EMDR | The impact of EMDR on my PTSD 18 months later 

Two years since I undertook EMDR it was incredibly quick for me and it transformed my life. It had become a relentless existence of anxiety and negativity. I can cry now when I think how I was and how things have changed for me I feel so grateful. I had been told about it some 4 years before I did it and dismissed it as nonsense. I turned to it in desperation and I am so glad that I did. Good luck & ❤ to everyone who is considering it.

Suffering from CPTSD myself, it's really, really helpful to see and hear about others who got so much better with EMDR. Really happy for you 😊

You need to keep doing therapy until the triggers are no longer dominant. Therapists cannot perceive what happens inside us. They tell us we are finished in therapy when we doubt it for good reason. We are not healed. Eventually I was healed and nobody needed to tell me. I told her, half way through a session. Emotionally reborn. That has never changed.

Tears in my eyes, I watched your other video a year ago right after my PTSD diagnose, I entered EMDR halve a year ago. My therapist released me in Januari and today I feel fatigue. I am doing yoga to learn to open my body and relax so I no longer 'store' feelings there that my mind just automatically pushes away. Today I feel supersleepy and I get irritated with myself, because I want to be studying or working, I want a million things and not go to bed during the day. I googled if this is normal after EMDR for PTSD and I ran into you again. Tears in my eyes of recognition, it's not easy but I get why I am the way I am. Gonna cry now and take a nap. Thank you for your video's helping me accept my situation and path.

I am really happy to see you happy like that! I watched your videos to help to take decision to start EMDR for myself in Feb 2020. I have to say that this therapy make me feel exactly like you today! I have finished my sessions and I can feel the changes in my life, in my decision making and mainly in my sleep. I am not driven anymore by my emotions and I accept my trauma for what they are: the past but also part of me too. Wishing you all the best

All of your EMDR videos have been incredibly helpful! Hearing about your experiences has absolutely helped me feel empowered to explore this therapy as an option. Thank you so much!

So good to see you looking happy in this way. I understand that there’s a lot that you can’t and shouldn’t reveal but it is marvellous that you are brave enough to talk about yourself in this way. I particularly liked point 3 where you said that you can now feel emotions. It must be like moving from a monochrome world to a world of full colour. Wishing you all the best 😊

OUTSTANDING!! You have verbalized my experience with EMDR. Thank-you so much for sharing your story. You make me (and I am certain others) feel not so alone. I did need to add talk therapy in addition to the EMDR.

Just watched the previous and glad to see the thereafter. Thanx!

Thank you for your honest explanation of your personal experience with healing your trauma. It is inspirational and makes me more determined to continue with my treatment. 🙏

This gives me so much hope! I'm so happy it worked for you, I've had similar traumas and a huge wound around parental abandonment (which then led to abandonment in general and then self-abandonment aka learned helplessness). I've been wanting to try EMDR for years but when I discovered it, there were only like 2 certified practitioners in my entire country and I had no access to them, then the pandemic hit and...yeah. I just had ANOTHER massive trauma where I legitimately thought my life was over, and I guess it's not my time yet because I'm still here. I've always been proactive about healing and seeking help, but the dozen or more approaches I've tried in my 20s only helped relieve symptoms for brief periods. There's a LOT of trauma that those therapies and medications weren't and will never be able to unlock and reprogram. I'm asking around for online EMDR sessions and if this works and my life changes for the better, I will probably be a very, very happy woman. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

Thank you so much for sharing. i understand completely. Embarking this journey as well. This really helped outline some goals for me. Bless you and us all. Healing to everyone.

This has been so useful. I really identify with everything that you said. It makes sense although I have a long way to go with EMDR therapy. I think I am at the 'beginning to show emotion' stage and it is really overwhelming. It is very scary but what you said makes sense. Thanks

This gave me SO MUCH HOPE. Thank you so much. I might try EMDR.

Omg you look like an entirely different person than the first videos I saw you in!!😲😲 You look amazing!❤️

Thank you for sharing your experiences - I realize that can oftentimes be difficult, even without revealing the trauma. Your videos are helpful to me in my EMDR exploration. I only recently found out that EMDR was "a thing". My last therapist mentioned it in passing last year, along with CBT, but I moved states shortly after that last session so I never explored those options. I didn't know what they were, either, really. I have a hefty commute for work so I started checking out audiobooks from my local library. I am currently listening to Getting Past Your Past by Francine Shapiro, which is why I'm now on this path. This treatment makes sense to me because I've seen accidental success with it in my past, but I didn't know it was the reason. Oftentimes, thinking when I'm driving, or thinking when I'm walking - with the frequent eye movements that accompany the activity (especially with my ADHD and inability to focus) - seemed to make me feel better. I didn't put two and two together until I found the book. I'm now looking to get into a therapist that is trained in this method and your videos are helpful in my preparation. Thank you again!

I also have CPTSD and due to start EMDR on Monday. This video has helped reassure me so much. My head used an eating disorder and dissociation to deal with the painful memories from childhood.... I really also want to piece together my life's story and become more self compassionate. My inner critic is strong and I feel shameful most of the time. Emotionally I can't release them because I find them too scary but can see the benefits of allowing myself to sit with the difficult emotions.... However difficult it is. I'm aware I'll probably be dysregulated for a while as I have no idea how to deal with emotions!!! Well done for getting as far as you have. Thank you so much. I feel so much better now about starting therapy xxx

Hello Pooky! Thank you for your video story, I really appreciate it! I am about to embark on my EMDR therapy after 2 years of suffering from a relational trauma. I could relate to what you described towards the end of the video. I am more or less healed from depression, anxiety and pure OCD triggered by the trauma, but some remnants of the trauma are still somehow stuck in my brain and body. I am doing great in most aspects of my life. I have great job, loving & supporive friends & family, fun hobbies, healthy lifestyle and deep spirituality. Except for this 1 aspect, which pains me from time to time. At last, I finally feel ready to try this new therapy modality. Partly because I am ready to leave the traumatic chapter of my life in the past and because I have strong support system around me now. Just like you I suppose... Anyway, I wish you well for your healing journey and may your past trauma won't bother you ever again :)

Thanks for sharing Pookie❤ My story is similar to yours and I began EMDR 6 mos ago. I am so happy to have found EMDR and encouraged by your video. I am definitely beginning to feel the positive results.

I have enjoyed the 2 videos about EMDR. My therapist is really asking me to consider doing EMDR with her. I have been with her for years. But, like you, have the complex PTSD and am honestly terrified to even try it. Thank you for your honesty and real definitions of the two things you wish you would've known, the five questions to ask myself and this follow up on PTSD 18 months later. Even this video is 2 years old - but still very helpful.

It's so great to read all comments under the videos like this, i see a lot of people heaving the same emotions that i have, especially when you're about to start EMDR therapy after a long period of suffering PTSD. I wish luck and all the best to us, i hope so much that we will find our happiness and peaceful existence

I’m about to embark on EMDR sessions and your vulnerable videos are so helpful with reducing my own anxiety around it. Thank you.

Love your videos. Had my 1st EMDR session the other day. Feeling hopeful.

You are amazing, always remember that.

Love this video 💗

This was amazing. Thank you x

I taught painting at a variety of schools, a university, a museum and an art center all during the same semester. I see your scars, and I saw those scars on 3 students in the same class I taught at an art center that semester. It was class of high school aged kids during the summer. I did not want to teach this class - high school was hell for me, and if you can believe it, I felt like that younger version of myself enough to fear teaching them. Well, I ended up loving it. It was a class of 8, but 3 had this type of scarring on their arms. They wore t shirts and tank tops, just like any other kid does during the summer, so I felt that they had some degree of awareness that the scars would be seen. At one point I just asked them, “are you guys cutters?” With an obvious awareness of how that must sound coming from someone my age, in my position, to them, and with tons of humility I described my sister a little bit, how she had some of these behaviors, so it wasn’t an experience that didn’t make sense to me, but I asked because It almost felt disrespectful not to, if that makes any sender, and I did care. I also told them this, and because there were several of them amongst a group of 8 who genuinely adored one another, they would have eachother, and additional support from the others, and I could guide the discussion to prevent, hopefully, any missteps. I think that it was an opportunity, a risk, yes, but an opportunity for the group to take something more from the class than just learning to paint. They could take friends, who would already understand and accept them. One other student had openly shared her own experience having been in a mental institution for a year, very early on during that semester. So, it seemed like a rare context to discuss mental health as freely as anything else, which is the way it should be. But of course, within their chosen limits, and boundaries, with mine, as an instructor, guiding the way. I wouldn’t do this in any other circumstance, I have to say, but in this one specific context, it felt appropriate, and almost as if they might benefit too, from the experience of an adult who isn’t scared off by these things. I am different in that way, and I was very aware of many of my peers who are easily scared off by difficult topics. To my relief, the group grew so close, relaxed, laughing, and learning - in other words, the environment felt safe enough to them, to be able to be themselves in every way and not have to compromise. It is a beautiful memory for me. We all had such a great time. I was still the teacher, and they the students, but we were very clear about the fact that we were all just humans, with equal value. I was just more experienced in life and art, so I could be of assistance in those areas. But I valued every single student I ever taught for the fascinating, rich, layered, unique, interesting, fragile and precious souls we all are. So that is what I carried with me as a teacher. Thanks for sharing. I really think emdr is a massive breakthrough, and we have soldiers coming back from war to thank for this new awareness. Sadly, complex ptsd due to sexual trauma should have been enough of a reason to create this awareness ages ago.

Wow! A super rambling Pooky again and don’t your viewers love your personal, very brave rambles; I certainly do. 'Me talking about me,' is a great start and as soon as you said it I knew it would be a good watch, it was and will be again a great watch. Thanks for this insight into you and the I places 'struggle' to give it, luckily they are now smaller struggles. Like Ian, number 3 was the stand out and I am so pleased that you can get the release of crying things out, I know it well and hope before long you know the real joy of happy tears as well. Love it and you. Take care.

Have witnessed EMDR work just like you describe for someone who suffered trauma. The description of life not being 'ruled' by the trauma is exactly the same. And that was medical trauma that happened 6 years prior to the treatment. The trauma is very different to yours and some of the symptoms quit different but the way EMDR helped is definitely the same.

This is very encouraging. Thank you.

Thanks Pooky, I have CPTSD as an adult from being involved with some narcissists (stalking and sexual abuse was part of it. Toxic shame is the worst bit, I have EMDR soon

It’s nice to hear that. Nothing has worked for me yet and I did EMDR once before without much luck. But I may try it again. Maybe I didn’t have the right practitioner.

Thank you so much, I didnt know about this therapy. I dont know about much therapy... but my life is ruled by my trauma and I hope I can afford to try this method

Thank you 💫

Only done 2 emdr sessions but can already feel a change. Not melting down anywhere near as much

I am doing intensive EMDR next week and I have been worried it won’t work for me because I don’t feel my feelings much. This has given me some hope it will work. 🙂

What about your feelings on EMDR for an 11 y/o boy with traits of OCD? Thanks a lot for these videos.

Pooky what if you would resolve your trauma forever? What if you would develop intention to feel your feelings your anxiety gradually so allow the overwhelm bit by bit? I experience full trauma resolution after feeling through the emotions.

Great info

Just watching this video and how you felt you just could not "turn the page". I have been doing EMDR and totally relate to this feeling. I am wondering if part of my thoughts feel that what will be on that page will be argued against by the person who did stuff and I'll be told it's not true or something... So how do you deal with that? Wondering if what will be on the "next page" will be true?

Thanks

interesting however I do wonder whether it is just emdr or the fact that other things have shifted in your life. either way I'm so pleased for you x

I wanted to ask one question.. What do you think about medications? Because my whole life Ive searched for help, I was 17 years old when I first tried to get some help. And neuropsichiatrist always gave me medications. And I have 39 yeras now, and my PTSD symptoms started about one year ago. I didnt find it to be helpful, because they disconect ypu from processing difficult stuff. And I wanted to use medications but not to numb me totally, and want to expirience my emotions. I wonder, what do you think about medications, but not tatally disconect from processing emotion?

Do you think that the improvement in PTSD symptoms has helped you significantly in maintaining weight/anorexia recovery long term? I am trying to decide if emdr might be right for me

what changes us is unfathomably complex and mostly beyond our awareness - what tends to happen is we put any change down to something obvious, it was the therapy, it was the drugs etc when its actually a confluence of many things.

Got a question.... have heard that people with BPD shouldn't do EMDR (I also have C-PTSD). What's your professional opinion on this? My psychologist wants to do it, but I'm not sure whether it will make things worse.

I’m starting EMDR and I’m actually terrified but I really want to get better with things, does anyone have any advice or just reassurance? thank for for the video it’s really helped to give me a bit of hope 💖

My significant other just started emdr today in an inpatient setting. One of the things that has scared me about this, and to be honest is causing a bit of a trauma response in me, is they told her that she is not allowed to talk to me about what happened there and what she experienced. I am in the medical field, and this seems strange to me. Why are you not allowed to talk about what happened and experienced during your therapy? It seems antithetical to me. How I can I support and help her with this process if I don't know anything?

How long did your complex PTSD treatment take with EMDR?

❤❤❤❤❤❤

hi how can i communicate with you?

Hi! How many incomplete sessions did you go through before a memory was closed?

How long were you in EMDR for? I'm at the 3 month mark and felt we were making good progress, but then I had a really bad trigger episode a week ago that's making me doubt whether it's working for me :(

I’m two sessions in and I’m really scared because I feel like I’m losing control of my emotions and feel like I’m back in a place that I buried and I’m regretting starting this. Is this normal please?

what did you tell wrong? when you say your story was told wrong before the EMDR. can I assume it meant the overtaking of triggers during speaking about and working through? ', (

Whats an example of how the PTSD effected you on the day to day.

Hello Pooky

My Daughter has Anorexia now.