Thank you, Barbara! I'm a fellow therapist, and when I recommend EMDR to a client, yours is the video I direct them to for further explanation. Thanks for putting this video together!
I just had my first emdr session last week. I have complex grief after my dog died tragically. I could not stop thinking of the whole day it happened. After 1 session I now feel I can't focus on the day anymore. I test myself but I just cannot relive it, like before the session. Very Powerful therapy. I previously did 4 years of schema group therapy which was amazing. But I think EMDR is the way to go. Highly recommend it
Thank you everyone for watching this video! Please let me know if you found it helpful. If you are willing to share whether you've tried EMDR, and whether it has been helpful or not, I'd be interested, and it might help someone else! Let me know if you have questions.
very calming, soothing, and well-paced. didn't talk too fast or too slow. am starting EMDR with a trained therapist and a bit anxious since I'm used to CBT only.
I’ve been going to therapy for the past two months(8wks). Towards the end of my last appointment this last Friday evening my therapist told me that in the next session we are going to start EMDR therapy. I am taking this coming week off to mentally prepare myself for my first EMDR therapy session. Thank You for this video. It helped me better understand what EMDR therapy is, how it works, and what it does. I am not as nervous for my upcoming appointment.
Hey… I was just curious how it’s going for you? Do you like EMDR therapy and do you think it’s been working for you? I really hope that it has and that you are thriving and doing amazing!! My therapist wants to start EMDR but I’m really unsure. Sending you all of my best wishes and love!
@@takeadeepbreathin therapy is the best thing I have ever done for me. I’ve been through a lot of trauma in the last 23+ years personally and things my family has gone through. My first EMDR appointment actually wasn’t as hard on me as I thought it was going to be. I think j had built it up so much in my head that when the appointment came around it wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. Of course we did start with something that I had already been working on for a long time, and so when I had the EMDR appointment I think that it was easier on me. After that appointment we were going to wait a few weeks to do another EMDR appointment, and worked on other things in the meantime. However a lot of things happened that needed attention so my EMDR appointments have been put on the back burner for the moment. I would say that if you are dealing with something or there is anything you have PTSD/trauma over going to therapy will be so beneficial to you. My therapist told me that even she goes to therapy at least once a month to talk things out because everyone needs someone they can talk to. I am 42 years old. I wish that I had started therapy/counseling a looooong time ago. I think my mental health would be so much better, and I wouldn’t be working on the things I am working on now if I had. I would t have allowed the people in my life to walk all over me if I had already been going to therapy and learned how to set boundaries earlier in life.
Hi Brooklyn: You are welcome! Your channel on mold illness and chronic fatique looks interesting. There are also EMDR protocols for chronic fatique and the trauma caused by a chronic illness, just FYI!
I have had fear of panic attacks, and when I fear i get panic attack ..I have been suffering for more then 7 years, i tried so many things to stop this but to no avail , then I came across emdr for the first time yesterday and i started to self administer my self yesterday and honestly this have changed my life I have never felt better...im still working on it ..I'll update you guys
Hello, I started EMDR two weeks ago and am committed to giving this process 6 mo to see if this therapy works for me. Thank you for the great explanation.
As a licensed marriage family therapist, I use EMDR with my patients. I found your explanation to be excellent and will be using it in my practice when I explain EMDR to my clients. Thank you
thank you this was very helpful! i'm 23 and start my first EMDR session in the next few weeks ! learning about it a little will help hopefully reduce my anxiety first session if i know what to expect
you have been to Italy and bought a book on the shells of garzanti. In addition to that I congratulate you because you are really good! Ciao dall'Italia.
Hi Barbara. Great breakdown of this. I love how you explained that it engages both parts of the brain. I've never done this but it sounds like many people could benefit greatly from it! Cheers!
This was helpful, I have just had my initial assessment to see if EMDR is for me. And I am due to start properly in a few weeks. I am a little frightened but I am eager to start
Hi ZoeAnn: I'm sorry to hear you feel so messed up. Lots of us want to have control because we think it'll make us feel better! But it is an illusion, right? There really is no such thing! And so many things that are completely out of our control - it is very hard to relax with that, but very useful to start to try... I find the Serenity Prayer to be one of the best ways to begin to reduce anxiety (and it doesn't have to be a "prayer"): Grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Helpful... I am nervous: my first EMDR session is coming up this Saturday and I was not sure what to expect. Still probably not, but hopefully all will go well. Thank you for the information
I am so grateful that you are willing to take time to provide help for those of us who are struggling. Your calm demeanor exudes comfort, and the sincerity in wanting to help.. Thank you..
Thank you for the simple explanation, I have been seeing a therapist for six months because I specifically wanted to do EMDR. I saw another one before this and the technique was totally different just thinking about some thing for 15 minutes while holding tappers and having earphones on and then briefly describing what came up and then moving on. I was told that that’s all it takes but now I’m wondering if it was really doing anything. With the new one we have tried it a few times but not consistently, and the last time something, more of a feeling or sensation inside of me came up and it is a very difficult feeling. Basically a black hole. I didn’t know that things don’t get re-processed instantly and that very strong emotions can continue to come up after the session is over and I’ve been struggling since that last session So I’m just going to keep going back and hopefully it will work itself out. I’ve just really wanted a full understanding of this process and what to expect can happen. Some thing that I really don’t know if anyone would have an answer to is if you suffered trauma as a child and are working through it with EMDR but also are currently suffering ongoing similar trauma. I have been in denial for a long time about the fact that my parents have been emotionally abusive to each other and to me. And there is a lot of yelling every single day, and a lot of insulting and just negative comments. And it was like that all through my childhood I had always told myself that it wasn’t affecting me. I have to live with them right now because I’m suffering from a chronic illness and it’s currently impossible for me to leave. I just wonder if it is possible to become desensitized to something like that while it is still happening. They are good people and I love them and I know they love me but I’m realizing more and more how much that has been part of my issues. I just really wonder, because I’m basically in fight or flight mode all the time and that is due to many factors, if it is possible to heal while still being exposed to a trigger on a daily basis. I hope it is…
This looks like watching a hypnotist's pendulum. It also reminds me of Robert Monroe's Hemi-Sync. Especially with headphones. But they also use lights. (Alternating left and right.)
Due to my congenital birth status , I clearly state a No! Enough trouble committed already. Trying hard to sweep out the curses set by MXN n NF. The proof is to win . I'm not allowed to sit cross-legged or go to hot saunas due to my birth status . Thank you. Maybe you do understand .
My therapist sent me this video since she thinks I’m a good candidate for this therapy. I’m a little scared and unsure since I have cPTSD and will be unpacking over a decade of trauma. What do you think is the most helpful question you can ask your clients to make sure they’re ready for this therapy ?
@@BarbaraHeffernan EMDR makes sense. Only processes are not simple with complex mechanisms. The process itself doesn't always work and I think you have to use inner dialogue. I mean insight into myself. Surely it helps to write primal fears on paper and to certain processes after many years a person matures or some things change. It definitely cleans itself of somatics and body codes. I do not know if it accelerates development - probably not, but it helps with elements in clearing old codes in the brain, eliminating, for example, intrusion or rumination and reprograms the mind with more up-to-date knowledge of how a person does it. Also good is subjective relaxation music or, for example, ZEN techniques. Sometimes elements of hypnosis. It depends on how susceptible the brain is to the suggestion. It is individualized. Thanks to video.
Hi, this is by far the most helpful video about EMDR, which I've only recently taken into consideration. Would you recommend EMDR for depression and anxiety due to numerous traumatic experiences? I don't have one traumatic experience but many, and I don't really remember all of the details about them.
Hi: I'm so glad this was useful, though very sorry to hear about all the traumatic experiences. This is not an easy question to answer. I do have a video that considers EMDR for Complex PTSD: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NuxMmSYea5U.html.
@@BarbaraHeffernan hi, thanks for the response. The problem is I don't know if my traumas are "real traumas". I grew up with an overly protective mother and a distant father, this led to being extremely shy and feeling defenseless in the face of bullies. Are these what you call traumas?
My friend little brother was shot n killed I attend the funeral saw the bullet wounds he was 20 years old and that was my first time attending a young person funeral where there life’s were taken
@@BarbaraHeffernan thank you I just don’t know what to do because sometimes my mind dwell on the thought of that happening to me even doe I don’t live that life style, I’ve been depressed and it makes me think about my own mortality literally everyday it’s like my brain hasn’t really processed what I seen, my eyes are always low and turned yellow ish, and I sometimes just lose my concentration, basically I’ve been traumatized from seeing that horrible experience and I’m thinking about doing EMDR therapy
Very interesting and helpful! Years ago I had a bad kitesurf accident ( and a guardian angel for sure). I'm fine once I'm in the water, but have panic attacks raising my kite on the beach so I've pretty much given it up. I don't like feeling panicky, it's not me. Would this help??
Often not remembering trauma falls into Complex PTSD. EMDR Therapists experienced with dissociation can often help people even if the trauma is not remembered consciously.
Hi Sachin: Unfortunately, they are not. (It was free yet the site was charging me per user...!). I plan to release the material on RU-vid directly in the next few months. Stay tuned!!
Yes, it can be done virtually. I started working with it virtually about 5 years before the pandemic and found it equally effective, though I'm not sure everyone agrees with that. Many people are doing it virtually now. Wishing you the best!
Hi Gina: That totally depends on what the person is working on and their history and life situation. EMDR is a complete therapy - it is not just the active processing piece with the light bar or tappers. It can be a shorter form of therapy than regular therapy if the target is very specific.
I have cptsd and anorexia and i was suggested to start emdr. very unsure tbh. Ive done Prolonged exposure therapy in the past and helped very little, starting trauma therapy again sounds way too painful and im not sure i want to get through it again
@@Cherailove sorry! for some reason i couldnt get my head around it but at the same time i couldnt trust the therapist. recently started TF-CBT! hope everyone is well.
oh dear! Thank you for letting me know. Recently changed my notes... the free "mini-course" is now on RU-vid. Start here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-D2DXLfxZVkw.html
Hi: Great question and the answer, of course, is not simple. I found benzodiazepines hinder EMDR and therapy, and there is research to back this. Most of the others, no -as long as the dose isn't so high the person feels numb.....
Hi Wil: EMDR can definitely help with suppressed feelings. I don't really use that language in my videos to date (maybe I will add that to the list!). EMDR was initially designed to help with PTSD, directly related to traumas that the person remembered, and the feelings were full blown, not repressed. However, it definitely deals with the triggering of prior traumas and triggering of "old emotions," repressed or not. Then EMDR began to be used with complex trauma, were a lot of memories are repressed, as well as the feelings that go with them. Does that make sense?
@@BarbaraHeffernan Yes, and thanks for the answer. But what about abusive childhoods where the incidents were many but so very similar they blend together? How can one discern those memories if they all look alike? My angle is that the feelings dont lie, and they are still there "attached" to those past incidents and once the feeling has been felt or processed those memories have no more power or energy to keep driving them.....Just one opinion.....Thanks
@@wilsmith6551 Absolutely! I totally agree. I need to make this more clear in future videos. I address it a little bit in the video EMDR for Complex Trauma, although there I am focusing more on the controversy about whether EMDR can help in those situations or not. If you've watched that one, let me know what you think. I do need to move more into ongoing childhood trauma/abuse in these videos...
@@BarbaraHeffernan Hi ,and again I love your videos,,,,I just watched your video on Complex Trauma. Let me tell you about my experiences. I have dealt with intense emotional issues for the past 35 years. I have done everything; from Tony Robbins, to various medications, multiple talk therapy sessions over the years,hypnosis, EFT, TAT, PSTEC sound therapy, Dianetics, The Work, The Emotion Code, and for the last 7 years mainly the Sedona Method with the a mix of the earlier. A friend out of the blue( 5 weeks ago) told me about EMDR. So I started my intense research. I could not believe what I found. I found a long stream of absolute success stories for some of the most horrible situations. ( I am a veteran and understand PTSD for the military-even though I have no service related PTSD)... I looked for an EMDR therapists and 1) no one would call me back or 2) they were not taking patients. So I looked at a lot of EMDR you tube videos and decided to give it a try based on what I saw. I had an incident from about 23 years ago, that I thought was gone- it came back about 3 years ago with raging anxiety and guilt. So I decided to make this my test case. I did a 3 minute EMDR video on my issue and then followed it up with a 9 minute EMDR video. While doing the EMDR video I focused on my feelings, and a few thoughts that were attached but mostly the feelings. I did not sleep well that night. and the next day I felt melancholy and my whole body physically ached as if I had been in terrible car crash. But I knew for sure that something was released surronding that issue. The 2nd day after I did the EMDR exercise, the incident had ZERO emotional charge nothing!. Gone! Something that had haunted me so intensley for the past 3 years was cured.
To finish the story; I have never seen anything work like this. SO fast and so absolute. Complete healing....To say I am stunned is beyond an understatement. I see a true light at the end of the tunnel. I see freedom for EVERY issue that is holding me back. EMDR is it. I watched your video on Complex Trauma and I dont think its as tough as you might think. Again this is just my opinion and in no way would I think of usurping what you are doing...But those Childhood complex traumas come from survival based drive and survival based feelings. There are just more layers to the sandwich. I will have another comment on CT. Thanks for what you are doing!!!
Do you recommend EMDR to be done in person if you experience seizure like panic attacks, i’m considering doing it because my therapist recommended it for me and it looks like it be really helpful but I’m also scared of injuring myself from having an attack alone because I have convulsions occasionally go on conscious things like that and I can’t really go in person where I live with Covid going on so should I wait till after Covid restrictions cool down or should I just have someone else in the room with me while I’m doing an online session I can’t really decide.
Yes, brainspotting is very interesting. It developed as an EMDR technique for when people get stuck and loop. Having them focus their eyes in different ways changes how upsetting something is. Very interesting stuff! Have you tried it?
@@johnscott7386 EMDR works very well for anxiety and fear, panic attacks, various responses that have trauma links. It has also worked super well for people who have panic attacks and anxiety who don't remember any trauma, so it is definitely not only for trauma - hope that makes sense.
@@BarbaraHeffernan Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for the link. I'm a little confused about whether I have CPTSD or something else that I'd rather not think about. What else can 20 years of bulling during school and college lead to?
Hi: EMDR doesn't actually cause you to forget any memories. It desensitizes the ones you work on. I've never heard of it impacting people's happy memories!
I honestly just started today EMDR. I have not gone deeper of course because it was my first session, however i am a little concern. Like seems the therapist does not ask me many questions related to the event. It makes me feel like how this is gonna work???? Like i am super worried to spend tons of money for nothing. :( I wonder if this is a type of placebo or also if it just works for a period. I will have to go through this to realize if this work. Today I created “my safe place” I will have to let you know guys what happens.
Hi: Yes, let us know! I always appreciate it when clients ask me about the process or let me know a concern - as I'm not a mind reader (lol). EMDR does not require people to go into lots of detail about the events out loud to the therapist - which can actually be helpful for some people. However, I hope your therapist is open to hearing what you'd like to share about it and I encourage you to let her know your thoughts and feelings about the process and the content. Wishing you the best,
