What can I  expect from my first session with Rebecca?

I will spend some time getting to know you and your history. This includes the kind of distress and challenges you are experiencing, any support you already have in place and anything you want to achieve from therapy session. I will share the process of EMDR with you and you will have opportunity to ask any questions you have.

 

Does EMDR work better in person or online?

From my experience, the results are the same whether EMDR therapy is online or in person. Many EMDR therapist work fully online. People often like EMDR online as the programme I use is simple to use (very similar to Google Meet and Microsoft Teams) and it is more convenient to attend appointments as they can be accessed anywhere where you have a private and confidential space where you will not be disturbed. This limits the impact sessions have on our busy lives and also means people are able to attend sessions at times they would struggle to attend in person when factoring in travel time. 

 

How will I feel after my session?

Following an EMDR session most people can expect to feel a relief and low levels of distress related to the distressing memory.  Most people also have a developed coping strategies to help navigate future distress.

EMDR therapy is often described as like being on a train. When on the train it stimulates thinking and deep conscious awareness which can continue beyond sessions. During the eye movements, often new information or a joining up of information comes to light which can take time to process. People often describe the experience as empowering and like 'a light bulb moment' however understandably, if the new information feels distressing, then for a day or two you may still feel a level of distress. I will ensure you have coping strategies to manage this time and it is also recommended that you take care of yourself planning activities you enjoy for the evening and following day after an EMDR session. Some people report that they remember aspects of the event or something they haven't thought of in some time between sessions. This is very normal and a positive sign that therapy is working well, try not to hold onto it or make it make sense. You may want to make a note of your experience and bring this to share at your next session. It is also important to note that some people do not experience anything significant between session. This is also absolutely normal.

 

How many sessions will I need?

This depends on every individual. EMDR therapy accelerates the therapy process meaning it is often a faster process than other therapeutic approaches. For some people who have had a single event trauma experience they want to process which does not link to further historical events, EMDR can work very quickly. Some people may only need a few sessions. People who may have experienced a number of distressing or traumatic event throughout their life or have experienced more complicated or complex trauma may benefit from session over a longer period of time to work through all event impacting their life. Sometimes when beginning processing one experience we can uncover other memories which would benefit from processing too.

 

Will I be under hypnosis, put to sleep or not be in control?

No, not all. During EMDR you will be awake, conscious and fully in control. EMDR is not hypnosis. You will be able to stop if you feel you need to pause in a session. In EMDR therapy we talk about having one foot in the present and one foot in the trauma event. This means you experience the distressing memory at a more manageable level and you experience while being fully in control of you and your body.

 

I am worried talking about the trauma will make it worse.

A significant thing to remember is that the one foot in the present and one foot in the trauma event approach within EMDR helps to  manage the level of disturbance you experience. It is also important to remember I will work with you before you being to process memories to ensure you feel prepared in looking after yourself and I will be there support you during sessions. Most people share that it feels more intense and distressing when the memory is trigger in their day to day life before EMDR therapy than when they are doing EMDR therapy.

 

What if I don't remember all or any of the memory?

In a nutshell, it doesn't matter. This will not stop you having EMDR therapy.

It is unlikely you will remember all of a traumatic or distressing memory. This is for a number of reasons. The brain often stores memories in a fragmented manner. This is sometimes a safety mechanism to help you continue functioning on a daily basis. Sometimes we will recall the memory which changes over time or encoded according to opinion rather than what factually happened. This is very normal when we don't have all the information to make full sense of the experience. Our mind fills in the blanks or we are left with gaps that feel uncomfortable and distressing in their own right. This is linked to the theory written about above that the memory becomes locked and isolated without access to information to help it update.

 

Do I have to tell you everything?

They beauty of EMDR is that for people who struggle to verbally speak about their experience they do not have to speak about their experience in depth. While it is helpful to have information at the assessment phase of EMDR therapy as this enables me to ensure I am working thoroughly not missing anything important to the process, during the processing phase I will only require a very brief report of what is coming up for you. This is usually only three to eight words. If something comes up that you do not want to share with me you do not have to.

 

Will the memory come back in future?

The aim of EMDR is not to erase memories but instead reduce the emotional distress associated with the memory.  This means the memory is less powerful and emotionally charged. EMDR has a strong evidence base and significant research to support the success rate of EMDR therapy. Details of this research can be found on www.emdr-europe.org and www.emdr.org

 

Please get in contact if you have any questions you have about EMDR, the process or if you would like to learn more about if EMDR therapy feels appropriate for you. I would be very happy to help.