EMDR?

Good you enjoyed it ,do tell us how its done and what's so nice you like it ~i am scared of therapists>>weird but true.

Well it is very strange. Basically I sat there on the couch and I was supposed to think of a sort of happy place. Normally this immediately turns me off but I let myself go with it. Then you concentrate on that and tell how it makes you feel. Then I had to open my eyes and follow her fingers while she moved them back and forth from side to side. This will eventually be replaced with these little buzzing things you hold in each hand and a light that moves from what I understand.

It is really hard to explain. Basically we will eventually go through traumas of my past and there is supposedly something about these eye movements and stimulating the two sides of the brain that is supposed to allow you to be able to finally process a trauma that is sort of stuck. For instance I continually have issues with feeling I am worthy of love and fear of my safety because of traumas in my childhood. This is supposed to allow you to finally move past it to the point that it is still there but doesn't have that hold on you anymore.

I'm doing a really bad job of describing it but if anyone wants to look it up and read about it it is very interesting. There are a lot of therapists doing it now but it is still a bit controversial. It has really helped out people with PTSD and other "complex traumas" as they call it. The only thing I'm a little worried about at this point is that apparently if it isn't done by a therapist that is in total control it can be too much for people. I read comments sections on stories about it and many people said it helped them but there were a couple who said they knew people who just had a total psychotic break after doing it. Who knows if any of that is true but it does make you a bit worried.

I'm just excited because I think it is just bringing something new to the table. My therapist was dead on when she said my past is always running and ruining my present life. And now I was to a point where I had finally been able to ignore certain things but SURPRISE they decided to show up physically in this horrible anxiety. I actually hadn't dealt with them at all I had just learned to ignore them and that did not work.

Time will tell but I'm hopeful.

I will for sure keep everyone posted. This is going to be hard for me because I have such a hard time relaxing all the way. The therapist said that we have to really work on that before we work with any actual memories. I am supposed to practice what we did on my own but I couldn't bring myself to do it last night at all. I just have such a hard time completely settling down and keeping my mind there when I'm on my own. I'l have to try again tonight though because I promised I would. The better I get at doing this the better the rest of it will go it seems.

As far as it being controversial I think that happens with almost everything in this field. Anything that is new seems to scare the old timers and they try to debunk it. Like I said it seemed very weird and kind of hokey but I thought what do I have to lose? It was amazing how just one session found stuff trying to come out. I can't believe how much I had been ignoring all these emotions. It will be very interesting to see how it all works out. I'm just excited to be doing something more than just talking.

Yeah, hopefully member BB will updated us soon!

Best wishes Tela! Congrats on your new phase of treatment, and this step towards finding your recovery! I hope it proves to be something really successful for you.

Please let us know how you get on...and as always, we are cheering you on in support.:)

Peace and progress!

S.C.

I was taught emdr in therapy. I used it quite a bit wen I was pretty bad off. Not so much now. But every once in a while it comes in handy. And it's a great coping skill to have in the tool box.