My T recommended it and so last session was the first time we've tried it. EMDR Therapy stands for Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and this article on Wikipedia gives you at least the broad strokes of what is involved.

I'm interested to see what it can do for me but I'm also keeping an open mind - if it doesn't work I'm comfortable walking away from it and trying something else. Has anyone else tried EMDR? Thoughts on how effective it is?

Thanks,
Shaun

EMDR was really extremely helpful to me.

Here are some links:

The following describes it

http://www.malesurvivor.org/board/ubbthr...1373#Post211373

describe for KenKen how EMDR went for me

http://www.malesurvivor.org/board/ubbthr...6150#Post256150

The following describes the method; the stick etc

http://www.malesurvivor.org/board/ubbthr...3231#Post253231

summary of EMDR on 5-14-09

http://www.malesurvivor.org/board/ubbthr...7493#Post287493

On EMDR: Reply to Andy (AndyS87)

http://www.malesurvivor.org/board/ubbthr...2800#Post302800


pufferfish

Shaun -

I've been going through EMDR for about 5 weeks and I'm finally noticing that it's working. In addition to EMDR, I'm on an anti-depressant (Zoloft) to help me stay balanced a bit as we rattle up my past. (btw, I'd recommend staying away from alcohol if you're taking an a-d). The EMDR is difficult at first, but I'm incredibly excited about the changes I'm finally feeling! Each session gets easier. I can tell that the way I feel about the abuse (and myself) is different. I have a long way to go, but I'm one more person who would highly recommend it. Good luck.

Chris
www.buryingjack.com

I'm in the midst of EMDR, and I have found it really helpful. It's helped me accept my childhood abuse incident, as well as come to grips with my adult abuse. The feeling of relief that I feel at the end of each session is immense, and the on-going stress reduction when triggers arise has left me very hopeful to start putting it all behind me.

If nothing else, the meditation homework that helps with the therapy and further processing is really useful on a daily basis...

I've had a few emdr sessions the past several months-it is helpful especially to talk and revisit some trauma in a safe and concious environment of my own choosing. It has helped me de-link those events from the conclusions/beliefs that they forged in my mind. Chief among these beliefs is that I am a victim and not worth anyhing except so long as I keep others secrets.

I am learning to say STOP, to not carry others anger and hurt, and to uncover more of me.

Shaun,

I did some EMDR a couple/few years ago. I would go into the sessions thinking nothing would come of it, but in the end it really helped my tap into myself and it did seem to help. I am glad I did it.

Eric

My T used EMDR on me 4 visits ago and my stress levels escalated, my metabolism responds badly to anti depressants so I had to white knuckle the 2 weeks between visits and was gaining some normality when I saw him again. He put a stop to EMDR and we talked a bit more then last Thursday he resumed, it is now Saturday and my stress has not gone up, please keep your fingers crossed for me.
Your posts give me encouragement. This time he was more directive in getting in touch with perps, what I was feeling and what I would say to them as an adult as he did the process. That seemed to be comfortable during the process so I am hopeful of a positive outcome.

Dusty

Guys I am starting several sessions of EMDR next week. This is with a T I have great trust in. I will provide updates as the sessions progress

As I already indicated, EMDR was very valuable to me. Some guys have reported experiencing some very powerful reactions. Mine were quite strong to the point I had to just go to the mall or the park and walk around for a couple of hours to cool off. I will be interested to see what your reactions are.

Allen

pufferfish

I've only done EMDR once, but here's my take.

It was with my ex-therapist, and it was an intensely negative experience. I had only just begun to recover memories of the abuse and to acknowledge what had happened (started with flashbacks in the shower, etc), so my T suggested EMDR as a way to recover more memories and to better "flesh out" what happened.

I voiced some trepidation based on several factors; the discomfort and "newness" of all of these things bubbling up, the fact that I had not established a fully trusting relationship with the therapist, and so on. Still, she was insistent that I could gain a lot from doing it, so I reluctantly agreed.

And, as I mentioned above, it was a trainwreck. My worries and suspicions were well founded; I was NOT ready to engage in such an exercise. Floodgates opened and I was not able to handle so much at once. I didn't feel comfortable in the environment of the therapist's office (or with the therapist herself), and so I felt a total lack of control over the proceedings. The strongest mental image/memory that came to me was one of myself lying on my back, naked on my grandfather's bed as he was molesting me, and I was staring at the closed bedroom door and longing that I could throw that door open and escape. I would frequently do that whenever my grandfather would come and take me into his room; stare at that closed door and desperately want to escape.

My T finally stopped the exercise when it became apparent that I was too hysterical for what was happening to be considered therapeutic. I was sobbing and shaking and so wracked with shame that I wanted to hide under the nearest rock. I felt traumatized by the experience, and physically exhausted (I slept for most of the day after that appointment).

Still, I do believe EMDR can be a great, positive therapeutic device if used under the right circumstances (and I would say my experience was NOT under the right circumstances). I would be willing to consider giving it a second try, if my new therapist were to ever recommend it. In my opinion, there has to be trust, a general sense of calm and preparedness before one delves into it.

~Matty