EMDR Therapy saved my life. It made me feel as though I could cope with the world again. Previous to being diagnosed with PTSD, I had never heard of EMDR. And when it was first suggested as a course of action for me, I was sceptical.
So if, like me, you need some convincing, here are 5 things I’ve learnt about it from going through the process:
1. It works.
EMDR was transformative for me. Over the course of the therapy, my flashbacks abated and I finally reached a place where I felt I could move on with my life.
EMDR Therapy stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. As its most basic, it is the process of encouraging the left and right side of the brain to communicate in order to help process a traumatic memory, or set of memories. This is particularly effective for PTSD sufferers, whose memories are ‘frozen’ due to emotional overload. The left-right movement is similar to that in REM during sleep.
2. It doesn’t actually require eye movement.
Sounds or taps can also be used to connect the two sides of the brain. In my sessions, my therapist used knee tapping. I found this allowed me to fully immerse myself in the memories, rather than concentrating on moving my eyes or worrying that I wasn’t doing it correctly. Your therapist will work with you to find a method that feels natural to you.
The movement, whether eye movement, taps or sounds, varies in speed depending on the type of memory you are accessing and the level of distress associated with that memory. Fast movement during the most upsetting moments encourages the brain to remain active rather than shut down in response to the trauma.
3. It teaches you to use mindfulness.
Before EMDR can begin, you will work to establish a ‘safe place’ you can access in your mind, to retreat to if you find recalling your traumatic memories too distressing. This can be anywhere at all – real or imagined. You will learn to slow your breathing and access all of the senses to give a 4D image of your safe place in your mind’s eye – what you can see, hear, feel and smell there.
Once this has been properly set up, it is something you can return to at any difficult moment – when you are nervous, if you need to calm down, or even to help you drift off to sleep.
4. It’s hard work.
EMDR is not an overnight cure. It takes hard work, dedication and the will for it to succeed. There may be moments where you want to give up. There may be moments where it all feels a bit too much. There may be moments when you feel like it isn’t working. But hang in there – it’s all part of the process.
I was surprised by how physically as well and mentally draining the sessions were. It would make me sweat and cry and shake – but I always left feeling a little bit lighter than when I came in, with my head held that little bit higher.
5. It puts YOU in control.
EMDR is not hypnosis. It cannot be done against your will. In fact, it relies on you getting fully behind it.
I was fascinated by the way that my brain led me down connected ‘trains of thought’ during my sessions – one memory would lead to another, but they would all be connected by a theme, whether that were sounds, memories of a certain person or even a colour.
It goes at your own pace. If a memory feels too ‘big’ to access that day, your brain won’t let you go there. You, your brain and your body are controlling the healing process. And because of that, you’ll be all the stronger for it.
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In certain cases, EMDR therapy is available on the NHS. For more information about accessing EMDR Therapy, read my posts on asking for help and TalkingSpace.
You can learn more about EMDR therapy at the following sites:
Further reading:
