Red Flags to Watch For In Your First EMDR Session

Starting EMDR therapy is a big step toward healing trauma. To ensure a successful and safe EMDR experience, you should be aware of signs it might not work. Your EMDR therapist's training and approach can significantly impact the effectiveness of the therapy. Let's explore red flags to look for to help you make informed decisions about your care.

EMDR Red Flag 1: Minimal or No History Collection

History collection is the cornerstone of effective EMDR therapy. During this phase, your EMDR therapist should take time to understand your personal history. This includes traumatic events, mental health challenges, and related symptoms and triggers. If your EMDR therapist rushes through the history collection phase, proceed with caution.

Why No History Collection Before EMDR Is A Red Flag

Incomplete Picture

Without an understanding of your life experiences, your EMDR therapist may miss critical information. A complete picture of your life is essential for a targeted and effective EMDR therapy.

Missed Traumas

Traumatic events can be interconnected, and some may not be immediately obvious. A rushed history collection may result in your therapist overlooking hidden traumas.

Lack of Trust Building

Jumping right into talking about trauma with someone you’ve just met is a recipe for anxiety and destabilization. You need to build up trust with your EMDR therapist before going deep. History collection is an opportunity to build trust and rapport with your therapist. If this phase is rushed, it may hinder the development of a safe and trusting relationship.

EMDR Red Flag 2: Lack of Resourcing

Resourcing is a crucial preparatory phase in EMDR therapy. It involves developing coping mechanisms and resources to help you manage distressing emotions. Resourcing helps you deal with the emotions that may surface during later phases of EMDR therapy. For some people, resourcing is quick. For others, it can take weeks or months. If your EMDR therapist doesn't spend time helping you build these coping strategies, it's a red flag for incomplete therapy.

Why Skipped Resourcing Before EMDR Is a Red Flag

Emotional Safety

EMDR therapy can evoke intense emotions. For some, these have the potential to overwhelm your ability to cope. Without good resourcing, you might become overwhelmed and unable to engage in the therapy. Emotional safety is paramount, and resourcing plays a pivotal role in achieving it.

Ineffective Processing

Without resourcing, it's less likely you'r experience effective trauma processing. It's also more likely that EMDR therapy will be emotionally distressing. Coping mechanisms are essential for managing the emotional challenges that therapy may bring.

Therapeutic Alliance

Resourcing is also about fostering a therapeutic alliance with your EMDR therapist. This might seem like a nice-to-have, but research says it's one of the most important parts of therapy. If your EMDR therapist doesn't prioritize this phase, it may indicate a lack of commitment to your well-being. It could also be that they believe EMDR therapy is a one-size-fits-all approach. That couldn't be farther from the truth. EMDR therapy should be highly customized and tailored to you.

EMDR Red Flag 3: Rushed Targeting Discussion

The targeting phase of EMDR therapy is about selecting specific traumatic memories to process. A discussion about which memory to target is essential for the therapy's effectiveness. After the memory is selected, you'll talk about the memory in detail, and your EMDR therapist will ask specific questions. They'll also poke around to see if you have a "floatback" memory, which is a memory connected to another. If your EMDR therapist doesn't involve you in the targeting process or skips checking for a floatback, that may lead to ineffective therapy.

Why Rushed EMDR Targeting Is a Red Flag

Ineffective Processing

If you aren't fully connected to the memory, or if the wrong one got picked, EMDR therapy won't work very well. It would be like the dentist working on the tooth next to the one that hurts.

Overlooking Important Memories and Forgotten Floatbacks

Floatbacks are important for good trauma processing. Sometimes, something is upsetting because it reminds us of a memory that had a similar theme. If your EMDR therapist doesn't find the correct floatback, processing won't be as effective. A rushed targeting phase may lead to your EMDR therapist overlooking significant traumatic memories. These memories must be identified and addressed.

Lack of Personalization

EMDR therapy is highly individualized. The choice of which memory to target should be a collaborative decision. A rushed targeting process may result in a less personalized and less effective therapy.

Reduced Ownership of the Process

By involving you in the targeting process, your EMDR therapist ensures that you have ownership of your healing journey. If this phase is hurried, it can undermine your engagement and commitment to the therapy.

What To Do If You Notice These EMDR Red Flags

If you feel like you're not getting the best care, speak up. Your mental health is too important to approach haphazardly. It's important that you feel a good connection to your EMDR therapist and feel confident in their training. Research shows that proper training and a great client-therapist relationship are the best predictors of success.

EMDR Therapy: A Powerful Trauma Therapy When Done Well

EMDR therapy can be a transformative and effective approach for processing trauma. But to reap the benefits, it's essential to look for red flags in your first sessions. Skipped history collection, lack of resourcing, and poor targeting can impact EMDR's effectiveness. By staying aware of these red flags, you can take an active role in your EMDR therapy journey. You deserve to work with an EMDR therapist who provides comprehensive, personalized, and safe care.