[Stronger]

Does it work?
My T told me he wanted to start it with me during our next session.
Has any had any experience with it before??

[nottrustin]

T mentioned it but I would have to see somebody else and I am not comfortable with it.

[unlockingsanity]

Originally Posted by Stronger

Does it work?
My T told me he wanted to start it with me during our next session.
Has any had any experience with it before??

You don't know anything about it and he wants to start it NEXT session?

I thought there was an extended period discussing what it's about and what to expect. I haven't be through it, so I could definitely be wrong, but that's what I thought.

[whatawhat]

I've done EMDR and it was ok. It actually worked. I was skeptical but I must say it went well. There is a website called EMDR in Action that has videos with an actual setting. I didn't cry like the lady did in the videos but then again, I typically don't cry.

[rainbow8]

My T did EMDR with me for several months. I'm not sure if it worked or not. She always told me it would change my brain, whether I thought it would or not. I'm not sure if it did or not.

I thought EMDR was strange. I didn't like it so much; I was afraid of it, and also felt like my T was far away from me, though she was sitting closer because of the wires on the headphones. The traditional way of doing EMDR is for the T to move her fingers in front of your eyes, but I got dizzy and couldn't do that. So she used headphones and tappers, that buzzed in my hands. I kept my eyes closed during it.

Does your T have training to do EMDR? That's very important. They need to set up a "safe place" for you to go while doing it, as some people can get very triggered. I never did, though. I felt very tired after an EMDR session.

It may have helped me overcome my fear of lighting matches, though I can still only light the bigger size ones. I don't know if it helped for other trauma, but some people have excellent results from EMDR.

Good luck with it!

[sunrise]

I did EMDR when I first started in therapy with my current T. At the time, I thought it was helpful. Now, I'm not so sure. But maybe believing that it is helping you is enough. At the very least, it was kind of like a cool experience we shared and so helped build the alliance.

[pattijane]

I'm a psychologist who uses EMDR therapy as my primary psychotherapy treatment and I've also personally had EMDR therapy for anxiety, panic, grief, and “small t” trauma. As a client, EMDR worked extremely well and also really fast. As an EMDR therapist, and in my role as a facilitator who trains other therapists in EMDR therapy (certified by the EMDR International Association and trained by the EMDR Institute, both of which I strongly recommend in an EMDR therapist) I have used EMDR therapy successfully with panic disorders, PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, body image, phobias, distressing memories, bad dreams, and many other problems. It's a very gentle method with no significant "down-side" so that in the hands of a professional EMDR therapist, there should be no freak-outs or worsening of day-to-day functioning. EMDR therapy has a ton of excellent research behind it validating its efficacy.

One of the initial phases (Phase 2) in EMDR therapy involves preparing for memory processing or desensitization (memory processing or desensitization - phases 3-6 - is often what is referred to as "EMDR" which is actually an 8-phase method of psychotherapy). In this phase resources are "front-loaded" so that you have a "floor" or "container" to help with processing the really hard stuff, as well as creating strategies if you're triggered in everyday life. In Phase 2 you learn a lot of great coping strategies and self-soothing techniques which you can use during EMDR processing or anytime you feel the need.

In phase 2 you learn how to access a “Safe or Calm Place” which you can use at ANY TIME during EMDR processing (or on your own) if it feels scary, or too emotional, too intense. One of the key assets of EMDR therapy is that YOU, the client, are in control NOW, even though you weren’t in the past, during traumatic events. You NEVER need re-live an experience or go into great detail, ever! You NEVER need to go through the entire memory. YOU can decide to keep the lights (or the alternating sounds and/or tactile pulsars, or the waving hand, or any method of bilateral stimulation that feels okay) going, or stop them, whichever helps titrate – measure and adjust the balance or “dose“ of the processing. During EMDR processing there are regular “breaks” and you can control when and how many but the therapist should be stopping the bilateral stimulation every 25-50 passes of the lights to ask you to take a deep breath and say just a bit of what you’re noticing, anything different, any changes. The breaks help keep a “foot in the present” while you’re processing the past. Again, and I can’t say this enough, YOU ARE IN CHARGE so YOU can make the process tolerable. And your therapist should be experienced in the EMDR therapy techniques that help make it the gentlest and safest way to detoxify bad life experiences and build resources.

Grounding exercises are essential. You can use some of the techniques in Dr. Shapiro's new book "Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR." Dr. Shapiro is the founder/creator of EMDR but all the proceeds from the book go to two charities: the EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Program and the EMDR Research Foundation). The book is an easy read, helps you understand what's "pushing" your feelings and behavior, helps you connect the dots from past experiences to current life. Also gives lots of really helpful ways that are used during EMDR therapy to calm disturbing thoughts and feelings.

In addition to my therapy practice, I roam the web looking for EMDR therapy discussions, try to answer questions about it posted by clients/patients, and respond to the critics out there. It's not a cure-all therapy, however, it really is an extraordinary psychotherapy and its results last. In the hands of a really experienced EMDR therapist, it's the most gentle way of working through disturbing experiences.

And, BTW, The World Health Organization has published "Guidelines for the management of conditions that are specifically related to stress: "Trauma-focused CBT and EMDR are the only therapies recommended for children, adolescents and adults with PTSD. Like CBT with a trauma focus, EMDR therapy aims to reduce subjective distress and strengthen adaptive cognitions related to the traumatic event. Unlike CBT with a trauma focus, EMDR does not involve (a) detailed descriptions of the event, (b) direct challenging of beliefs, (c) extended exposure, or (d) homework." (Geneva, WHO, 2013)

[AmysJourney]

Originally Posted by pattijane

I'm a psychologist who uses EMDR therapy as my primary psychotherapy treatment and I've also personally had EMDR therapy for anxiety, panic, grief, and “small t” trauma. As a client, EMDR worked extremely well and also really fast. As an EMDR therapist, and in my role as a facilitator who trains other therapists in EMDR therapy (certified by the EMDR International Association and trained by the EMDR Institute, both of which I strongly recommend in an EMDR therapist) I have used EMDR therapy successfully with panic disorders, PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, body image, phobias, distressing memories, bad dreams, and many other problems. It's a very gentle method with no significant "down-side" so that in the hands of a professional EMDR therapist, there should be no freak-outs or worsening of day-to-day functioning. EMDR therapy has a ton of excellent research behind it validating its efficacy.

.....

In addition to my therapy practice, I roam the web looking for EMDR therapy discussions, try to answer questions about it posted by clients/patients, and respond to the critics out there. It's not a cure-all therapy, however, it really is an extraordinary psychotherapy and its results last. In the hands of a really experienced EMDR therapist, it's the most gentle way of working through disturbing experiences.

I am saying this with huge respect, even if it may sound differently.
A lot of times when I read something about EMDR here, I read the same long response from you, like a copy paste type of thing. I appreciate that you take the time to take part in a discussion, especially because you are using EMDR in your practice and I personally would value a real opinion. But somehow you are not really taking part except act as an advocate for EMDR.
It does seem strange that the answer to someone's individual question is always the same long explanation about what EMDR is and how great it is.

I would be much more interested in how it can effect people negatively even with a highly trained EMDR therapist.

My very own experience is, that it has been damaging to me in a lot of ways. I have years of repeated trauma and EMDR actually re-traumatized me. It made me feel incredibly anxious, it caused a lot more flashbacks and dissociation. It shook me for days after a session. It was not gentle, for me it was incredibly painful and stressful. I could never return to my "safe place" sometimes I got painfully stuck in a memory. I got really sick a few times after EMDR session, I snapped a few times which I never ever did before. I cried for days and days and sometimes when I opened my eyes after a flashback everything was blurry, it felt like my brain was trying to rearrange the world around me. I had to terminate the therapy and subsequently the therapist. I am still working through the aftermath with my new therapist who is an EMDR therapist as well but would not do EMDR with me because I have multiple traumas.

I am sure however that it might work for many other people - but there are definitely a lot where it does more harm than good. I am not qualified to state who is in danger of the negative effects of EMDR. It has been said many times how EMDR can be bad for people with multiple traumas. But my EMDR T never explained that to me.
On webpages that explain or advocate EMDR some state bluntly that "EMDR has no negative side effects." I know that is not true.
On the more reliable webpages though it states : EMDR appears to be without side effects." "...Is said to be without side effects" "
In essence I think EMDR is exposure therapy veiled in a "safe" cloth. It can help, but it also can be very unhelpful and, as in my case, even extremely damaging.
On webmd.com it says: "Although research continues, EMDR remains controversial among some health care professionals."
I think it needs a lot more research to be absolute and definitely a lot more evidence to claim it's the ONLY method that effectively treats trauma.