Re:clarity

Thank you for thanking me, I wasn't sure if I was going to post that message - guess we all have self doubts at times! I'm wondering what you mean by DID - is this referring to actually having multiple personalites/completely separate identities? From my research, in such cases recovery from trauma does take more time and so you need not be worried about that. I also have a history of various abusive traumas, along with other stressors, and I know I have used and continue to use dissociation as a means of protection. However, I have not been diagnosed with DID. The level of dissociation I have and do experience results in my therapy work moving a bit slower, perhaps, but that is okay - I'll let down my protective barriers as I am ready. I've also experienced 2 previous years of therapy prior to working with my present therapist who utilizes EMDR along with other approaches. Those 2 years have, more likely, provided a foundation from which I can now face the traumas. Couldn't do that before now no matter what approaches were used. I recognize that, for myself, everything won't be dealt with in a short time, I've a few traumas too many to face and deal with.

My present therapist and I have worked long and hard at building a sense of safety and control. (phase 1 of emdr would fit here) I needed to be able to trust myself, the therapist, the therapy itself and so on. I also had to be willing to feel the feelings, I get overwhelmed by them and shut down. So, we needed to do a lot of work in that area also.

My understanding is that once a person is ready to face the trauma(S), go into them, resolve them etc., then, EMDR is promising in the time length and relative ease in which reprocessing takes place. I have had some positive results. Once I felt I could trust the process, myself and my therapist, once I began to feel safe and in control, then, I was able to face one traumatic event/memory using EMDR. As I am ready, we will continue to reprocess other memories - I'm in control of this.

Don't give up on your journey, with a history of abuse then it makes sense that it would take more time even when using EMDR. I really believe that for myself EMDR is the way to go, however, you can make the decision around using EMDR for yourself. Good luck, know that others have similiar concerns as you do and that it is okay to ask questions.

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Re:clarity, by , 08/24/00

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