Experience & Opinion Please

*Beth* · Nov 20, 2021 at 07:31 PM

Hi! My therapist would like me to see the psychologist she works with to do EMDR. She believes it may be helpful for working on childhood trauma. It seems the length would be 6 weeks, or so. I would continue to see my T (the usual 2 sessions per week) while doing EMDR with the psychologist in addition.

I know there's a ton of info on this forum about EMDR, but I have a lousy memory.

For those of you here who have had / are doing EMDR do you think it helped you? Also, is EMDR still done with the therapist moving his fingers right-left, right-left while the patient thinks about the specific trauma?

East17 · Nov 20, 2021 at 08:54 PM

Hi

I did EMDR a couple of years ago. Yes it was helpful, but you do have to be in a stable enough place to attempt it. The therapist should do safe place imagery and grounding work with you first.

EMDR is traditionally done by the therapist moving their fingers back and forth, but it can also be done by using hand-held buzzers. The client holds a buzzer in each hand and they pulse alternately. You can close your eyes with this method. I have a vision problem which meant that the traditional method gave me really bad vertigo, so the buzzer method was a good alternative because I didn't have to move my eyes back and forth whilst recalling the memory.

I hope that helps and answers your question. Feel free to contact me if you want to know more.

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ElectricManatee · Nov 20, 2021 at 10:42 PM

I usually do EMDR every other week with a separate therapist. My EMDR therapist has a light bar that you can watch to track the moving dot with your eyes, and the apparatus has the hand buzzers attached, which is what I prefer. (My wife's EMDR therapist uses his finger and a metronome, so it all depends on the equipment the therapist has.) Usually I focus on the worst part of a memory and then hold the buzzers and experience the thoughts, feelings, and body sensations that come up. My therapist stops every minute or so and asks what's happening and then says, "Go with that," so I do. The whole thing seems kind of silly, but it's been working really well for me. It kind of sands the traumatic intensity off the memories so that they feel more flat and less emotionally laden, like a normal everyday memory.

sarahsweets · Nov 21, 2021 at 03:06 AM

Can some give me the basics on emdr? in their own terms and experiences?

ElectricManatee · Nov 21, 2021 at 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

Can some give me the basics on emdr? in their own terms and experiences?

What sorts of things would you like to know in addition to what is in this thread so far?

East17 · Nov 21, 2021 at 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

Can some give me the basics on emdr? in their own terms and experiences?

Take a look at this site, it has a layperson section which explains it fairly clearly.

What is EMDR? - EMDR Institute - EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING THERAPY

daisydid · Nov 21, 2021 at 08:01 PM

I don’t know that I would recommend 2 sessions a week in addition to EMDR. That’s a lot of heavy lifting. Maybe 1? Also I don’t know that I love the idea of a specific length. I’ve been doing EMDR twice a week for about a year now and I feel like I still have tons to go.

Otherwise, I do feel like EMDR has really helped me. There are things that used to be huge triggers that aren’t nearly as bad anymore. I use the hand buzzers

zoiecat · Nov 21, 2021 at 09:04 PM

I agree. I only see a T who is a trauma specialist and I have been doing EMDR twice a week with him for close to 5 years. We take a few sessions off from EMDR to just talk occasionally and I we talk for about the first 10-20 minutes of each session.

EMDR is a process especially if you have a LOT of complex trauma. I always ask him why it takes me so long when I hear others are better after a few sessions. He says that the more severe and number of traumas you are working through will increase the time required. He says if I only had say a car accident to work through which is what I initually went in for, and my lifexwas pretty much normal besides that then I would have been done after a few sessions.

I also have DID which complicates things. I cannot start with the worst memory or I will dissociate right away. T says with DID it us nearly impossible to go too slow but easy to go too fast.

So it all depends on the number and severity of the traumas you are trying to work through plus the skill and experience of the T performing EMDR.

*Beth* · Nov 22, 2021 at 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daisydid

I don’t know that I would recommend 2 sessions a week in addition to EMDR. That’s a lot of heavy lifting. Maybe 1? Also I don’t know that I love the idea of a specific length. I’ve been doing EMDR twice a week for about a year now and I feel like I still have tons to go.

Otherwise, I do feel like EMDR has really helped me. There are things that used to be huge triggers that aren’t nearly as bad anymore. I use the hand buzzers

Thanks, daisy! I'm glad to know that EMDR is helping you. That's great!

The psychologist spoke with me today. He did say that there won't be a time limit; we'll just start out and see where it goes. But, we won't start until after all the holidays.

susannahsays · Nov 30, 2021 at 01:12 AM

I didn't find it very helpful personally.

ETA - But I don't regret giving it a try.

Omers · Nov 30, 2021 at 01:56 AM

I have tried it twice and did not find it helpful. First T would use her hand then got a light bar but I never tried the light bar. Awesome T tapped on my knees which was SO much better for me. Ultimately though we decided it was not the best tool for me.

*Beth* · Nov 30, 2021 at 06:30 AM

I'm having second thoughts about doing EMDR so soon. I just don't feel stable enough at this point.

ElectricManatee · Nov 30, 2021 at 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BethRags

I'm having second thoughts about doing EMDR so soon. I just don't feel stable enough at this point.

When I started EMDR, the first several weeks (like six to eight) focused on stabilization and building up containment skills and stuff. I didn't reprocess anything until after that. Not sure if everybody does it that way, but something to consider asking about. I think you're wise to know where you're at right now and what you need.

daisydid · Nov 30, 2021 at 10:41 AM

Any EMDR therapist who actually starts processing when you don’t have any skills to fall back on shouldn’t be doing EMDR. The only times that I’ve processed when I’ve been unstable is when my therapist and I agreed that it would be better to just get through it. Biting the bullet so to speak

zoiecat · Nov 30, 2021 at 03:18 PM

My T of the last 5 years is no longer practicing due to some sudden health issues. I am in the process of trying to find a new T so I guess I will soon experience EMDR from someone else. I will be sure to share any new experiences.

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sarahsweets Threadtastic Postaholic Member Since Dec 2018 Location: New Jersey Posts: 6,006 (SuperPoster!) 5 192 hugs given	Nov 21, 2021 at 03:06 AM #4 Can some give me the basics on emdr? in their own terms and experiences? __________________ "I carried a watermelon?" President of the no F's given society.
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susannahsays Grand Magnate Member Since Jun 2018 Location: Somewhere Posts: 3,355 5 1 hugs given	Nov 30, 2021 at 01:12 AM #10 I didn't find it very helpful personally. ETA - But I don't regret giving it a try. __________________ Life is hard. Then you die. Then they throw dirt in your face. -David Gerrold
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Beth catches the flowers Member Since Jul 2019 Location: Downtown Vibes, California Posts: 15,701 (SuperPoster!) 4 23.7k hugs given	Nov 30, 2021 at 06:30 AM #12 I'm having second thoughts about doing EMDR so soon. I just don't feel stable enough at this point. __________________
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daisydid Member Member Since Oct 2018 Location: the astral plane Posts: 493 5 375 hugs given	Nov 30, 2021 at 10:41 AM #14 Any EMDR therapist who actually starts processing when you don’t have any skills to fall back on shouldn’t be doing EMDR. The only times that I’ve processed when I’ve been unstable is when my therapist and I agreed that it would be better to just get through it. Biting the bullet so to speak
	Reply With Quote

zoiecat Grand Member Member Since Apr 2017 Location: USA Posts: 916 7 409 hugs given	Nov 30, 2021 at 03:18 PM #15 My T of the last 5 years is no longer practicing due to some sudden health issues. I am in the process of trying to find a new T so I guess I will soon experience EMDR from someone else. I will be sure to share any new experiences.
	Reply With Quote