Can you do EMDR AND Therapy?

I was wondering. Can you do EMDR and regular talk therapy? Do I have to give up my regular therapist for my EMDR therapist?

You're regular therapist doesn't do this for you?

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I think you can probably do both. My regular therapist is also a level 2 EMDR practitioner, so I did both talk therapy and EMDR with him. It was useful to have one guy do both because sometimes something would come up during our talk therapy, and he would say, I can help you with that if we do EMDR, and I would agree, and next session we would do it. Very convenient. However, since not all therapists know how to do EMDR, I can see that your regular therapist might come across some issues that EMDR could help with and refer you out for EMDR work. But I would think you would still keep him/her as your primary T. I know sometimes people do similar with hypnotherapy. They have a regular T, but go to a hypnotherapist occasionally too.

Well, that was rambly! I guess I would suggest you ask your primary therapist this question.

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_Sky said:
You're regular therapist doesn't do this for you?

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No shes not trained in emdr.

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sunrise said:
I think you can probably do both. My regular therapist is also a level 2 EMDR practitioner, so I did both talk therapy and EMDR with him. It was useful to have one guy do both because sometimes something would come up during our talk therapy, and he would say, I can help you with that if we do EMDR, and I would agree, and next session we would do it. Very convenient.

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My T suggested i ask the emdr doc. Thanks for your input.

whats edmr?

I do both with 2 different therapists. It works out well. I have EMDR Wed nite and see my tdoc Thur morning. This allows me to talk through what came up in EMDR.

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krazibean said:
whats edmr?

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EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing

http://www.emdr.com/

Just curious what is edmr used for? What kind of illness benefits from this type of therapy?

EMDR is most well known as a therapy for trauma (PTSD). And its efficacy is best documented in research studies for trauma. But some practitioners use it for other things as well. My interpretation of when my T uses it, is for an situation/memory that you are "stuck" on. EMDR allows you to process and move on. Since trauma usually involves being stuck, that is probably why it is used so successfully with that. I was working on some anger a few months ago and my T said several times we need to do EMDR on that, since I was stuck feeling angry about things that had happened in the past. We never did do EMDR on the anger because there just isn't enough time for us (we tend to move at a rapid pace and new fires come up every week to put out) and EMDR takes a full session or even a session and a half.

Anyway, the short answer is "trauma."

http://www.emdr.com/
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American Psychiatric Association (2004). Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Acute Stress Disorder and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Acute Stress Disorder and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association Practice Guidelines.

• EMDR was given the highest level of recommendation (category for robust empirical support and demonstrated effectiveness) in the treatment of trauma.
Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (2004). VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Post-Traumatic Stress. Washington, DC.

• EMDR was placed in the "A" category as “strongly recommended” for the treatment of trauma.

16 randomized controlled (and 8 nonrandomized) studies have been conducted on EMDR in the treatment of trauma.

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Thanks Sunrise It's good to know as I might ask my T if it would benefit me as well. Good explanation and definition.