn't want to ever have to do it again. I come home and sleep for hours and it's usually late the next day before I feel human
Now the good news. When it works it is AMAZING. Take that horrible memory and all your feelings about it - all the stuff that makes you want to puke or cry. At the end of the EMDR process it's nothing more than an unpleasant memory of a time in your life. There are things I can talk about now without being numb or dissociated or upset. It's just a sad part of my past

Before you start your T should help you create a "safe space" That's a place in your head you can go if you get overwhelmed. EMDR works in tiny chunks -- think 60 to 90 seconds at time to start and your T should be keeping a close eye on how you are reacting. Make sure he knows trauma emdr - that's a biggie. And give yourself permission to take care of yourself afterwards. This is not something you want to tough out. Listen to your body and your feelings and practice good self care.

It may take several weeks to see the results but once you get that "oh thats how it works!" feeling it's fabulous
 
My experience is like Frieda’s. It was really tough going at times but it has helped. Its essential the therapist is trauma trained and can work at a pace that is right for you. I would dissociate a lot so we did small chunks of processing and a new technique called flash emdr ( where you do emdr and go to your safe place and then literally look at the memory for less than a second - literally a quick blink and back to the safe place - this is built up to 3 flashes / blinks almost and then on to regular emdr work) . It worked for me and helped me to stay present and i was able to successfully process some horrible horrible stuff.
Good luck and i hope it works for you should you decide to give it a try.
 
EMDR was very easy. I was not nervous. It did work very well and very quickly and personally I think it is a wonderful tool and if you have a therapist you can talk with afterwards it is helpful. I was not tired afterwards or troubled. For me, I was "lighter" and "freer." I did try again and it was too fast and hard, but I stopped it and did not return to do anymore. I believe my body/brain/self know when I'm ready to change and face things I dissociated out. I had a good relationship with that therapist that did emdr, too. I think that's important.
 
Thank you everyone for the replies, I really appreciate it! I'm still nervous, the mere thought of doing it brings on so much anxiety. To the point I'm not sleeping again. But I don't think that's necessarily about the EMDR but more about confronting this stuff at all, in any way.

I would recommend it in general but not knowing you or your counselor can't just give a blanket "go for it'.
I understand that. I think knowing what others have gone through, and deciding if I can trust my therapist for sure will help me decide eventually. Thank you for sharing!

It's just a sad part of my past
That's what my therapist said would happen if/when we do this and if it works. That does sound pretty nice though, to be honest.

Make sure he knows trauma emdr - that's a biggie.
He is a trauma-focused therapist who is trained in EMDR. Is Trauma EMDR a thing? like a different thing?

Its essential the therapist is trauma trained and can work at a pace that is right for you.
The issue with the pace came up in our first meeting too. I did make sure he knew we'd have to go very slow. He seemed to understand which is also a good thing I think.

Thank you again everyone!
 
Is Trauma EMDR a thing?
Im not sure if its a "different" thing but I think you need a T who is capable of dealing with trauma reactions. I had emdr done years and years ago after a bad 911 call. It was one treatment, in and out, and didn't make me want to puke so the T didn't have to work hard with me to get me calmed down. When dealing with trauma I dissociate way more, sometimes cant calm down, blah blah. So I needed a T who understood how trauma worked. If that makes sense.?
 
@Freida that makes perfect sense! This new therapist is trained to deal with trauma so I think I’m on the right track there at least. Thank you :)
 
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