Could somebody who has done EMDR, tell me about the procedure of doing EMDR on your own if you have a panic attack or flashback?

And can you use the EMDR technique on your own, if you havent done the EMDR sessions with your therapist in the first place?

I am just really interested in trialing any technique that might be helpful in reducing my PTSD symptoms. I cant see any harm in trying it (<font color="red">...qs for ppl who are familiar with EMDR - is there any harm in trying? </font>) and seeing as so many people have found EMDR very successful, I'd love to give it a go for myself.

So ... if I'm going to try EMDR by myself, I'd like to do it right, and listed below in blue is what I understand of the process. If there is more that I need to do to increase the chance that this will be successful, can someone please enlighten me? Thanks

<font color="blue"> * You use the EMDR technique when you are distressed by a flashback or panic attack.

* You move your eyes back and forth repeatedly - left to right - (... or you can tap you legs -> left right left right ... or clench fists -> left right left right etc) while you are thinking about those images/thoughts that are distressing ...

<font color="purple">(does it matter how fast you do these repetitve movements?
does it matter whether you use the eye method ... or the tapping legs method?
The most important part of whatever method you use - eye movts, or leg taps etc - is that your attention needs to be directed repeatedly from one side of your body to the other ... yes?) </font>

* You keep doing these eye movts/leg taps/fist clenches for ... um ... how long do you do it for ?

* You continue using the EMDR until your anxiety has reduced and the flashback has stopped. </font>

So ... is that about right?
Is there anything more to using EMDR that I havent included and is important to use to enhance the effectiveness of this technique?

I have PTSD, and during a particularly difficult time in my life, I was doing alot of research on different therapies and techniques that are available to treat this disorder.

I remember coming across the EMDR technique, and it sounded very appealing to me. I've always had alot of difficulty in talking about painful traumatic memories from the past, and from what I understood of the EMDR technique, it didnt seem to rely too much on the client having to talk about their painful memories in order to get better.

Also ... it was reported that EMDR worked alot quicker than the regular, plain-ole 'talk therapies' .

During my research on EMDR, I remember coming across a story about the person who invented EMDR (Francis Shapiro I believe), and how one day when she was very upset about something, she went for a walk to try to calm down - she was looking from side to side, admiring the flowers/plants in the garden, when she realised that her distress was diminishing She then realised that it was something about the side to side eye movement that was helping to reduce her stress and anxiety levels. And this incident was what started the whole EMDR development.

So it seemed that this technique can work even without a person's conscious knowledge of the technique and what it does, and also without specialised training, and that a lay person could do it!

The technique of EMDR seems too good to be true if you ask me, but after reading about so many people who have been helped by it, I'm not going to throw about an opportunity to try something that just may be beneficial for me!

I've asked my own therapist about EMDR, but she's not trained in the procedure ... but she said that she'd support me in finding a therapist who does do EMDR and see how it works out for me.

But I thought I could do a ltitle test run on myself first. It cant hurt me, can it?