[a2468jh]

Hi Folks!
I suffered from PTSD for awhile as a result of an assault that happened. I turned to all sorts of unhealthy coping methods to try and help myself... I finally found a great therapist and we talked for a couple of years about that trauma and everything else that had happened in the interim. I felt like I got over it.
I got married and had a big trigger event the other day. I'm not sure how many details would be appropriate to post so I'm being deliberately vague... Anyway, I reached out to the same therapist. She said that she recently did her EMDR certification and thinks it'd be really helpful to revisit the original event and see if that helps.
I looked up EMDR and it sounds terrifying. I have NO desire to revisit those memories. I don't even know if I can remember what happened. I don't want to keep living like this but i am so afraid of getting stuck in those memories....
Is EMDR as bad as it sounds? Is there a way to lessen the fear and anxiety of going into it? Any tips? TIA!

[Luce]

I have just started seeing an EMDR therapist and we have only just begun the preparation phase. I can tell this is quite different to any therapy I have had before, and I am blown away by how it has gone so far. In only the second session I shared quite a bit of stuff with the therapist and she was so skilled at containment strategies and calming techniques that it felt very safe. I have had more than a decade of therapy and am used to leaving the therapy room in a highly triggered state, but I left the second session completely trigger free, and have been able to use the techniques she has taught me thus far to de-trigger myself multiple times since then.
I am highly dissociative so we will do a lot of groundwork and preparation before getting into EMDR 'for real', but I trust that will take it slowly and keep it safe at every step of the way.
Up until three weeks ago I had never ever considered EMDR therapy. I've read a lot since then, and after only two sessions I can tell this is going to be a very effective took for me. My tip for lessening the fear going into it would be this: trust that they won't even start EMDR until it feels 'safe' to do it. You will do preparation work (learning and practicing grounding techniques etc) and not even start EMDR until that is done. SO you can start the process and preparation (which takes place over several sessions) and call a halt to the whole thing at any time.
For me, I see the preparation phase alone is so very helpful to me that I can't wait to do more.

[PumpkinPieHead]

I haven't tried it, but here's a hug

[pachyderm]

Originally Posted by Luce

In only the second session I shared quite a bit of stuff with the therapist and she was so skilled at containment strategies and calming techniques that it felt very safe.

I suspect this is the key to a successful therapy: the skill of the therapist, and her knowledge of the subject. I also suspect this is not true of all therapists.

[a2468jh]

Thanks for that~it was the most reassuring thing I've read to date about EMDR!

Originally Posted by Luce

I have just started seeing an EMDR therapist and we have only just begun the preparation phase. I can tell this is quite different to any therapy I have had before, and I am blown away by how it has gone so far. In only the second session I shared quite a bit of stuff with the therapist and she was so skilled at containment strategies and calming techniques that it felt very safe. I have had more than a decade of therapy and am used to leaving the therapy room in a highly triggered state, but I left the second session completely trigger free, and have been able to use the techniques she has taught me thus far to de-trigger myself multiple times since then.
I am highly dissociative so we will do a lot of groundwork and preparation before getting into EMDR 'for real', but I trust that will take it slowly and keep it safe at every step of the way.
Up until three weeks ago I had never ever considered EMDR therapy. I've read a lot since then, and after only two sessions I can tell this is going to be a very effective took for me. My tip for lessening the fear going into it would be this: trust that they won't even start EMDR until it feels 'safe' to do it. You will do preparation work (learning and practicing grounding techniques etc) and not even start EMDR until that is done. SO you can start the process and preparation (which takes place over several sessions) and call a halt to the whole thing at any time.
For me, I see the preparation phase alone is so very helpful to me that I can't wait to do more.

[avlady]

Good Luck!!

[Wander]

Be careful. You have to be ready to handle any emergence of bad PTSD symptom before EDMR, or it can really mess you up. I hope you find healing and peace.