spontaneous emdr

Is this a common experience? I've had some EMDR Therapy, standard and resource installation using both eye movements and tapping. Sessions have been varied in length and my response has been varied - ususally more kinesthetic and a bit of emotional overwhelm, following sessions I have had some level of crisis(not extreme, but required phone contact with therapist). Use of EMDR is intermittent as I can only handle so much and other approaches are utilized.

Last night while journalling on my computer I, upon reflection, sense that I somehow went through some EMDR. I was focused on a particular topic and as I was typing I was aware that various images/memories/experiences were quickly going through my mind. These were somehow related to what I was typing out, however, I did not stop and begin writing about any of the images that were quickly going in and out of my brain. I eventually reached a point where I felt a bit of overwhelm and I had to shut down the computer. However, by then I had also made an important connection about my past. This connection continued to deepen, my awareness increased. This morning I realized that it was like I had gone through an emdr session in the way things had processed as I was typing out my particular thoughts. During my emdr sessions I haven't had images come up and quickly go by, however, that is exactly what I experienced last night and they all had a common thread. These images also related to the topic I was journalling about. Although I experienced some overwhelm initially I eventually settled down and continued to become aware of connections. Today I feel completely amazed and, although the awareness I have about my past is not about something good, I feel calm and okay. It's like I can say, "Oh, that's how it was, that's where I lived my life from as a child."

Did the left/right use of my hands to type and the eye movement of tracking what I was typing on the screen somehow trigger some spontaneous reprocessing so that I ended up feeling as if I had gone through an EMDR session? Has anyone else had this sort of experience? Can anyone offer some explanations? It has been, at least, three weeks since any EMDR was actually done in a therapy session (may be 5 weeks as I can't quite remember the schedule, I know that the last 3 therapy sessions have not involved any bilateral stimulation.)

Replies:

Re:spontaneous emdr, by Sandra Paulsen Inobe, PhD, 03/22/01 Re:spontaneous emdr, by Curious, 04/17/01 Re:spontaneous emdr - clarity, by , 04/19/01 I wouldn't call it spontaneous emdr....just like it in some ways, by Curious, 04/19/01 Re:spontaneous emdr, by , 06/13/01 Re:spontaneous emdr, by Sandra Paulsen Inobe, PhD, 06/15/01

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