ptsd & emdr

i have ptsd for over 20 years, numerous traumas involved,
am on anti depressant medication, referred to emdr therapist
and gave him my history and have taken one session invovling actual emdr therapy. results were not that great. i have great dificulty visualizing the trauma(s) and holding that mental image while the therapist moves his fingers back and forth. lasting visual imagery of the traumas has not been a key part of my ptsd symptoms, occasional images but not lasting,my problem is with the sudden intrusive thoughts which bring on the emotional distress. my episodes frequently occur when i am quite tired and my emotional defences are down, also when sleeping as I dream a lot of frightening dreams. is it unusual to not be able to "capture & hold" the mental imagery while the therapist moves his fingers? I find I am easily distracted even when I am thinking about and imagining pleasant things. I find the finger movement or the "sound and vibration" instrument distracting.

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Re:ptsd & emdr, by Sandra Paulsen Inobe, PhD, 02/19/03

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