Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Mental health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

Flip

Original poster

Has anyone had EMDR?

24 replies

Deminism · 19/12/2018 17:52

My therapist thinks I should try this (for birth trauma) but I don’t know how I feel about it. Anyone had it and tell me whether it worked and what the process was like?

OP posts:

Maddie645 · 19/12/2018 17:57

I have no experience of it but when I went to my doctor about my anxiety he mentioned it and said he had heard very positive things about it. He said it was really good for people who had experienced childhood trauma and PTSD.

I will be following this thread with interest.

Maddie645 · 19/12/2018 17:57

It is the the eye movement thing you're talking about isn't it?

oreosoreosoreos · 19/12/2018 18:34

I had it for PTSD and anxiety, and have found it very useful. A bit strange when you're in the middle of it, but absolutely worth it for me.

KittenEsque · 19/12/2018 18:36

Another one following

Raera · 19/12/2018 18:40

I'm another who has had EMDR for PTSD.
Make sure you get a properly trained counsellor. It's quite painful (mentally, not physically) but is so worth it. I would definitely recommend it. The therapy helps you to work through painful memories and then dulls the memory so the hurt is very much diluted and almost forgotten. It's not hypnosis.

Skyejuly · 19/12/2018 18:48

Amazin. I've had complex ptsd for over 10yrs and emdr changed my life.

Original poster

Deminism · 19/12/2018 20:00

Can you tell me more what the process was actually like? I have read descriptions online but I actually have trouble not being able to see eg I would never close my eyes in a room even with my therapist and when the beautician tried to cover my eyes with cotton wool pads during a facial and leave me there for ten mins I freaked. Are your eyes closed when it it happening?

OP posts:

Original poster

Deminism · 19/12/2018 20:01

Also I have one lazy eye. Only really apparent when I am drunk (rarely) or tired (often) when it drifts. Silly question but would this matter?

OP posts:

BifsWif · 19/12/2018 20:01

My mum had it for PTSD after my brother died and she found it really helpful.

oreosoreosoreos · 20/12/2018 07:47

I don't know about the eye, you would need to talk to your therapist.

It does involve closing your eyes, but only for short periods of time. It is hard, as you do very much feel back 'in the moment', but it has helped me so much afterwards.

I think with any kind of therapy it's important to have a good relationship and trust your therapist, but even more so with something like this. You need to trust that they will have the judgement to take things as slowly as you need to, so that it isn't ever too much.

I spent over 10 years where every time I closed my eyes I saw my mum dying. I didn't even think about it any more, it was just what happened. I didn't even realise how abnormal it was until other stressors in my life made me at a point where I was no longer functioning.

I still have the memory, I can access it if I need to, but it doesn't bring up the same emotions and it's not what I see when I close my eyes. She helped me to focus on positive memories of her, so that when I think of her they are now the 1st things that come to mind.

Through the same process I also now have calming, peaceful images that I can bring to mind if I'm feeling anxious. I hadn't had a panic attack for over a year, but when I did the other day I was able to put myself in the place and calm myself down.

Honestly OP, it's been the best money I ever spent, I really do think it saved my life.

ProfYaffle · 20/12/2018 07:52

My dd had EMDR for trauma following a medial procedure. Her therapist used alternating sound rather than eye movement. Apparently the bi-lateral stimulation can take a number of forms.

As others have said, both she and I found the memory faded enough to live with it comfortably following the therapy. I had to pay privately for it though, v expensive.

LauralovesLuke · 20/12/2018 07:53

Hi, my friend is a practitioner, if you live in Cheshire I can recommend her.

The NHS recommend it for treatment for trauma and it has an evidence base.

Dhalandchips · 20/12/2018 07:57

I had my eyes open. I was miraculous. I'm me again after being a shadow for 24 years

Scotlandiscold · 20/12/2018 07:58

I had EMDR for PTSD. It was great.
I went along without much faith in, what I saw as, a bit of a woo therapy but, within a month, flashbacks that had given my sleep problems for most of my life seemed to disappear.

Dhalandchips · 20/12/2018 07:58

*IT was miraculous

Scotlandiscold · 20/12/2018 07:58

I don't think I closed my eyes at all. Lots of talking and following her fingers with my eyes.

NineInchSnail · 20/12/2018 08:17

Ive had it. IT was really effective for my PTSD.
I had several months of weekly sessions just doing the preparation. This involved talking through my history, being taught some coping strategies, a bit of education on what trauma is and how it affects the brain.

The therapy itself involved focusing on a particular memory or image associated with the trauma whilst receiving bilateral stimulation, which can be visual, aural or tactile. The eye movement method didn't feel right for me so the therapist used tapping instead.

After a minute or so, the tapping (or eye moving or sounds) stops, and the therapist asks if any new thoughts or feelings arose. If so, you then focus on these for the next bit of bilateral stimulation.

It sounds like witchcraft but it has a lot of evidence backing it up as a valid treatment.

ApolloandDaphne · 20/12/2018 08:22

I have had it as have my DH and DD1 as we had a traumatic event happen in the family. The person who did it is now a close family friend and still practices. It is wonderful and is very low key. No need to closes you eyes if you don't want to. I did it visually but my DD had it by tapping. Your therapist would talk you through it. It really is miraculous for PTSD symptoms.

Original poster

Deminism · 20/12/2018 10:48

Thank you all and that all sounds amazing and very interesting. Also amazing stories of recovery from you all - I am so pleased. Thank you.

I am not sure I want to do it with my therapist. I trust him as much as I trust anyone but you know, part of the reason for therapy I suppose is that I don't trust anyone, and the birth trauma comes on top of this rather than being the reason for this.

OP posts:

Original poster

Deminism · 20/12/2018 10:49

@lauralovesluke thank you but am in London

OP posts:

riotlady · 20/12/2018 11:12

Yes, I’ve had it for PTSD. I could do whatever I wanted with my eyes, the stimulation came from holding a stick in each hand which alternated vibrating.

It is a weird and scary process, to be honest. When you’re processing the memories, they can be exceptionally vivid. We worked on one i originally barely remembered where I was in a car, and I nearly threw up in the room because it made me feel so car sick. You can stop at any time and they’ll calm you down if things get too intense but it is tough going. I really just wanted to hide under a blanket after each session.

I didn’t get to complete the treatment in the end because I got pregnant and we agreed that wasn’t a great time to be digging through the traumatic memories. Even just doing a few sessions really helped though- I feel like those memories are less on a hair trigger if that makes sense, they’re still there but I don’t have to relive them every time someone touches me the wrong way.

Skyejuly · 20/12/2018 12:19

I was told to keep eyes open!

chocolateworshipper · 20/12/2018 12:57

I have known people who've had it, and it was a massive help. Must be done by an experienced and qualified practitioner as can cause problems if not done properly

Gotofriggingsleep · 20/12/2018 12:58

Yes I had it for PTSD caused by birth trauma. It definitely helped me as I no longer have flashbacks and can talk about the events without crying.

Flip