I have my first EMDR/rapid recovery therapy session this Friday with a specialist 1.5 hours away. I am very nervous. I wondered if anyone else here has an opinion or experience with EMDR that they would be willing to share. Any advice would be appreciated.
I’ve no experience with this and had no idea what it was until now.
For all those sharing this boat with me, here is an informational link.
It sounds fascinating. Best of luck.
Thanks for the link.
Also, what I typed in my OP as rapid recovery therapy should actually be rapid resolution therapy. Apparently it is a variation of EMDR.
I was in EMDR therapy for awhile, and it really seems to work. There has been a lot of controversy and skepticism about it, but I think that if it makes people feel better, who cares?
Let me give you some personal background on myself before I get into this. I am 24 years old, and I have suffered from severe panic disorder, general anxiety etc. since I was about 6 or so. For years, I have suffered from MASSIVE emetophobia (for those of you who don’t know what it is, it’s the fear of vomit or vomiting). Anyway, I seemed to cycle back and forth between functional and dysfunctional depending on the stress levels in my life. There were times when I was convinced I was going to throw up for no apparant reason, and I was unable to leave the house. It’s very frustrating to have a bizarre phobia, understand its irrationality, but be unable to overcome it. The phobia became constant anxiety, panic attacks, and anorexia. I was so afraid of puking, that I wouldn’t eat. Also, I was burning and cutting myself to distract myself from nausea. I thought that hurting myself in other ways would distract my body from vomiting. It doesn’t work, by the way. 
My first experience with EMDR was really amazing. I went on the advice of my mother, who knew an EMDR therapist personally, and thought there was something to it. After 1 one hour session, I was emotionally changed. Also, there were physical differences that came from being relaxed for the first time in years! I continued that therapy for several months, and I think it helped me considerably. That was years ago, and I’m much better now, though I wouldn’t contribute my massive recovery completely to EMDR. I would say, however, that it makes you confront things that you don’t want to confront, and it’s exactly what many people need. You’ll also come out of it feeling better than you have in ages.
Email me if you want to talk.
I have a few collegues who do EMDR, and I myself have taken some introductions to the therapy. I work with many traumatized teenagers who are not always ready to deal with what has happened, and EMDR is a good intervention to work into the trauma.
There is some controversy on the subject. It is one of the therapies that people either seem to love or hate. My co-therapist is trained in it and would swear by it. My feeling is the same as with any other therapy, if it works for you than that is all that matters.
The important thing to do is go in with an open mind. Whether they are using light or touch stimulation to start, it won’t be physically painful. If you are ready to get into it, any form of therapy can be beneficial.
What ever happens, gool luck, and I hope that whatever is going on you get the help you need.
I’ve been through a couple EMDR sessions with my therapist and have found them helpful. One thing to realize is that it’s not a “magic” fix—there is definitely accompanying emotional upheaval with it. Additionally, as with any therapeutic relationship, it’s important to have a good level of trust with the therapist before actually starting the EMDR.
Some therapists do either a variation on EMDR or another similar therapy (can’t remember which) that involves tapping portions of the body to calm oneself during times of stress, which I’ve also found helpful.
Good luck with this! BTW, Alias, very interesting—I’ve never met someone else who has this issue! My emetophobia is much more due to past problems, rather than stemming from nowhere, but has had much the same effect on my life.
Please be very skeptical about all that EMDR promises to do. A good place to start is here:
Thanks everyone for sharing. The variation of EMDR I will be working with is called rapid resolution therapy…other than the use of hand taps, I am not sure how it is different from standard EMDR.
I have always been a abit of a skeptic. It actually helps to hear people say that this isn’t a magic fix (because that is what it sounds like). I want to go in open minded and give this therapy the best chance that I can. I have been feeling so bad. I really want the chance to feel better.
During the actually EMDR session…is it scary? upsetting? emotionally painful? I guess I am just not certain what it will feel like. I know there shouldn’t be any physical pain (aside from panic attacks?), but I am not sure about the rest.
It can be upsetting and difficult, but not always, and no more so than normal panic attacks. Also, you’ll be with someone who understands panic attacks, and won’t be freaked out if you have one. I don’t know about you, but I’m much more comfortable panicking around therapists, doctors and family members than anyone else.
In my experience, I never freaked out or felt like I had to run while in my theapy sessions. I would get uncomfortable, but never to the “point of no return”. Also, keep in mind that this is a person who deals with panicky, anxious people for a living. If you feel the need to scream and run around the room, go ahead.
Also, it’s good to be somewhat skeptical of things like this, but keep in mind that if it works on some people (and possibly you), who cares what the skeptics think?
An update of my EMDR impressions, post-session:
I have very mixed feelings about what happened. The session was very hard to do, and I wasn’t able to give the therapists what she wanted. She kept wanting me to remember things, insisting that the memories were there if I would only listen to my body. I started out being upset at what I could remember and ended being upset because I couldn’t remember. She said that because we weren’t able to “finish,” I will probably feel worse this week.
I felt like I had failed. I wanted a chance to get better. If I can’t do this, how will I ever be any better than I am. She said a lot worse along those lines as she tried to convince me that I could do this and only I was stopping myself. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I just can’t face those memories, even when I need to.
On Saturday, something happened that made me wonder if the session had improved some things for me after all. A stranger walked into my apartment through a door that was left unlocked accidentally the night before. My SO and I were sleeping late that morning and both woke up to someone talking in our house. They apologized and left. (They thought that door was an entrance to several apartments, not just ours.) What amazed me is that this didn’t result in me being upset or panicing. I’m not sure what it means to be honest.
The rest has been true to her prediction. The session brought up so much stuff that I have been feeling even more miserable. Not helpful as I am falling farther and farther behind in my classes. I sometimes wonder if I will ever be able to finish my degree. I don’t know how I feel about the therapy right now and am not sure if I will try another session.
This is really a shame, and it really sounds like her approach was not at all helpful.
In my experiences with EMDR (both receiving it and learning about it in school), I have been told that anything the client remembers, or any direction they need to go in, is important. The point is for the therapist [i}not* to guide it, and it sounds like she was definitely guiding, if not forcing her own agenda.
I wouldn’t necessarily give up on it, but I would either talk to this therapist about her approach or find someone else.
Wow, that sucks. My experience with EMDR has been that my therapist “checks in” to see how I’m doing during the session, and that if I need to branch off onto a different topic or in a different direction, we just go with the flow.
She really should not pressure you like that—you have to go at your own pace. If you wind up feeling obligated to her or you feel guilty, it’s not going to do you any good.
You should definitely talk to her the next time you see her about the way you felt after last week. I’ll reiterate what I said earlier, which is that in order for any therapy to work, there has to be a good working relationship between the therapist and client. It’s her responsibility as a therapist to work with you appropriately and not put too much pressure on you.
Wow, that sucks. My experience with EMDR has been that my therapist “checks in” to see how I’m doing during the session, and that if I need to branch off onto a different topic or in a different direction, we just go with the flow.
She really should not pressure you like that—you have to go at your own pace. If you wind up feeling obligated to her or you feel guilty, it’s not going to do you any good.
You should definitely talk to her the next time you see her about the way you felt after last week. I’ll reiterate what I said earlier, which is that in order for any therapy to work, there has to be a good working relationship between the therapist and client. It’s her responsibility as a therapist to work with you appropriately and not put too much pressure on you.