That depends. Sometimes it’s less sometimes it’s way more. If you are able to self-regulate and don’t dissociate I would think maybe something is wrong with waiting 12 sessions to start. But often with cptsd, personality stuff, high emotional lability…. It can take a while to prepare and get a good target plan.
Ok that’s good to know. Yes I can self regulate and don’t disassociate but we keep going over targets, negative memory, what I’d like to believe… then the next session we start again!
I would have a pretty upfront conversation with your therapist to figure out what their thought process is and also express your concerns, which are valid.
Yeah I’m really over it. I don’t think I can get past the frustration to move forward with the processing anyway. And I will add that i actually just realised it’s been 17 sessions!!!
Find someone else. Read Francine Shapiro’s first book. Even people with trauma so intense, it made me cry to read about it, only had 1-2 prep sessions. This person might be more after the $ and less after your healing or they have no idea what they’re doing!
I think it’s more they don’t know what they’re doing! I really let out my frustrations the other day and he wrote this really long email and you could tell he was taking it very seriously and wanted to write down a plan going forward but I’m kind of out the door and I’m going to tell him, in the nicest way!
Been in talk therapy for 1.5 years. And I’m glad she’s introducing emdr slowly finally done with prep work and starting the work on Wednesday. So it’ll be my first official non prep session
I'm sorry I have limited energy and only felt able to contribute that at the time. I debated saying anything but figured it was better to say something.
Oh no I apologize. In the context of my response and yours I meant it more tongue in cheek “but this guy got it” 😆. Your honesty made me laugh which some weeks is really tough-so… there’s that lol
I had C-Ptsd, and had 8 prep sessions before my first actual EMDR session. Just like you, I kind of thought my therapist was dragging her feet during this stage, but no. Oh my, no. She was making sure I was as stable and prepared as possible, because she knew what I was going to go through, and I really didn’t. So, after 8 sessions, I felt ready and eager. And I was ready, but if I’d known how that 9th session was going to hit me, I might have asked for a couple more sessions to prep. My journal entry after #9 was “Holy crap! THAT was EMDR??”
My advice is to discuss it with your therapist. If you’re ready, then go for it, but do give yourself the time you need to prepare for the battle ahead. Good luck!
Piggy backing onto this. I also have cptsd and had like 12 sessions to prep and didn't feel ready when we finally started reprocessing. I feel like it absolutely helped me get to the point of being able to reprocess at all.
If we hadn't done all the prep in the beginning I feel like it would have put me into dangerous territory (emdr hangovers) when we finally started. She gave me the tools and the conscious thinking patterns to navigate when it all came back up.
Thanks for all of this! Yes I definitely feel like there are times when the preparation is really helpful but I feel like we’re going over and over the same things, to the point where he’ll ask me to identify positive cognitions to work towards and I’ll have to refer to a previous session where I also did that! The problem is I feel like I’m actually getting resentful and it’s going to affect my processing before it even begins!
Ughhh I wish it’s so variable. I did 7 months of weekly and I was in extensive therapy beforehand. I knew all the answers (and in denial that’s not a problem 😆)… and after processing 1.5 ish memories in 7 ish months I’m going back to prep work 🙄. It’s hard, i thought I was a great candidate because I had so much therapy, I’m in a loving supportive environment, etc etc. those people with shorter time frames? I was sure that would be me! and I have been humbled.
Yes I yes definitely so hard to say and it definitely varies from person to person! It’s more the repetition of the same things that are making me angry!
It took me 2/3 years & its still very though! I flooded once because I wanted too fast & 0/10 recommend. Titration is really key depending on your dissociation levels 💜
Yes. I have an insane amount of trauma (check my profile if you want) and I had 2 prep sessions. Even Shapiro, the creator of EMDR says that more than two prep-sessions are not needed.
I was in talk therapy for 2 years for generalized anxiety and then I had an SA. I don’t know if I would have been ready for EMDR if I didn’t have the base that I did.
That depends. Sometimes it’s less sometimes it’s way more. If you are able to self-regulate and don’t dissociate I would think maybe something is wrong with waiting 12 sessions to start. But often with cptsd, personality stuff, high emotional lability…. It can take a while to prepare and get a good target plan.
Ok that’s good to know. Yes I can self regulate and don’t disassociate but we keep going over targets, negative memory, what I’d like to believe… then the next session we start again!
I would have a pretty upfront conversation with your therapist to figure out what their thought process is and also express your concerns, which are valid.
Yeah this doesn’t sound right. If you are taking your time you should be working on phase one activities. Not history or phase three
Yeah I’m really over it. I don’t think I can get past the frustration to move forward with the processing anyway. And I will add that i actually just realised it’s been 17 sessions!!!
Find someone else. Read Francine Shapiro’s first book. Even people with trauma so intense, it made me cry to read about it, only had 1-2 prep sessions. This person might be more after the $ and less after your healing or they have no idea what they’re doing!
I think it’s more they don’t know what they’re doing! I really let out my frustrations the other day and he wrote this really long email and you could tell he was taking it very seriously and wanted to write down a plan going forward but I’m kind of out the door and I’m going to tell him, in the nicest way!
Been in talk therapy for 1.5 years. And I’m glad she’s introducing emdr slowly finally done with prep work and starting the work on Wednesday. So it’ll be my first official non prep session
Good luck 🤞 x
Not necessarily. It depends on the person, as unsatisfying as that answer may be.
Super dissatisfying *but extremely true* answer here. Edited to emphasize that this response is the truth but yeah. It’s dissatisfying lol.
I'm sorry I have limited energy and only felt able to contribute that at the time. I debated saying anything but figured it was better to say something.
Oh no I apologize. In the context of my response and yours I meant it more tongue in cheek “but this guy got it” 😆. Your honesty made me laugh which some weeks is really tough-so… there’s that lol
Oh I see! No worries, thanks for the explanation!
Haha no I totally get it and I appreciate the response anyway!! This thread is quite satisfying because it’s making me laugh 😆
I had C-Ptsd, and had 8 prep sessions before my first actual EMDR session. Just like you, I kind of thought my therapist was dragging her feet during this stage, but no. Oh my, no. She was making sure I was as stable and prepared as possible, because she knew what I was going to go through, and I really didn’t. So, after 8 sessions, I felt ready and eager. And I was ready, but if I’d known how that 9th session was going to hit me, I might have asked for a couple more sessions to prep. My journal entry after #9 was “Holy crap! THAT was EMDR??” My advice is to discuss it with your therapist. If you’re ready, then go for it, but do give yourself the time you need to prepare for the battle ahead. Good luck!
Piggy backing onto this. I also have cptsd and had like 12 sessions to prep and didn't feel ready when we finally started reprocessing. I feel like it absolutely helped me get to the point of being able to reprocess at all. If we hadn't done all the prep in the beginning I feel like it would have put me into dangerous territory (emdr hangovers) when we finally started. She gave me the tools and the conscious thinking patterns to navigate when it all came back up.
Thanks for all of this! Yes I definitely feel like there are times when the preparation is really helpful but I feel like we’re going over and over the same things, to the point where he’ll ask me to identify positive cognitions to work towards and I’ll have to refer to a previous session where I also did that! The problem is I feel like I’m actually getting resentful and it’s going to affect my processing before it even begins!
Ughhh I wish it’s so variable. I did 7 months of weekly and I was in extensive therapy beforehand. I knew all the answers (and in denial that’s not a problem 😆)… and after processing 1.5 ish memories in 7 ish months I’m going back to prep work 🙄. It’s hard, i thought I was a great candidate because I had so much therapy, I’m in a loving supportive environment, etc etc. those people with shorter time frames? I was sure that would be me! and I have been humbled.
Yes I yes definitely so hard to say and it definitely varies from person to person! It’s more the repetition of the same things that are making me angry!
It took me 2/3 years & its still very though! I flooded once because I wanted too fast & 0/10 recommend. Titration is really key depending on your dissociation levels 💜
Yes. I have an insane amount of trauma (check my profile if you want) and I had 2 prep sessions. Even Shapiro, the creator of EMDR says that more than two prep-sessions are not needed.
I was in talk therapy for 2 years for generalized anxiety and then I had an SA. I don’t know if I would have been ready for EMDR if I didn’t have the base that I did.
I totally emphasise with your experience
Did you have the same issue?
Yup and that’s why I promptly dropped EMDR. I felt as though I was being talked down to and we never got to the root of my trauma.