Posted by antigua on December 28, 2003, at 14:57:44
In reply to Re: EMDR - I may be trying it » antigua, posted by Dinah on December 27, 2003, at 21:17:49
From what I've learned, the goal IS to make the memories less painful by processing them. My EMDR therapist explained to me that EMDR helps to untrap feelings that are caught up in our short-term memory. They have never moved to long-term because they haven't been resolved. By working through them hopefully I will lessen their impact. That said, the hard part for me is that I now realize how little I really do remember. There are definitely blocks of years from childhood that I don't remember, but now that I am into it, I realize how large these holes are!! Also, my T says it doesn't matter if the memories are organized or logical, what is important is our feelings about them because that is what we felt as a child.
Also, I don't know who brought it up, but having a well-trained EMDR T is very important. My family dr. recommended I try EMDR because I felt stuck in trying to remember and I was able to convince my regular T that I was ready to try it, and could handle the consequences. My family dr. recommended a T, but I went w/the one my regular T recommended. Turns out she was the first therapist I saw 12 yrs ago through an EAP program and I was only allowed 6 visits w/her. So I'm back w/her now for EMDR, which is quite amusing. She was trained by the founder of EMDR and is heavily involved in training others so I'm comfortable w/her abilities.
My only real problem is that I don't trust easily and I have had a hard time opening up to her, even though I know her. I know I need to just let go and experience the feelings, but I can't even do that w/my regular T.
Good luck.
poster:antigua
thread:291016
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031221/msgs/294053.html