[healed84]

So, my T suggested to me that EMDR might be a good way to treat some of my PTSD symptoms. He wouldn't be the one to do it, so during the process I would be seeing him and the T who does the EMDR..

I have read up on it and I have a basic idea of how it works.. I am just wanting to hear personal accounts. Did it work, how long were the sessions, how many sessions of EMDR did you do? Did it help? Do you have to sit really close to the T while you are doing EMDR? Any other things you want to add, that would be nice. Thanks for sharing!

[ThisWayOut]

I did it briefly with a former T, but then I moved. I only managed 2 sessions, and it was incredibly taxing. It was VERY worth it for me though. If given the opportunity, I would try it again.
My T did sit closer than normal, but not overly so. I think I would have had some trust issues around doing it with a T I did not know, but if done correctly (building up the safe space before working on the trauma), then I see no issue doing it with someone else. My T and I had done all the prep work for it from the time I started seeing her not so much in prep for EMDR, but to be able to get me into a safe emotional space easier than I had been doing.
I hope you have luck with it. I know it isn't as effective for everyone, but I found it very helpful for the few things I was able to work on. (as a practice, we worked on my fear of spiders, and since the EMDR, my visceral reaction to them has decesed significantly. I ws already able to help scoot them outside, but now I am able to do so with a lot less anxiety even if they are freaked out themselves and moving around really quickly).
Oh, my EMDR sessions with my T were always 2 hours because we found I needed time to safely ground after them. It would take me quite a while to be able to get into the groove of the session, and I needed the extra time to finish the part I was working on that day, then be able to settle myself afterwards. It may no be that way for everyone, but it's what worked for me.

[WikidPissah]

Hi...I answered a bit on the couch thread...but more detail here.

At first I tried it traditionally with eye movements. The t sat kind of close and waved her finger back and forth and I had to follow it. It was VERY uncomfortable for me. I couldn't think when she'd ask me what was in my mind. I kept freezing and dissociating. I did it for a few sessions and I hated it. However, I didn't like that T and was only with her for about 10 sessions. She liked to burn sage before sessions to "ward off evil" and said she was a native american priestess (but she was a pasty white girl)....just weird. So I don't know if it was the EMDR or her.

Later on I did it with a T that I was more secure with. We used rods that buzzed back and forth and he sat across the room. This was much more comfortable, and we did it for 7 sessions...but I have to say, I never really felt it helped me much.

When I went to a special PTSD live-in summit for 3 weeks for intensive trauma treatment, I was told that it works really well for people with a certain definitive amount of trauma...like several horrible incidents...but not so well when you have years and years of multiple trauma that runs all together.

I would definitely recommend trying it for yourself though, because everyone is different. I would hate to think I dissuaded you from trying the thing that most helps you.
What do you have to loose?

[healed84]

Thanks.. I have heard about it before and generally know what it was. However, I never really hear anybody's personal experience with it. So, I really just want to hear people's experience with it.

Wiki you are right.. I have nothing to loose. Really, its about investment (time and money). My son is seeing a t now, I still see t weekly, and to do EMDR on top of it seems like a huge investment of both time and money. However, if it means the flashbacks, and other yuckiness from the trauma will stop- or not effect me so much. It would be worth it!

i want to try emdr and will be trying it once i'm discharged.