EMDR Therapy Frequently Asked Questions

Just like your physical body reacts to injury, your mind also constantly attempts to heal itself. EMDR psychotherapy accelerates this process, which can be extremely helpful when a memory gets stuck in an unprocessed state. 

It is believed that during REM sleep, we are processing memories and experiences. During EMDR therapy, you have the same horizontal eye movements but you will be awake. It is thought that EMDR works because the simple technique that is used (bilateral stimulation) allows the area of the brain where the traumatic memory has become stuck to be bypassed, so that processing can occur. 

I've shared this video from Trauma Clinic International as it is an excellent description of how EMDR works. Narrated by Esly Carvalho, Ph.D., it serves as a valuable resource for those seeking mental health support and effective trauma therapy.

I will send you an EMDR psychotherapy agreement form by email, which you should read and complete before your first session. You don't need to do anything else in advance of your first session. Just come as you are, and I will take you as I find you. It is natural to feel apprehensive before starting trauma therapy, but I promise to do my best to provide you with the mental health support you need to feel at ease. You will be very welcome.

The first two sessions, and sometimes more depending on the challenges we are addressing, will serve as preparation and assessment sessions before any EMDR psychotherapy begins. These phases are essential to ensure you feel safe and secure, as well as to explain and demonstrate EMDR techniques so you know what to expect during our trauma therapy journey. I'll ask questions about your experiences and a bit about yourself, allowing us to identify which memories are at the root of your emotional pain today and what we need to focus on with EMDR.  

Together, we will work on helping you find your inner 'calm/safe/peaceful place'—an emotional sanctuary. This step is crucial in our mental health support approach, as you need to be able to regulate your emotions before we move forward with processing traumatic memories. I will support you throughout this entire process.  

When you feel ready, we will transition into the processing sessions. I'll guide you as you access a specific traumatic memory while simultaneously tracking my moving finger from left to right, a technique known as bilateral stimulation. We will perform 'sets' of bilateral stimulation, pausing every 30 seconds or so to check in with your feelings. I'll help you observe what you are experiencing between each set, which will then direct our focus for the next session. This processing will facilitate your movement towards more pleasant and preferred thoughts.  

In the following sessions, as your emotional distress decreases, we can work towards closure. We'll revisit the original memories, ensuring they no longer provoke any distress.

Unlike traditional therapeutic counselling, EMDR psychotherapy does not require you to share every detail of your experiences. During the preparation and assessment sessions, it would be beneficial for you to answer all my questions as thoroughly as possible. However, in the processing sessions of this trauma therapy, you won't need to talk much at all—just enough to provide me with brief updates on what you're experiencing as we proceed. This approach allows for effective mental health support while minimizing the need for extensive verbal sharing.

It is important to note that EMDR psychotherapy is always conducted within the framework of an individual therapy plan. The number of sessions varies for each person. Starting with at least 6 sessions of EMDR will provide you with insights into its effectiveness for your mental health support and the pace at which you are healing. From that point, it depends on your individual needs and circumstances.

It is impossible to predict how many sessions you will have. As you progress through your trauma therapy, new memories may surface that you might wish to explore further, leading to additional processing and more sessions.

No. Although both EMDR psychotherapy and hypnotherapy share the goal of alleviating distress and promoting healing, they are fundamentally different. One significant distinction is that EMDR psychotherapy does not induce a trans-like state, whereas hypnotherapy does. EMDR is a unique and specific approach within trauma therapy that enables you to reprocess distressing memories, ensuring that when you recall them in the future, they no longer carry the same level of emotional intensity and distress. You will be awake, alert, and in control the whole time, making it a valuable option for mental health support.

It is important to understand that your brain continues to process your problem after a session of EMDR psychotherapy. Feeling emotionally exhausted after a session is normal, and you may find yourself more sensitive or emotional than usual between sessions. Some individuals may experience vivid dreaming, and even nightmares, as part of the trauma therapy process. This occurs because memories are being 'brought to the surface,' which is a crucial aspect of EMDR therapy. 

Keeping a note of any experiences you have between sessions, including new thoughts, feelings, sensations, images, or insights, can be very beneficial for your mental health support.

You will also learn to use grounding techniques between sessions should you feel the need to rely on them.

Messaging or emailing in between sessions is only for practical matters, such as scheduling or letting me know if you are running late. In general, it's best to wait until your next session to discuss anything else related to your EMDR psychotherapy. If there's something you feel you can't wait to talk about, consider writing it down and bringing it with you to your scheduled session. 

However, if you experience anything uncomfortable or distressing as a result of your EMDR therapy in the last few days, please feel free to reach out for mental health support. 

If you are in crisis and need immediate assistance, please do not contact me initially. 

For further information and contacts, please click here.

Yes. EMDR psychotherapy can be conducted online through video sessions, and it remains just as effective. The sessions are similar in nearly every aspect. The primary difference is that instead of following my finger, you will use the 'butterfly' technique, where you cross your hands and place them on your collarbones, tapping left and right while the EMDR processing occurs. 

For optimal mental health support during your trauma therapy sessions, you'll need a private, safe space where you feel comfortable and relaxed, free from interruptions or distractions.

No, I only work with individuals aged 16 years and older who are seeking mental health support, including EMDR psychotherapy and trauma therapy.

The content of your sessions focused on EMDR psychotherapy will remain confidential, and whatever you share with me will be treated without judgment and with great respect. I assure you that I will never share your personal information. There are some exceptions to this confidentiality, which I will explain in our first meeting, especially in the context of providing mental health support and trauma therapy.

I'm available for daytime appointments from Monday to Thursday for EMDR psychotherapy and other mental health support. My availability changes on a daily basis! I will endeavor to see you as soon as possible for trauma therapy. Simply contact me and let me know when you are available for an appointment (the more options you give me the better), and I'll be back in touch to offer you a date and time that suits us both. If I'm available straight away, I'll see you straight away! I'm currently available during daytime hours.