A Beginner’s Guide to EMDR Therapy in Denver: What to Expect from Your First Session
Introduction to EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy is a fast growing therapy modality that has gained increasing popularity in the last decade due to its effectiveness for treating PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief, and a host of other mental health issues.
In this blog post, I’ll be providing an overview of what EMDR is, what you can expect from your first session, and steps you can take to find the right EMDR therapist for you in the Denver area or wherever you may live.
If you’re someone who is feeling stuck, have heard about EMDR from a friend, family member, or colleague, or are considering EMDR therapy and are curious to learn more – this article is for you.
What is EMDR Therapy?
What is EMDR and How Does it Work?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Basically, EMDR uses eye movements (or a different form of stimulation), which engages the brain and body in such a way that quickly facilitates the digestion and resolution of traumatic or painful memories.
The side-to-side eye movements are one example of bilateral stimulation, meaning that both hemispheres of the brain are engaged and active during each set of movements. This enables frozen traumatic memories to be unlocked, worked with, and eventually resolved.
Bilateral stimulation can also be achieved by other means such as sound, tactile buzzers, or a combination of the sound, touch, and/or eye movements. This varies from client to client, so I would encourage you to try out several methods to find out what method works best for your own process.
The reason EMDR is effective and produces results quickly is that it accesses our natural ability to heal. During a traumatic event, this natural ability to heal can be disrupted, causing the event to be internalized with heightened levels of emotion, stress, and fear. When stored in such a way, these experiences get “stuck” in the brain and body and explains why we may get triggered, have flashbacks, or experience other negative effects.
Through EMDR and bilateral stimulation, we are able to access these stored painful memories and begin to process or digest them in a healthy way by taking what information is useful or helpful and discarding the rest. This creates distance from the event or series of events, leading to feelings of relief and increased self-worth. Because EMDR integrates brain and body, past and present, results can be felt quite quickly when compared to traditional talk therapy.
Benefits of EMDR Therapy
Emotional and Psychological Benefits
When done properly and with a qualified clinician, EMDR can transform one’s life and relationships.
What we don’t realize is that the painful experiences we go through in life impact how we view ourselves and our relationships to others.
If we were constantly neglected or abused as a child, we likely developed negative beliefs about ourselves such as, “I’m not worthy of love” or “I don’t deserve attention” or “I’m bad and deserve to be punished.”
These beliefs are typically held below our conscious awareness, but can heavily influence our thought patterns, behavior, and ways of relating. And it is often these accumulated beliefs from painful or traumatic experiences that creates the “stuck point” or “pain point” that drives clients to therapy.
With EMDR, both the memory and its associated beliefs are addressed, paving the way for new insights into how we view ourselves.
During reprocessing, clients are able to contact their natural ability to heal, increasing confidence and resilience that may begin to show in other areas of their daily life.
Moreover, traumatic experiences tend to take up a lot of mental and psychological space in our minds, so when an experience is successfully digested, there is an increase of space for the things that actually matter to them. This can be incredibly freeing and relieving, often described by clients as a weight being lifted or finally “breaking free” from old patterns and beliefs.
Physical Benefits
Experiences and memories are also stored in the body, which explains why PTSD and trauma can have physical side effects such as chronic pain, poor sleep, or digestive issues.
EMDR addresses this by including the body and working holistically, by engaging both body and mind. When the negative associations are released, many clients experience a reduction in pain, stress, or digestive issues, while at the same time experiencing better sleep, calm, and an enhanced sense of well-being.
EMDR can help you regain a sense of control over your life, making you feel better about yourself and freeing you to engage in the things you actually enjoy.
What to Expect from Your First Few Sessions
All of this may have piqued your interest and you may be wondering what EMDR therapy will actually look like if you decide to move forward. To help ease your mind, I’ll describe what the first few sessions may look like so you can know what to expect and feel confident before your first session.
One of the key proponents of EMDR is to take your time and not rush too quickly into things. Establishing trust with your therapist is absolutely essential and this can take time to develop; in fact, I would say having a solid base of trust and rapport with your EMDR therapist is the most important factor for EMDR being successful.
Take your time getting to know your therapist and what therapy feels like, there’s no rush and the process can go at your own pace. Oftentimes, clients are eager to get right to the painful stuff, but doing so too early can be more detrimental in the long run.
Alongside building rapport and trust, the first few sessions will also focus on a few things: Intake and Assessment, Setting Goals, Treatment Planning and Identifying Target Issues, and Preparation.
Intake and Assessment
In order for EMDR to be effective, it’s important to do a thorough assessment of your history. So your therapist will likely gather information about the various dimensions of your life – your upbringing, your relationship history, mental health history, and significant or traumatic life events.
EMDR works from a symptom-focused lens, so the information gathered in the first sessions helps clarify the symptoms you are currently experiencing and how to best treat them. The more information the therapist has, the more focused and effective the treatment can be.
During this phase, the therapist will also be making sure the client is a good fit for EMDR. Sometimes a medical issue, life circumstance, or stressor may impede EMDR’s effectiveness, so the EMDR therapist will always be mindful to individually assess each client’s readiness for EMDR.
Setting Goals
With any therapy, it is important to identify goals for therapy. These goals provide a strong direction, while at the same time inspiring some hope for a healthier way of life.
One question I always love to ask clients in the first session is, “How would you know therapy was successful? What would your life look like?” I find this question to have a profound effect on new clients, because for a moment they’re able to imagine a life without their current difficulties, triggers, or pain points.
By exploring goals, clients are able to envision a more vibrant future filled with connection, freedom, and purpose. And through EMDR, many clients are able to make this future vision a reality.
The importance of goals can’t be understated, so if you decide to move forward with EMDR therapy or therapy in general, spend some time thinking about how you would like your life to look like in the future and begin to believe that it is possible to get there.
Treatment Planning and Identifying Targets
After goals and history have been gathered, you and your EMDR therapist will begin to hone in on specific memories or experiences you would like to address. We call these memories or experiences “targets.”
Because our memories are stored in larger networks, traumatic or painful memories are often clustered together. By addressing one of these memories through EMDR, usually a first memory or a more intense memory, many of the adjacent memories and their emotional charge are also resolved. Hence, why selecting certain target memories is a critical part of the initial EMDR phase.
Preparation
Finally, the therapist will help you prepare for EMDR by leading you through certain exercises that will give you tangible tools to help regulate your emotions, thoughts, and bodily sensations. These exercises are often used at the end of reprocessing sessions to help ground the client, so they can move on with their day after session.
Finding the Right EMDR Therapist in Denver
So where to begin? How can you find a qualified EMDR therapist in Denver or in Colorado?
1. Look for a therapist who has completed an EMDRIA (EMDR Institute of America) approved training program or is a certified EMDR therapist.
EMDR training programs are extensive and provide 50+ hours of teaching, training, and supervision to mental health professionals. The robust nature of these training ensures that each clinician is providing effective EMDR therapy.
After basic training, many EMDR therapists will go onto become a certified EMDR therapist. Becoming certified requires more training, more consultation, and when completed, shows evidence of professional competence and a strong ability to apply EMDR to a variety of issues.
2. Use online directories and Google
Online directories such as PsychToday are excellent, since they allow you to filter based on therapists who practice EMDR and treat certain issues.
Another fantastic resource is EMDRIA’s EMDR Therapist Directory, which you can access here: https://www.emdria.org/find-an-emdr-therapist/
Google can also help narrow down options by simply searching “EMDR therapists near me” or “EMDR therapists in Denver.” This will help connect you to local therapists and their websites, which you can check out to see if they’d be a good fit for you.
3. Ask friends, coworkers, or other family members for referrals
Chances are you know someone who has done EMDR. Since they’ve gone through the experience themselves, they can answer questions and provide you with referrals for potential therapists. Referrals and recommendations from others is an invaluable resource to look out for.
4. Reach out to 2-4 therapists and ask for a free consultation
Most therapists will provide a free 15-30 minute consultation. It’s a time where you can ask questions, get more information, and determine if they’re a good fit for you.
During the consultation, I’d recommend asking the therapist about their training and experience with EMDR, the populations or issues they specialize in, and if they do EMDR in-person, virtual, or both.
Beyond these questions, I would simply use the consultation to get a good feel for the compatibility between you and the therapist. Clients can often tell whether or not a therapist will be a good fit for them in the first 5-10 minutes.
Listen to your gut and don’t be afraid to reach out to multiple therapists. Don’t feel like you have to stick with a therapist after you’ve committed to a few sessions. Therapist fit and therapist rapport is so important, so take your time finding the right one.
Supporting New Clients: Tips for a Positive EMDR Experience
Beginning EMDR can feel intimidating and scary, so here are a few tips for new clients starting EMDR therapy:
Be open and patient. EMDR is a unique form of therapy that can feel odd at the beginning, but trust the process and trust yourself. Be patient and don’t rush the process. Recognize that healing takes time.
Communicate honestly with your therapist. Honest communication is vital for EMDR to be successful. Tell your therapist how you’re feeling about things, about your progress, or about any hesitation you may be experiencing. A good therapist will honor your needs and be grateful for your communication.
Set realistic expectations for yourself. Change doesn’t happen overnight. And although EMDR can produce changes quickly, it is important to set realistic expectations and to commit to the course of treatment. Some sessions will feel powerful and impactful, others will feel mundane and repetitive. But both types of sessions are necessary for healing. And by committing yourself to the process, you will open yourself up to greater healing and freedom over time.
Conclusion: Is EMDR Right for You?
EMDR is a powerful mode of therapy that can help you heal from trauma, get unstuck, and begin to live the life you’re wanting. It is a process that takes time, but with the right therapist, it can be life changing.
As an EMDR-trained therapist in Denver, I offer a free 30-minute consultation to prospective clients to answer their questions, alleviate concerns, and clarify if I’m right for their current needs. If you’re interested in starting EMDR or are simply curious about the process, feel free to reach out. I’d love to hear from you!