What To Expect When Starting EMDR Therapy
You may have heard about the powerful effects of EMDR but be wondering what exactly does it entail? What should I expect from a session?
As described here, EMDR is founded on the idea that through connecting the two hemispheres of the brain via visual, auditory or tactile stimulation, the brain can replicate a state of REM sleep and resume it’s natural healing process.
The first step in an actual session is to identify the “target” (or in other words, the incident, memory, or feeling you want to process). Next you will choose which type of “bi-lateral stimulation” or BLS to use (either auditory, visual, tactile or a combination, all of which can be done via telehealth/video therapy). Because EMDR works with all aspects of the body and mind, you will be guided through a series of questions intended to help bring forward the relevant feelings, thoughts, and body sensations connected to the traumatic experience.
From there, your therapist will start the BLS and you simply allow your brain to notice whatever images, feelings, or body sensations arise for you. Through repeated “sets” of internal processing (i.e., noticing) followed by checking in with the therapist, this approach allows the brain and body to “desensitize,” (i.e., be less distressed and reactive) to the target over time.
What else might you want to know about EMDR therapy?
You do not need to have an explicit memory of a traumatic event to use EMDR. Feelings in the body or emotions can be targeted, as can dreams. Because it is a non-verbal treatment, it can allow for healing on an emotional level, even if the inciting incident is not known or well remembered (for example, in the case of trauma that occurs before the age of 5, when most people start to form explicit memories).
The process can be likened to a non-verbal form of “free association.” As such, it tends to bring people to the “crux” of an issue, sometimes fairly quickly. This may be one reason it can be more efficient than other trauma therapies.
The process is different for everyone, and often different for individuals based on the day or the target. Sometimes a lot of emotions arise, other times feelings of numbness, body sensations, and/or various thoughts may be more prevalent. This treatment is designed to allow you to make contact with the distressing topic in order to heal from it, without completely overwhelming your system. Guided visualizations are used to help increase grounding before, during, and/or after EMDR processing.
It is very important to feel comfortable and safe in session. You need to be able to share what is coming up for you, as well as feel safe to revisit difficult experiences and tap into distressing emotions.
Processing may continue after the session ends in the form of dreams, heightened emotions/reactions, feeling raw or young, irritability, etc. This is part of the process and will be talked about throughout treatment.
As with talk therapy, it is difficult to put a timeline on how long EMDR treatment will take, as everyone’s experiences and ways of processing are different. What is clear in the research is that over time, clients consistently report feeling less distressed about past experiences following EMDR therapy.
Have questions about EMDR? Want to learn more about what treatment could look like for you? At SageWell Health, we integrate EMDR therapy into a holistic, whole-person approach that is based on your individual history and goals. Contact us to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.