Suffering From Grief? Find Help and Guidance Here

If your therapist has recommended EMDR therapy, you may have heard about all the preparation required for treatment. This can feel a bit daunting, but it's important to remember that your therapist is there to guide you through each step.

Here's a look at what you can expect as you prepare for EMDR therapy.

Taking Your History

Your therapist will first want to get to know you and your history. This will help them understand what might be triggering your symptoms and how to best approach treatment. You can expect to talk about your past experiences, both positive and negative, as well as any current stressors in your life.

Discussing Your Triggers

Next, you and your therapist will work together to identify triggers for your symptoms. A trigger can be anything that makes your symptoms worse or causes them to flare up. Triggers can be external, like a certain place or person, or internal, like a certain thought or feeling. You'll talk about how to deal with these things as they pop up as well.

Practicing Eye Movements

Once you and your therapist have identified your triggers, you will begin practicing eye movements. This is often done by following the therapist's fingers with your eyes while thinking about your triggers. The eye movements help to release the feelings associated with the trigger and allow you to process the experience in a more adaptive way.

In other cases, the therapist will use small paddles that vibrate and stimulate the same feeling as the eye movements. You'll work with the paddles to determine which vibration frequency feels most effective.

Scanning Your Body

You'll also practice scanning your body to determine how things make you feel. This helps you to become more aware of your physical reactions to certain triggers. For example, you may notice that your heart rate increases or that you feel tense when thinking about a particular trigger.

Learning Coping Skills

In addition to the eye movements, you'll also learn coping skills that you can use when triggered. These skills can help you manage your symptoms and avoid escalation. For example, you may learn how to use deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation to help reduce your anxiety.

Talk to Your Therapist About EMDR First

EMDR therapy is a helpful treatment for many different mental health conditions. With the help of your therapist, you can prepare for EMDR therapy and begin working towards recovery. Preparation can help make your treatment more effective.

Contact your therapist for more information about EMDR therapy.