Helpful Ways To Prepare For EDMR Therapy
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EDMR, is a relatively new form of therapy for people dealing with mental health issues related to trauma. As a result of its relative infancy, many people know very little about what to expect and even less about how to prepare. If your healthcare provider has recommended EDMR therapy, learn more about what you can do to prepare to ensure you get the most out of the process.
Provide Updated Health Data
Before your initial therapy visit, you must notify the provider of any changes to your health data, especially medication changes. For some people, EDMR therapy is used in conjunction with medication. If you are in this group, if a new medication has been prescribed, the provider may want you to wait until the medication's therapeutic effect has been activated before beginning the therapy. Not only is waiting for this effect to take place a way to make the therapy more effective, but it can also make the coping period post-therapy more manageable.
Prepare a Daily Log
Your healthcare team elected for you to begin EDMR therapy to help you improve your situation, and likely, they will only suggest that you continue this therapy if it is accomplishing this goal. While this option is effective for many people, the reality is that it may not be effective for everyone.
Preparing a journal to log your feelings each day is a good way to measure if this therapy is right for you. You can then sit down with someone from your provider team to review the log and determine if EDMR therapy is an effective option for your situation.
Garner Support
As previously referenced, EDMR therapy does come with a post-therapy period. A significant part of this treatment involves bringing up and discussing specific details related to your trauma. For many people, this scenario can cause a re-emergence of the pain and suffering they associate with the event.
As a result, it is not unheard of for a person to see a brief decline in their mental health after a session. A great way to manage this concern is to garner support beforehand. Ask a close friend or family member to spend some time with you after your session so that you can have someone to help you process it all.
For specific details on how to prepare for EMDR therapy, talk to your therapist.