What is rapid eye movement therapy used for?

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a fairly new, nontraditional type of psychotherapy. It’s growing in popularity, particularly for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD often occurs after experiences such as military combat, physical assault, rape, or car accidents.

Can EMDR make you sick?

During the sessions, you may experience some unpleasant reactions to the surfacing of painful memories. Typical reactions include rapid heartbeat, sweating, or nausea. You can expect your therapist to try to minimize these reactions by directing your eye movement.

Can EMDR cause psychosis?

No adverse events were reported, although initial increases in psychotic symptoms were observed in two studies. Average dropout rates across the studies were comparable to other trauma-focused treatments for PTSD.

Why am I so tired after EMDR?

The most significant side effect of EMDR therapy is that you will feel tired after about 10-15 minutes of processing. I explain to my clients this is a good thing as your amygdala is now giving up hoarding the old distressing memories and allowing the rest of the brain to process them naturally.

What do you feel like after EMDR?

Some people experience realistic or vivid dreams, lightheadedness, or an increased sense of awareness after an EMDR session. These side effects may sound alarming but rest assured that they are completely normal.

What happens to your brain after EMDR?

EMDR temporarily slows your over-stimulated amygdala down and synchronises your brain waves helping you process the traumatic memory. This suggests that during EMDR therapy the traumatic memories are continuously “reactivated, replayed and encoded into existing memory networks”.

Does EMDR really work?

You can regain control over your past, present, and future by unpacking the really deep, sticky emotions your brain just can’t seem to let go of. So yes, EMDR does really work. And I’m so excited to see how it will help you on your journey!

What to expect after an EMDR session?

– the event (s) from the past that created the problem – the present situations that cause distress – the key skills or behaviors the client needs to learn for his future well-being

Are there harms or side effects of EMDR therapy?

Many people worry about the side effects of any treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. Despite many studies of this form of therapy, there are no negative EMDR therapy side effects shown. More people are using EMDR than ever, and both therapists and those being treated agree there are no harmful side effects.

How effective is EMDR therapy?

How effective is EMDR? Research has shown that EMDR can be very effective, very quickly in treating PTSD and C-PTSD and the symptoms they bring. Several studies have looked at the effectiveness of EMDR for both PTSD and C-PTSD: One study showed up to 90% of single-trauma victims no longer have PTSD after only 3 90-minute sessions.