Re: Did I do it right?

One of the nice things about EMDR is that you can't really flunk it .... you can assume you indeed did it right. Let me describe three possible things that might have happened (not that I know about your case obviously, but these are typical responses to anyone who experiences EMDR):

1) the material that emerged is, indeed, related in some sense to the incident at age 5. For example, if Client X chooses an incident at age 7 which left her sensitive to shame, then her processing may touch upon many other painful incidents in life which were "stored" in the same closet in her brain if those incidents also related to shame. Sometimes the pictures that emerge make the meaning change, for example, they might point out that one had nothing to be ashamed of, or rather, had much to feel proud of. This is just an example, and may have nothing to do with your experience.

2) If the material seems entirely unrelated, it might be that though one part of you is ready to deal with the incident at age 5, another part of you isn't, or is being protective. No idea if this applies to you.

3) Finally, it may also be that the original chosen incident at age 5 seems less important once the processing gets started, and your brain spontaneously worked on whatever its highest order of importance is, namely, some other incidents. That's part of the wonder of EMDR.

In summary, it is nothing to worry about. If, when you think about the age 5 incident, it feels changed and resolved, then your processing went exactly as expected, according to 1) above.

If you feel very blocked or confused about thinking about the age 5 incident but know its still disturbing, then your therapist may have more work to do before continuing EMDR processing, to make sure you don't have mixed emotions about dealing with the incident (this is 2), above).

Finally, if when you thinking about the age 5 incident, it remains troublesome to you but the OTHER things you thought about feel resolved, then you may want to revisit it with EMDR -- unless something else seems more important to do first. This would apply in possibility 3) above.

There may be other possibilities I haven't thought of, too, to explain your experience.

Good luck.

Replies:

Re: Did I do it right?, by Ken, 4/22/00

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