What the Heck is EMDR? And What Does it Feel Like?
Have you been curious about EMDR?
Maybe you have been wondering, ‘what the heck is EMDR therapy? I hear it everywhere!’
Ever been told by a therapist to consider EMDR treatment but feel nervous, anxious, or hesitant in trying it?
Well, I am here to talk to you about EMDR and more specially, what EMDR can feel like as a client! So, let’s start with some basics, EMDR stands for Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and is a treatment that is most commonly used for trauma, especially PTSD symptoms.
However, EMDR can also be used to help clients who experience an array of symptoms! Including anxiety, social anxiety, low-self esteem, addiction, OCD, depression and even eating disorders.
Now you may have engaged in talk therapy before (or maybe not!) and while it may have been helpful, it never felt like you got to the root of your trauma or problem. It felt like you just talked and talked and (surprise!) talked about your trauma narrative. And while it felt somewhat helpful in the moment, you never felt free from the traumatic memories or sensations because challenging the thoughts or beliefs you had about the trauma just wasn’t enough.
Sounding familiar at all?
This is where EMDR is different. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (BLS) to calm the brain and nervous system, which allows you to fully process memories and rewire new pathways in your brain and body. And it doesn’t require you to retell your trauma narrative, helping you process trauma faster!
Now, you may be curious, how it feels to go through an EMDR session. And this is a very common question, as I’ve had a lot of people ask me “what does EMDR feel like?”. That answer can really vary from person-to-person.
For some people, the experience is more physical with a lot of physical sensations, like yawning, feeling like something is stuck in their throat or chest, a knot in their stomach, or a sense of calm in their shoulders. For others, it is more intellectual with thoughts and images. Some people share that EMDR feels like dreaming but while they are still awake–clear or vague flashes of different images that range from feel pleasant to neutral to distressing.
Throughout the session, the therapist will ask you to recall different events, triggers, or past experiences and your mind might jump from different experiences you’ve had in the past to what you hope for in the future. It’s totally normal to engage in your imagination in EMDR and, in fact, engaging your imagination is a huge part of EMDR treatment!
Ultimately, EMDR helps you find a connection with your body again. Feelings like anxiety, stress, and trauma can hold our body hostage and many of us try to disconnect from these physical feelings. And disconnecting is a natural response for so many of us.
However, EMDR can help you re-engage with your body and come home to yourself.
Lastly, it is important to know that throughout this entire time you and your therapist will set up your therapy space to make sure you feel safe. If, at any point, you feel too physically overwhelmed or unsafe, your therapist will be there to guide you back to safety.
EMDR is truly an amazing experience and can also feel extremely difficult. However, the great thing about EMDR is that it really does work. Whatever the issue is that brought you to EMDR, you will be able to experience a change!
