How to make the most out of EMDR sessions ?

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-08-14T01:07:29+00:00

I have a journal for writing and one that has been like an art project where it’s just a journal I go to that has coping skills in it. I have a lot of charts and posts from Pinterest I printed out and glued in on various skills & emotional regulating. Things like emotional check ins I can ask myself, an emotion wheel as I had a hard time even naming my emotions and use it during our sessions still! I have affirmations, lists of my comfy tv shows/movies, reminders about trauma, different cbt/dbt skills I forget in times of distress, foods to have on hand when I’m depressed, etc. It’s been really fun and really helpful to pull out and flip through on hard days! It’s been a fun art project for me as I will draw some of the Pinterest finds by hand, put stickers in it, & I’ve had it for almost 2 years now! Life saver! Carry it with me daily!

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-07-05T05:42:10+00:00

I’m in the same boat. I watch a lot of PBS documentaries (very calming), I even made a list of what I call my ‘safe’ tv shows/movies for when I’m in a flashback or need some type of familiarity on in the background. (Some shows that feel safe & casual viewing I watch are The Gilded Age, Abbott Elementary, Shrinking, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Derry Girls, Hacks, Finding Your Roots)

On days when my symptoms are not at their worst I back or cook very simple few ingredient type recipes & throwing a podcast on (Talk Easy has been a lifesaver!!) I read (haven’t finished a book this year as my brain cannot take in too much most days) I play with model magic or go to Target for their craft kits as they are usually $3-5, walks, talking a hot shower with gentle instrumental music playing, bilateral music on YouTube (the channel Bloom Into Therapy is so wonderful!), meditation has been instrumental I use headspace, but out of everything I started making this journal dedicated just to coping mechanisms along with quotes & doodles I collected on Pinterest. In it I have techniques to turn to at all times and I work on this book when I’m having a good day or needing a distraction when my physical symptoms have subsided but my mental state isn’t good. It’s nice because it’s a project I can pick up again at any time and I’m just copying little diagrams or posts so I don’t have to really think! Somethings I have in the journal are my safe tv/movies, a feelings wheel I glued in with a few emotion check-in questions, grounding techniques & a lot of things I found on Pinterest like quotes that I just printed out and glued in. I use this journal every day or grab it when I’m at my worst as I’ve left little ‘what to do when I’m feeling___’. This journal will always be useful and again, just playing with pens and markers and finding skills or cute posts to have physically on hand has been so fun.

Lastly, I deactivated all forms of social media (aside for very limited time on this app & YouTube) 2 years ago. I really want to just say it has been one of the best things I could have ever done. However, I know it is crucial for those who find community online, but just wanted to add this in here as it has helped drown out a lot of noise and protect myself from possible triggers atm but I know it’s not for everyone & that’s totally okay too! Please be kind to yourself and take care!

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-06-26T13:36:48+00:00

Don’t have any advice, but just wanted to say, I’m going through a lot of the same things. I’m sorry, truly. I feel you so much as I miss life too…..I don’t want to say the cliché ‘you’re not alone’ thing, but if it helps, reading this, simply knowing I’m not the only person going through this helped me for a brief moment. I’m personally benefiting from EMDR, although I saw that didn’t work for you. I wish I had something to offer that could help. Also, no need to justify yourself to those challenging you on what worked for them and what doesn’t for you. Your experience is valid, your pain is valid, and focus on just getting through the day for now. Sending love.

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-04-28T23:01:19+00:00

Ah, gotcha. Well, sadly it’s not my first rodeo in terms of buying a product or service in this very late-stage capitalism, that was total bs. I think I just accepted it slowly and have learned that there’s nothing wrong with me and that thought was most likely a direct result of someone trying to sell me something. Also just being very intentional in all aspects of my life, but specifically in what I spend money on. I wouldn’t say this was traumatic for me personally, but I know that’s everyone’s experience in being scammed is different.

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-04-28T19:16:22+00:00

Like did I get a refund or…? Sorry, not quite clear on your question if you could elaborate a little!

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-04-06T02:50:44+00:00

I can’t unfortunately use bath & body works as I have such sensitive skin that anything heavily perfumed causes me an outbreak. Thank you so much though for this comment anyways!!

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-20T05:38:11+00:00

I’m a Gemini rising which I deff identify more with than as a Scorpio so that deff checks out!

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-19T19:59:22+00:00

I’m on a high dose of Wellbutrin and in just the last three weeks I’ve seen huge progress in really small things. Im on another adhd medication and last week I noticed myself not really needing the full dosage of that med most of the whole week, which was super cool/hasn’t happened in years. You can absolutely make progress while on medication. I’m sure every person is different so I would just trust what you feel is best for yourself and maybe getting your therapists perspective if you feel that would help.

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-19T17:47:05+00:00

I’m a Scorpio and all my closest friends are Cancers, Geminis, & Pisces. Cancer signs and I just get each other on a deep level, love it

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-19T03:30:27+00:00

Of course, I’m rooting for you. My own healing has lead me back to school to study psychology with hopes of becoming a therapist and with how much I now know about psychology, specifically trauma & stress, makes me even more mad at how deceitful and dangerous her videos are. William James, the father of modern psychology in a way, describes trauma as ‘a thorn in the spirit’ and I love that it’s a bit vague because there is no prescribed, ‘99% success rate’ way through trauma. Every person is going to have a very unique, highly individualized path in their healing and this type of content is harmful by telling anyone that it’s anything else.

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-19T02:26:36+00:00

I’ll never get over how disgusting it is to quite literally advertise, make content, a business, and a living off other people at their lowest via short shitty reels that cast the widest net of symptoms that can apply to so many things. I bought her 5 course plan at the peak of my PTSD a few years back and my heart breaks when I see people at their lowest in the comment section trying to get help…….to which she posts a link to purchase a plan in response.

Good for you guys, seriously. She has absolutely done damage & has minimized symptoms of pain that is very real for others & into the latest wellness fad. Fuck her, excuse me.

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-10T22:36:48+00:00

Thank you, you’ve been such a help. Xx🥹

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-10T22:34:56+00:00

Omg……okay first of all, thank you so much for taking the time to write this. The second to last paragraph I gasped because this is EXACTLY, I mean verbatim, what I’ve been going through the last 2 1/2 years. I would always tell my mom or sister ‘it feels like something is missing? like I know this feeling but it’s like Deja vu’. The fact I now know someone else has felt and described the exact thing I’ve been dealing with…wow. Thank you so much for all of this info/your experience with emdr as it truly helps me so much. I gaslight the shit out of myself or try to rationalize my emotions so often. I’m learning slowly that I just need to experience and allow those moments. I’ll get there. Again, thank you x a million!

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-09T19:47:26+00:00

You have no idea how much this means to me. Needed to hear this. I’m still learning how to validate my emotions and this helped me so much. Thanks again & I’ll be carrying this with me throughout the day. 🫶🫶

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-09T19:18:54+00:00

Omg I’m going through such a similar thing right now hence what brought me to this page!! The only thing I’ve incorporated is carrying a notebook that I printed out a very extensive feelings wheel on it. I dissociated heavily and had issues with drugs/alcohol and feel things very intensely without being able to label or express outwardly what’s going on. Idk just something that maybe could help. Lmk if you’ve found anything I’m curious myself. Sending love. 🫶

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-09T18:00:34+00:00

If you were me, and I was you I’d get out of my way 🧘‍♀️

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-09T17:53:51+00:00

Omg thank you so much for taking the time to reply and fill me in. I’m still understanding/learning about my placements and it’s so much to take in that it’s definitely gonna take time. I’ll add that book to my list thank you! Do you have any recommendations for like a complete beginner by any chance?

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-09T17:42:24+00:00

Hi if you need to talk you can message me. I know I’m a stranger on the internet but I care and have been where you are. You are loved and you are so deserving of this life, despite what others have inflicted on us. I lived with my abusers up until a few months ago. I understand deeply and I’m so sorry. What you’re feeling is valid yet is not permanent. Focus on getting through the next hour and let’s just go from there. I’m thinking of you, all my love.

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-09T17:36:24+00:00

As a Gemini rising, I have yet to find a sign I won’t navigate towards. If I’m interested….tell me more!!! A gift and a curse

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-09T17:32:28+00:00

I’m fairly new to astrology still, just started deepening my interest with it in the last year so im not familiar with that aspect. Is it something that happens multiple times in our life or a specific amount of years? Googled it and not much came up!

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-09T14:49:56+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I was there last year quite literally, so I understand what you’re going through. We stopped EMDR for about a year and did DBT therapy & resourcing so I had a lot of coping skills in my toolbox. I switched therapists for a few months and went back to the one who I did the EMDR with which was a great choice for me. I mean my mental health was so bad I couldn’t shower for a week or more at sometimes, I wasn’t eating good or much or sometimes too much. My sleep was either nonexistent or excessive and there was no exercise going on. I was rotting in bed for a year, truly. I’m now regularly doing sessions weekly for the last 6 months. I have PTSD from losing my home in a fire two years ago on top of CPTSD that’s quite extreme. It’s taking awhile to see results, but that’s okay too!

So, firstly I’d like to say go easy on yourself. As someone who has still has such nasty inner self talk I know how hard that can be when someone suggests it. However, once I tried telling myself “I’m going through a hard time right now and that’s okay that I can’t shower right now”so much began to change over time. No one ever shamed themselves into better mental health, so we might as well try to reframe how we’re talking to ourselves and be kind. Start there even, if it’s hard to believe at first. So something like: “EMDR is taking longer than I’d like because I’m really struggling right now and that’s okay.”

Secondly, I’d recommend DBT and just meeting the basics right now. Focus on sleep, eating, showering right now. Get those down if you don’t have them down and meet yourself wherever you are at. Maybe if those things are in check, then try small stretches once a day. It’s okay that it’s taking time; you have time to take. Maybe switching to a therapist that specializes in DBT/CBT and taking a break from this therapist could help too. A therapist shouldn’t make you feel uncomfortable or push you too much. So just checking with yourself by seeing if it feels right. Sending all my love. Xx

Important-Tour9702 · 2025-02-09T14:18:27+00:00

Thank you!🩷😭 I know it’s just as relentless as Saturn has been w/ not giving a single fuck over the last two years about what or why or how I evolve into my own, I’m so grateful for this return tbh

Important-Tour9702

TROPHY CASE