What to Expect After EMDR Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide

By: Maria Inoa

Aug 28, 2024

Welcome to your complete guide on what to expect after EMDR therapy. This guide will fully prepare you for what to expect after your Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy sessions.

We will discuss the emotional and physical responses you may experience and changes and shifts in your thoughts and actions. Next, we will dive into common side effects of EMDR treatment, coping skills, and when to reach out to your EMDR therapist.

Trauma therapy is deep work that involves learning to face your past and the traumatic memories. It involves learning to identify and acknowledge your emotions, allowing your entire range of emotions to be fully processed and released.

Some people are not in touch with their emotions and either avoid, ignore, or push them away. It can be challenging to face disturbing memories, but that's why having a qualified EMDR therapist who can guide you through the healing process is crucial.

The feelings that accompany the traumatic memories can be uncomfortable at first. However, part of the EMDR treatment process is learning to allow those feelings to be present.

I remind my clients that emotions are visitors. It is not about negative emotions versus positive emotions. Emotions are just emotions. They come and sit with us for some time and then move on. Ignoring, avoiding, or pushing them away does not make them disappear. Instead, the emotions are stuffed down, which can negatively affect your well-being.

It's important to remember that your feelings do not control you; you control your feelings. The initial phases of EMDR treatment can be exhausting as you begin to acknowledge what you're feeling and allow those emotions to be released.

Emotional healing often means tears, but that's not a bad thing. When I see a client cry, I know that something inside them that they have been holding onto is being released. It is part of the healing process.

Processing and Integration

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy is an effective treatment for a variety of issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder. As you progress through EMDR treatment, you will notice shifts in your thought patterns.

You will notice internal shifts as well. Your emotional responses to being triggered will change. Angry, sad, etc., will start to lessen.

As a result of the internal shifts, your behaviors will also shift. Where you once may have had an angry emotional response, you will notice yourself feeling less angry and acting out of anger less.

The most significant change with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy is that the traumatic memories that you've been working on during your therapy sessions will become less overwhelming and emotionally charged. The emotional distress you used to deal with will begin to lessen little by little, creating more peace in your life.

Common Side Effects

As you progress through your healing journey, one of the most common side effects of EMDR trauma therapy is that you will feel some level of tiredness after each session. This is not bad, but it is an excellent sign that the EMDR process works. Even a regular talk therapy session can be tiring emotionally and mentally.

With EMDR treatment being deeperwork, you are more likely to notice emotional and mental fatigue. I caution my clients about this so they can plan their EMDR therapy sessions accordingly.

After an EMDR therapy session, you may feel a bit "raw" after processing past traumatic experiences. Your EMDR therapist will use specific techniques to wrap up the session in a way that allows you to feel grounded and calm so you can return to your day.

In the first couple of days after your EMDR therapy session, you may notice feeling calmer. You may also notice feeling more emotional on some level, especially if you had a tendency not to deal with your emotions. This is part of the healing process and a positive thing as your body is learning to release trapped emotions.

Long-Term Effects

As mentioned above, through EMDR treatment, the traumatic events and distressing memories that used to affect you negatively will be reprocessed more healthily.

The feelings that would come up for you when thinking about a traumatic memory will be desensitized so that you have a greater sense of peace. In addition, the negative thoughts and beliefs that would come up regarding a traumatic memory will become more neutral as a result of EMDR reprocessing.

EMDR treatment cannot erase distressing memories, but it does create a way for that memory to be filed away in your brain in a healthier manner.

As a result of the traumatic memory being resolved, your anxiety and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder will decrease significantly. Instead of being controlled by past traumatic life events, you will feel free and more in control.

Coping Strategies Post-EMDR

Through the healing process of EMDR treatment, you will learn new self-care strategies and coping skills specific to EMDR. Some coping skills for overall personal growth tend to be helpful for most people, and you can use them in between your therapy sessions and after you've completed the EMDR process.

The first coping skill is journaling. Sometimes, journaling gets a bad rap, but journaling is simply a way to get the tornado of thoughts and worries that tend to overwhelm you.

Journaling does not mean eloquent Shakespearean sentences. Journaling can be drawing or jotting down words or phrases. When you feel overwhelmed, grab a piece of paper or notebook and put it all on paper. Dump all those negative thoughts or worries causing you emotional distress. It can provide a fantastic sense of relief.

The second coping skill is the technique of mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply being present and being in the now. It sounds simple, but in this day and age, it is challenging.

All the messages we get from the world around us only encourage us to think ahead and worry about what's ahead. All that does is create stress, anxiety, and even sadness.

Mindfulness is a skill that needs practice. You can practice mindfulness by simply pausing your day, taking a few deep breaths, and noticing what is happening around and within you. You can ask yourself, what sounds am I hearing? Then, listen as you sit and breathe.

When to Seek Additional Help

At any point during the EMDR treatment process, if you feel unsure or have a question about something you are noticing, you should reach out to your EMDR therapist. Your EMDR therapist should have discussed how you can contact them between sessions.

Your EMDR therapist should prepare you so well in your first sessions that you know what to expect and that there are no issues. However, everyone is unique and has a unique journey, so if you have a concern, contact your EMDR therapist for assistance.

Conclusion

To wrap up our guide on what to expect after EMDR therapy, let's take a quick look at what we've learned.

We first went over normal emotional and physical responses to EMDR treatment. Emotions are normal, but it can be more challenging initially if you haven't allowed yourself to feel the full range of emotions.

Next, we looked at shifts that take place internally as you continue EMDR therapy sessions. Shifts include feeling calmer about something or someone that used to trigger you.

We talked about the side effects of EMDR treatment, including the most common one, fatigue.

After that, we looked at the long-term effects of EMDR treatment, with the most common being that the intensity of emotions and the negative thoughts that went along with your traumatic memories have all been desensitized.

Lastly, we looked at helpful coping skills you can utilize during and after your EMDR healing journey.

If you are thinking of starting EMDR treatment or are early on in your healing journey, I encourage you to stick with it. However, suppose you don't feel you are progressing after several months. In that case, it is more than okay to seek out a different EMDR therapist.

Related: How To Find a Good EMDR Therpist