What to Expect from EMDR Therapy
What to Expect from EMDR Therapy
If you’re considering EMDR but aren’t sure what it actually involves, here’s an honest overview of what a session looks like and what you can expect from the process.
What Happens During a Session
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a structured, guided therapy. Unlike hypnotherapy, there is no trance state involved. You remain fully conscious, alert, and in control throughout the entire session.
I guide you through a process of working with specific memories, emotional triggers, or experiences connected to what you’re presenting with. Using bilateral stimulation, typically eye movements, the process helps the brain work through material that has become stuck or unresolved.
Sessions are structured and paced carefully. I work at a speed that feels manageable for you, and there is no requirement to talk through difficult experiences in detail if that doesn’t feel comfortable.
What EMDR Can Be Used For
I use EMDR to support clients across a range of presentations including trauma and distressing past experiences, anxiety and stress responses, narcissistic abuse recovery, and unwanted patterns and habits including alcohol.
Online or In-Person Sessions
Sessions are available in person at my practice in Hervey Bay, or online via secure video for clients across Australia. Both formats follow the same structured approach. The right choice simply comes down to your preference and circumstances.
What to Know Before You Start
People experience EMDR differently. Some find it more emotionally activating than they expected, while others find it surprisingly calm. I prepare you for what to expect before beginning any processing work, and I check in with you throughout each session.
How many sessions you’ll need varies depending on what you’re working through. I’ll discuss this with you during your initial enquiry and give you an honest picture of what to expect.
Everything discussed in sessions is completely confidential. As with all registered therapy, confidentiality has limits only in cases where there is a serious risk of harm. This is standard professional and legal practice.
Not Sure if EMDR Is Right for You?
I’m happy to talk through whether EMDR, hypnotherapy, or a combination of both might suit your situation best.
Contact me here or call 0410 573 650 to book a free consultation.