For others, with a very traumatized background, or with certain diagnoses, a longer time may be necessary. In this phase, the therapist will teach you some specific techniques so you can rapidly deal with any emotional disturbance that may arise. If you can do that, you are generally able to proceed to the next phase. One of the primary goals of the preparation phase is to establish a relationship of trust between the client and the therapist.
While the person does not have to go into great detail about his disturbing memories, if the EMDR client does not trust his or her therapist, he or she may not accurately report what is felt and what changes he or she is or isn't experiencing during the eye movements. If the client just wants to please the therapist and says they feel better when they don't, no therapy in the world will resolve that client's trauma. During the Preparation Phase, the therapist will explain the theory of EMDR, how it is done, and what the person can expect during and after treatment.
Finally, the therapist will teach the client a variety of relaxation techniques for calming him or herself in the face of any emotional disturbance that may arise during or after a session.
In any form of therapy it is best to look at the therapist as a facilitator, or guide, who needs to hear of any hurt, need, or disappointments in order to help achieve the common goal. EMDR therapy is a great deal more than just eye movements, and the therapist needs to know when to employ any of the needed procedures to keep the processing going. Learning these tools is an important aid for anyone.
The happiest people on the planet have ways of relaxing themselves and decompressing from life's inevitable, and often unsuspected, stress. One goal of EMDR therapy is to make sure that the client can take care of him or herself. In this phase, the client will be prompted to access each target in a controlled and standardized way so it can be effectively processed. Processing does not mean talking about it.
See the Reprocessing sections below. The EMDR therapist identifies different parts of the target to be processed.
The first step is for the client to select a specific image or mental picture from the target event which was identified during Phase One that best represents the memory.
Then he or she chooses a statement that expresses a negative self-belief associated with the event. Even if the client intellectually knows that the statement is false, it is important that he or she focus on it.
These negative beliefs are actually verbalizations of the disturbing emotions that still exist. Common negative cognitions include statements such as "I am helpless," "I am worthless," "I am unlovable," "I am dirty," "I am bad," etc. The client then picks a positive self-statement that he would rather believe. The positive cognition should reflect what is actually appropriate in the present. At this point, the therapist will ask the person to estimate how true a positive belief feels using the 1-to-7 Validity of Cognition VOC scale.
Also, during the Assessment Phase, the person identifies the negative emotions fear, anger and physical sensations tightness in the stomach, cold hands he or she associates with the target. The client also rates the negative belief, but uses a different scale called the Subjective Units of Disturbance SUD scale. This scale rates the feeling from 0 no disturbance to 10 worst and is used to assess the disturbance that the client feels.
For a single trauma reprocessing is generally accomplished within 3 sessions. If it takes longer, you should see some improvement within that amount of time. Phases One through Three lay the groundwork for the comprehensive treatment and reprocessing of the specific targeted events. Although the eye movements or taps, or tones are used during the following three phases, they are only one component of a complex therapy. The use of the step-by-step eight-phase approach allows the experienced, trained EMDR therapist to maximize the treatment effects for the client in a logical and standardized fashion.
It also allows both the client and the therapist to monitor the progress during every treatment session. This phase focuses on the client's disturbing emotions and sensations as they are measured by the SUDs rating. This phase deals with all of the person's responses including other memories, insights and associations that may arise as the targeted event changes and its disturbing elements are resolved.
This phase gives the opportunity to identify and resolve similar events that may have occurred and are associated with the target. That way, a client can actually surpass his or her initial goals and heal beyond his or her expectations.
During desensitization, the therapist leads the person in sets of eye movements, sounds, or taps with appropriate shifts and changes of focus until his or her SUD-scale levels are reduced to zero or 1 or 2 if this is more appropriate.
Starting with the main target, the different associations to the memory are followed. You might also talk about your emotional well-being as a child. Did you feel happy? Discussing negative beliefs. Be open and honest. Your therapist will help you effectively combat these beliefs, but you need to discuss them first. Sharing disturbing issues, events, feelings, and memories. Be prepared to talk to your therapist about distressing events, issues, situations, feelings, and memories.
Your discussion should include past challenges and present troubles. During this particular session, you can expect to: Revisit traumatic events. In order to help your brain learn to reprocess traumatic events, your therapist may ask you to imagine a distressing time in your life.
Breathe deeply and take advantage of some of the relaxation techniques you learned in previous treatment sessions. Look at a moving light. Most EMDR clients admit that staring at a light as it moves back and forth can make you feel awkward. Just keep following the light back and forth, from left to right. The process works. Just stay focused. Talk about how you feel. Be prepared to stop following the light every so often in order to talk about how you feel.
Your therapist will guide you through this by asking you to describe how you feel physically, emotionally, and psychologically. You might have difficulty describing everything you feel but do your best. Feel tense after the session.
Recalling traumatic, distressing memories can leave you feeling tense long after the session ends. This is normal. Contact Us. Initially I was feeling great success but for the last few months depression has become almost intollerable. Is this unusual? Any insights you could offer? Any suggestions I could take to my therapist to make the therapy more effective?
Without knowing you, your therapist, and the the specifics of your situation it is virtually impossible for me to give you an answer to your questions.
I believe that it would be most beneficial to raise all of your issues with your therapist directly. Perhaps sending a written communication with a concise but complete list of your questions or concerns to your therapist might be an efficient method of communicating your questions to your therapist. Best of success to you. I always had done it with a therapist that I trust and h explained the process to me, which put in great easy, I absolutely love it!
I have tried years of conventional therapy which has not helped me. But, I really need a therapists help. Hello Celane, Sorry that you are having such a difficult time finding help. Perhaps you can use the following resources. Thank you for your comment Nathan. The need for someone to teach you how to use the EMDR procedure effectively and with what specific past events is the benefit of having a therapist.
Hi , i have a question regarding a comment. If iT helps, why need iT for 10 years. How long is the process before having results and do you need to keep on doing it like sports to remain seeing results? Ben, My best guess as I am not the original poster of that comment is that Sonia had multiple traumas or emotional blocks throughout the 10 years and so she went back to EMDR to get through those as it had proven to work for her in the past.
Thank you for your question Dann. I have very few traumatic memories and more somatic sensations but what I seem to struggle with most is feeling cut off from my emotions. If I watch a movie or someone else is talking about their pain I can feel that but when it comes to my own painful or traumatic experiences I feel disconnected and also dissociated.
Thank you for your question, Kathy. The following resources may provide you with some assistance in your situation. Thank you Dr. Weiss for being so kindly supportive of all those who have sought your help through this blog. EMDR has helped me greatly in the past with a therapist. Finding your blog and your excellent list of book resources on self- administering EMDR has been a real blessing. With much gratitude on this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, many blessings to you and your loved ones.
Thank you, Colette, for your kind words. I hope that the resources will be helpful for you. Thanks for writing this post. Thanks again for sharing! Amaral, Thank you for your comment. Wishing you continued success helping people heal and enjoy their lives more fully.
Would emdr be effective if done over the phone? I am housebound and my therapist made a home visit and tried 1 session of emdr with me. It was fantastic! If she guides me through it over the phone is it possible for me to do my own tapping and it still have similar results? Hi Christy, Thank you for your question.
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