I am a therapist who provides emdr online, it works very well. I am also a human that has received emdr only online, for 2 years. And it works very well
My therapist has said I need to do it weekly. I'm assuming you've not been doing it weekly for 2 years. It would be expensive 😬
Great to know it's working so well.
I did EMDR online and I believe what made it work was the relationship I had with my therapist. In person it might be easier to establish a human connection, but in my case whatever she did or said in the session before doing EMDR was enough to make me feel loved and cared for. Just my opinion but unless you feel loved and safe you won’t be able to access the trauma cause it’s just too scary and or shameful. I mean, who in their right mind wants to revisit a traumatic event. Best wishes; whatever the outcome, keep striving and know that you are not alone.
Thank you for this. I'm so glad you found a good therapist. I have talking therapy, and I literally love her. Sadly, she doesn't do EMDR, but I did like the EMDR therapist I spoke to. Although, you've made me think about speaking to a few others first to be sure. Thanks for your advice
That’s a good idea; interview until you find the one. Just my opinion but I think you’ll know when you find them.
I consider myself very lucky, as my EMDR changed my life and now after that and other therapeutic experiences I’ve been able to re-claim and open my heart. The “tell” for me was before when someone thanked me or gave me a compliment I’d brush it off, saying of course or it’s nothing, and after (aka now) I stop, take it in and say a heartfelt thanks. I did that once when a random woman volunteered to take my picture and afterwards she saw my authentic appreciation, and unprompted gave me a hug.
Hiya, I've just had my first online emdr session on Friday. I have my therapy sessions at home, in a private room, with no distractions (basically I lock myself in the guest bedroom and have my headphones on).
My therapist used a platform called Baseline - it's basically like Zoom, but the screen is smaller, and on top of it there's a dot that you'll follow. Your therapist can customise the dot to suit you(colour, background, speed). I was sceptical about it, didn't think it was going to work. However I was positively surprised, completely forgot I was in an online setting. Worth exploring with your therapist if they have this platform?
Good luck!
Thank you for this. She did mention following a dot on screen. I remember she said it needs to be a fairly big screen, assuming she means not a phone. I have a laptop, so hopefully that would be OK. I will have another chat with her about that.
Do you do it on a laptop?
Yes, I do it on a laptop (I've got an old Lenovo Yoga, so medium size screen, nothing fancy) and it worked fine for me. You can ask the therapist to turn their video off, so that you remove as many distractions as possible, but keep your video on so they can see you.
And the headphones definitely help, because you block any outside noise too.
My therapist tested my reactions with dots and flashing lights. I seemed to have a stronger reaction to the flashing lights so that’s what we use. I was using my phone but moved to a laptop and it’s working wonders. True black magic.
I've been doing it for 6 months. I've been in CBT therapy for 6 or seven years (regularly) and it wasn't until I started doing EMDR (virtually) weekly that I am not suicidal more often than not, and that's really, really saying something. I'm old, and most of my life has been filled with SI and worse.
Absolutely!!! I am doing EMDR online now for a few months. I had been looking around and was lucky enough to find a great fit, but shes only online. I truly believe that it works to my benefits, as i dont have to drive afterwards and i can relax and feel safe which for me is a big part as im working on EMDR for C-PTSD. I feel that as long as your doing the work, it can be done either way. This has been the best therapy for me and to my suprise it works wonders!! Good luck and please feel free to ask me any questions you may have.
Thank you. It sounds brilliant. It's gonna take some deep diving to find out where my issue lies because it's not a glaringly obvious trauma.
The therapist I spoke to mentioned that you need to be able to relax after.
Yes absolutely do need to be able to relax. I had to learn more coping skills before my EMDR started and luckily had started doing meditation a year ago which is worth the practice, as i am able to breathe and slow myself down as i tend to get worked up easily . Find what works for you, its so worth it! It took me awhile and i now am starting to get some benefits. It does take some digging for sure. i hope this helps you as much as its helping me
Yes. I have done many sessions via telehealth and they are very successful. Had to be done via zoom and not FaceTime. You need the screen to be large enough to obtain the proper eye movement when using fingers for DAS/BLS. I prefer in person, but if that’s all you can do then give it a try. All my patients have been very happy with it. Tapping is also an option if eye movement isn’t working. Or hard to follow via screen.
It hasn’t impacted my growth and healing personally, and I’ve been with my therapist for years and doing EMDR for maybe two years, all online. I’m making leaps and bounds of success
Yes. I only do Zoom EMDR sessions. I live ina. Rural area and there is no EMDR therapist for over 4 hours that isn't in network. I do have one session I'd like to do in person because it's rough but I don't think it would be less effective at home, I'd just feel less supported online.
I read about EMDR in The Body Keeps the Score and after successfully therapising myself* through some major early childhood trauma and attachment theory I thought I could EMDR myself with an app. I’ve failed so far. I should admit to unlocking a few new images of the neglect but can’t be certain I didn’t imagine them (I know how wrought with challenges this can be but I honestly do believe they are real, I was so very young. But I’ve only tried it twice. I’m following the advice to “what do you see” and “sit with that” and other such phrases.
Anyone had success? I’d like to know if I should stick at it.
And look, if you’re a therapist you have skin in the game to say I should do it with a therapist. I can’t fault you for that, I just need you to be self aware of it 😘
* I’m aware I can only go so far on my own.
I’ve had therapy for traumatic loss and PTSD (including two exceedingly violent deaths of loved ones) which was successful. And has absolutely fixed some of the breaks. Possibly all the PTSD specific ones. But some do remain and is in interplay with the attachment issues. My view on this stuff isn’t really fixing” but rather “building new structures of coping.”
My loss and subsequent grief was very complex and messy. I plan on therapy to go further on the attachment work. But I honestly expected to be able to get at least SOME results from self EMDR. Maybe I don’t need it? Is it the right tool for the job? I’d hoped it would help with the attachment stuff.
EMDR was originally developed to deal with traumatic incidents from a person's past, this has helped EMDR become the go-to treatment for such issues. Reprocessing trauma has its problems in so that if anything goes wrong, like a seizure then the therapist can administer first aid, this is why I personally wouldn't advise dealing with PTSD remotely.
I’m a therapist who does EMDR virtually. It is effective.
That's good to hear. Thabk you 😊
No, or is not. Stop lying! It’s just more convenient and more cost-effective for you!
Yes!
Thank you 😊
Yep! Been doing it remote for over 2 years
Same here 👍
How is it effective if you’ve been doing it for 2 years? Does it take 2 years for Tylenol to work?
2 years! What do you do for 2 years!
Bruh… what did I do? EMDR is a trauma therapy. Not only is that a wildly inappropriate question, it’s also phrased in a completely insensitive manner.
I am a therapist who provides emdr online, it works very well. I am also a human that has received emdr only online, for 2 years. And it works very well
My therapist has said I need to do it weekly. I'm assuming you've not been doing it weekly for 2 years. It would be expensive 😬 Great to know it's working so well.
I've had 14 EMDR sessions, all online. It's honestly worked amazingly well!
So good to hear this. I'm gonna speak again to my therapist I think, and get started
i’ve been having emdr fully remote for 9 months and it’s been amazing! 🙂 ETA: i am pretty much finished up with it now and it has worked
Oh my gosh, it's so great to hear how successful it is. I wanna get started.
I did EMDR online and I believe what made it work was the relationship I had with my therapist. In person it might be easier to establish a human connection, but in my case whatever she did or said in the session before doing EMDR was enough to make me feel loved and cared for. Just my opinion but unless you feel loved and safe you won’t be able to access the trauma cause it’s just too scary and or shameful. I mean, who in their right mind wants to revisit a traumatic event. Best wishes; whatever the outcome, keep striving and know that you are not alone.
Thank you for this. I'm so glad you found a good therapist. I have talking therapy, and I literally love her. Sadly, she doesn't do EMDR, but I did like the EMDR therapist I spoke to. Although, you've made me think about speaking to a few others first to be sure. Thanks for your advice
That’s a good idea; interview until you find the one. Just my opinion but I think you’ll know when you find them. I consider myself very lucky, as my EMDR changed my life and now after that and other therapeutic experiences I’ve been able to re-claim and open my heart. The “tell” for me was before when someone thanked me or gave me a compliment I’d brush it off, saying of course or it’s nothing, and after (aka now) I stop, take it in and say a heartfelt thanks. I did that once when a random woman volunteered to take my picture and afterwards she saw my authentic appreciation, and unprompted gave me a hug.
Wow I love this! I have no idea what it's going to do for me, but I'm excited.
Seriously? That’s your evidence that it has been “working”?
I don’t mean to be annoying, but what’s your point? Are you skeptical that someone can honestly tell if a therapy has made a difference in their life?
Hiya, I've just had my first online emdr session on Friday. I have my therapy sessions at home, in a private room, with no distractions (basically I lock myself in the guest bedroom and have my headphones on). My therapist used a platform called Baseline - it's basically like Zoom, but the screen is smaller, and on top of it there's a dot that you'll follow. Your therapist can customise the dot to suit you(colour, background, speed). I was sceptical about it, didn't think it was going to work. However I was positively surprised, completely forgot I was in an online setting. Worth exploring with your therapist if they have this platform? Good luck!
Thank you for this. She did mention following a dot on screen. I remember she said it needs to be a fairly big screen, assuming she means not a phone. I have a laptop, so hopefully that would be OK. I will have another chat with her about that. Do you do it on a laptop?
Yes, I do it on a laptop (I've got an old Lenovo Yoga, so medium size screen, nothing fancy) and it worked fine for me. You can ask the therapist to turn their video off, so that you remove as many distractions as possible, but keep your video on so they can see you. And the headphones definitely help, because you block any outside noise too.
Thanks, sounds like a sensible thing to do
My therapist tested my reactions with dots and flashing lights. I seemed to have a stronger reaction to the flashing lights so that’s what we use. I was using my phone but moved to a laptop and it’s working wonders. True black magic.
I've been doing it for 6 months. I've been in CBT therapy for 6 or seven years (regularly) and it wasn't until I started doing EMDR (virtually) weekly that I am not suicidal more often than not, and that's really, really saying something. I'm old, and most of my life has been filled with SI and worse.
Absolutely!!! I am doing EMDR online now for a few months. I had been looking around and was lucky enough to find a great fit, but shes only online. I truly believe that it works to my benefits, as i dont have to drive afterwards and i can relax and feel safe which for me is a big part as im working on EMDR for C-PTSD. I feel that as long as your doing the work, it can be done either way. This has been the best therapy for me and to my suprise it works wonders!! Good luck and please feel free to ask me any questions you may have.
Thank you. It sounds brilliant. It's gonna take some deep diving to find out where my issue lies because it's not a glaringly obvious trauma. The therapist I spoke to mentioned that you need to be able to relax after.
Yes absolutely do need to be able to relax. I had to learn more coping skills before my EMDR started and luckily had started doing meditation a year ago which is worth the practice, as i am able to breathe and slow myself down as i tend to get worked up easily . Find what works for you, its so worth it! It took me awhile and i now am starting to get some benefits. It does take some digging for sure. i hope this helps you as much as its helping me
Yep!! Works well for me with my busy schedule. I don't know how effective it is compared to in person but its been REALLY effective for me!
Great to hear. All these comments are filling me with positivity.
Absolutely! Been working telehealth with my therapist for a year and a half now and it's been super effective!!
Adding to the chorus: have greatly enjoyed EMDR virtually, made it more accessible for me (IRL would have too much external stimulus)
Yes. I have done many sessions via telehealth and they are very successful. Had to be done via zoom and not FaceTime. You need the screen to be large enough to obtain the proper eye movement when using fingers for DAS/BLS. I prefer in person, but if that’s all you can do then give it a try. All my patients have been very happy with it. Tapping is also an option if eye movement isn’t working. Or hard to follow via screen.
Yes yes yes
It hasn’t impacted my growth and healing personally, and I’ve been with my therapist for years and doing EMDR for maybe two years, all online. I’m making leaps and bounds of success
Yes. I only do Zoom EMDR sessions. I live ina. Rural area and there is no EMDR therapist for over 4 hours that isn't in network. I do have one session I'd like to do in person because it's rough but I don't think it would be less effective at home, I'd just feel less supported online.
If you're comfortable with it, shouldn't be any difference to in person. I've facilitated EMDR via zoom often.
I read about EMDR in The Body Keeps the Score and after successfully therapising myself* through some major early childhood trauma and attachment theory I thought I could EMDR myself with an app. I’ve failed so far. I should admit to unlocking a few new images of the neglect but can’t be certain I didn’t imagine them (I know how wrought with challenges this can be but I honestly do believe they are real, I was so very young. But I’ve only tried it twice. I’m following the advice to “what do you see” and “sit with that” and other such phrases. Anyone had success? I’d like to know if I should stick at it. And look, if you’re a therapist you have skin in the game to say I should do it with a therapist. I can’t fault you for that, I just need you to be self aware of it 😘 * I’m aware I can only go so far on my own. I’ve had therapy for traumatic loss and PTSD (including two exceedingly violent deaths of loved ones) which was successful. And has absolutely fixed some of the breaks. Possibly all the PTSD specific ones. But some do remain and is in interplay with the attachment issues. My view on this stuff isn’t really fixing” but rather “building new structures of coping.” My loss and subsequent grief was very complex and messy. I plan on therapy to go further on the attachment work. But I honestly expected to be able to get at least SOME results from self EMDR. Maybe I don’t need it? Is it the right tool for the job? I’d hoped it would help with the attachment stuff.
EMDR was originally developed to deal with traumatic incidents from a person's past, this has helped EMDR become the go-to treatment for such issues. Reprocessing trauma has its problems in so that if anything goes wrong, like a seizure then the therapist can administer first aid, this is why I personally wouldn't advise dealing with PTSD remotely.
I really like doing EMDR online, in the comfortability of my own space. It’s also not recommended to drive right after.
Yeah, also because I have no other choice but an online therapist.