1. You‘ll spend several sessions preparing before you start processing.
Don’t expect to dive right in. Before you even start processing the memory with bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones) you’ll spend at least 2-3 sessions preparing. Your therapist will teach you grounding and relaxation techniques and you’ll make a written processing plan, which is basically a list of which memories you want to work on. While you may want to start processing ASAP these preparatory sessions are important. They will help you better tolerate the work ahead and allow you to proceed through processing in a methodical way.
2. It’s common to feel worse before you feel better.
In order to desensitize and reprocess a distressing memory with EMDR we have to intentionally activate that memory. That means your therapist will ask you to bring up a visual of the memory in your mind and focus on your related beliefs, emotions, and physical sensations. In short, it can be pretty intense. Given that we are intentionally focusing on a memory that you’ve probably tried hard not to think about, you might feel more raw or experience a temporary increase in symptoms after your first couple processing sessions. If this happens to you, don’t panic! This is a common reaction and your heightened symptoms typically subside as you continue to work through processing the memory.
3. The number of sessions it takes to complete EMDR varies widely.
Depending on your history, coping style, your relationship with your therapist, and what you are processing with EMDR, EMDR could take anywhere from about six sessions to several months to complete. It can be hard to predict how long it will take until you start processing. For more information about the factors influence how long EMDR takes, check out my previous post on the subject.