EMDR, Dissociation and Stabilization Techniques
Key Takeaways
Stabilization before EMDR is essential: Before processing trauma with EMDR, therapists help you build coping skills and a sense of safety. In this preparation phase, you learn techniques (like grounding and relaxation) to handle distress so you don’t become overwhelmed when tough memories surface. This foundation ensures you feel stable enough to face trauma memories with confidence.
Dissociation is a protective mechanism: Dissociation means feeling disconnected from reality, yourself, or your memories – it’s your brain’s way of shielding you from extreme stress or trauma. In everyday life it might look like “zoning out,” but in severe cases (like Dissociative Identity Disorder or PTSD) it can disrupt daily functioning. EMDR therapy acknowledges dissociation as a survival response and works with it, not against it.
Grounding techniques keep you present: Simple grounding exercises are key to managing dissociation during EMDR sessions. Techniques like mindful breathing, tuning into sounds around you, or touching a textured object help bring your focus back to the present moment. Even physical tricks – walking barefoot, holding an ice cube, or splashing cold water on your face – can snap you back from a dissociative “fog” and keep you emotionally stable.
“Safe Place” visualization builds security: EMDR often uses a Safe or Calm Place exercise to create an inner refuge of calm. You vividly imagine a peaceful, comforting scene and pair it with deep breaths and bilateral stimulation (eye movements or taps). This installed safe place becomes a mental retreat you can return to whenever therapy feels intense, helping to quickly soothe panic or dissociation.
Therapists adapt EMDR for dissociation: A trained EMDR therapist will adjust the pace and methods if you’re prone to dissociation. They use shorter sets of eye movements, frequent check-ins, and other interventions to prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. If you show signs of dissociating (like getting distant or unresponsive), they will pause the trauma processing immediately and help ground you in the present. Your safety is the top priority.
EMDR can help complex trauma with care: Even if you have a dissociative disorder or complex PTSD, EMDR can be beneficial – but it must be done slowly and carefully. Research and experts note that standard EMDR needs to be modified for these cases. This means spending extra time on stabilization, processing trauma in small, tolerable pieces (to avoid a flood of overwhelming memories), and only proceeding when you feel reasonably stable. With an experienced therapist and proper techniques, EMDR can actually reduce dissociative symptoms by healing the underlying trauma.
Understanding Dissociation and Why It Matters in EMDR
Dissociation is basically your mind’s emergency brake. When something is too frightening or painful to handle, your brain might “disconnect” to protect you. You might feel numb, like you’re watching yourself from outside your body, or like the world around you isn’t real. This is normal – it’s a built-in survival mechanism, especially common in people who went through abuse or trauma in childhood. For instance, during a car accident you might feel like everything is happening in slow motion or like you’re oddly detached – that’s dissociation kicking in to shield you from the full shock in the moment.
In therapy, and particularly during trauma-focused treatments like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), dissociation can sometimes pop up. EMDR is a therapy that helps you process traumatic memories by having you recall aspects of the trauma while doing gentle back-and-forth eye movements or tapping. It sounds a bit strange, but this bilateral stimulation helps the brain reprocess stuck memories. However, if those memories are very intense, there’s a risk that you might start to dissociate (zone out or feel disconnected) as a way to cope with the stress of recalling the trauma.
That’s why EMDR therapists are very mindful of dissociation. If you have a history of dissociating or show signs of it, your therapist will adjust the treatment. In fact, before even starting the memory processing phases of EMDR, your therapist will spend a good amount of time in the Preparation Phase teaching you stabilization techniques. This phase is all about equipping you with tools to handle difficult emotions. Think of it like training with safety gear before climbing a mountain. You and your therapist will work on skills to keep you grounded, like practicing relaxation exercises, creating a safe mental place, and planning how to signal if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Building this sense of safety and trust is crucial so that once you start focusing on traumatic memories, you won’t get completely overwhelmed or “stuck” in a dissociative state.
Every person experiences dissociation differently – for some, it might last just a few seconds of feeling “spacey,” and for others, it could be a more pronounced split in awareness. Because of this, therapists must tailor EMDR to each client’s needs. If someone is highly dissociative, doing standard EMDR at full speed would be like pushing a car from 0 to 100 mph on ice – it’s dangerous and bound to spin out. Instead, the therapist will go slow and steady: more preparation sessions, very brief exposure to traumatic memories at first, and lots of breaks and grounding in between. This customized pacing prevents the therapy from backfiring. In fact, monitoring your level of distress continuously and adjusting on the fly is a key part of EMDR when dissociation is a risk. The therapist might ask frequently how present you’re feeling, or notice your body language (for example, a distant look or sudden silence could signal you’re “checking out”). If those signs appear, they will stop the eye movements and bring you back to the here-and-now before continuing.
Stabilization Techniques in EMDR: Staying Grounded
Stabilization techniques are positive skills and exercises that keep one foot in the present and emotions under control. These techniques are taught and practiced in early EMDR sessions (and throughout, as needed) to help you handle intense feelings without dissociating. Here are some of the core stabilization and grounding techniques you’ll likely encounter:
Grounding Exercises
Grounding means anchoring yourself to the present moment. When you start feeling disconnected or triggered by a memory, grounding techniques pull you back to “here and now” by using your five senses or body. They are simple, but surprisingly effective. Some common grounding exercises used in EMDR include:
Mindful breathing: Take slow, deep breaths and pay attention to the feeling of the air entering and leaving your nose or lungs. You might count your breaths or repeat a calming word. Focusing on breathing not only reduces panic, it also reminds your brain that right now you are safe.
Sensory awareness: Tune in to details around you. For example, name 5 things you see in the room, 4 things you can feel (your feet on the floor, your hands on your lap), 3 things you hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste. This “5-4-3-2-1” technique is a classic for ending dissociation. Similarly, listening intently to surrounding sounds or touching something with an interesting texture (like a smooth stone or the fabric of a cushion) can jolt you out of a dissociative haze.
Physical grounding: These techniques use bodily sensations to bring you back. For instance, you might stand up and walk barefoot, paying attention to how the floor feels under each footstep.Or hold an ice cube in your hand – the sharp cold temperature is very effective at drawing your focus outward to your body. Even splashing cold water on your face can help; that sudden sensation tells your nervous system that you’re here in your body, in the present, and it can snap you out of feeling frozen or “floaty”. Other people find wrapping themselves in a cozy blanket and noticing the warmth and weight is grounding. The idea is to use concrete sensations to counteract the floaty, numb, or unreal feelings of dissociation.
Your therapist will encourage you to practice these grounding skills in and out of sessions. By practicing, you train your body to calm itself. Over time, you’ll get better at noticing early signs that you’re starting to dissociate (like your mind drifting or your vision going fuzzy) and can use a grounding exercise to stay present.
The Safe Place Visualization
Another cornerstone of EMDR stabilization is the Safe Place (Calm Place) exercise. This is a guided imagery technique that helps you create a strong mental picture of a place where you feel completely safe, calm, and comforted. It could be a real place (perhaps your grandmother’s kitchen or a quiet spot at the beach) or an imaginary one (like a peaceful mountaintop temple or a cozy cottage in the woods).
During therapy, your EMDR clinician will help you build this scene in your mind in detail: What do you see, hear, and smell there? How does your body feel when you imagine being in this safe space? You might describe feeling warm sun on your skin, or the sound of gentle ocean waves – whatever makes it vivid and relaxing for you. As you concentrate on these sensations of safety, the therapist will typically incorporate bilateral stimulation (for example, moving their fingers for your eyes to follow, or tapping alternately on your hands). This pairing of the positive image with the bilateral stimulation “installs” the safe place deeply in your memory networks.
You also choose a cue word – a simple word that you associate with your safe place (like “beach” or “calm”). Later, if you start to feel anxious or disconnected, the therapist might prompt you to recall your safe place or say your cue word, and your mind can quickly reconnect to those feelings of comfort and safety you practiced. Essentially, the safe place becomes a mental refuge you can retreat to anytime you need emotional safety. Many clients practice their safe place visualization at home, too, so it becomes easier to summon when under stress.
This technique is incredibly useful if trauma processing in EMDR stirs up intense emotion. At any point, you can take a break, go to your safe place visualization for a few moments, and regain a sense of calm. It’s like hitting the “pause” button and wrapping yourself in a soft blanket before continuing the hard work. Therapists often won’t proceed into the challenging parts of EMDR (like talking through traumatic memories) until you’ve got a reliable safe place tool established, because it’s one of your key safeguards against dissociation or overwhelm.
The Container Technique
The Container exercise is another visualization tool often used in preparation for EMDR. It’s designed to help you “set aside” distressing thoughts or feelings that might otherwise flood you. Imagine having a strong, secure container – like a mental vault, box or safe – where you can lock away those upsetting images and emotions when you’re not ready to deal with them. During therapy, your counselor might guide you in visualizing this container in detail (maybe it’s a steel safe with a heavy door, or a vault with a code). You practice taking an intrusive thought or a surge of emotion, putting it into this container, and sealing it shut.
The container isn’t to avoid your issues forever, but to give you control over when to confront them. For example, if a traumatic memory starts to feel overpowering between sessions, you can mentally lock it in your container and tell yourself, “I’ll deal with that later with my therapist’s help. For now, it’s put away.” Many people find this reduces anxiety because you’re not just being haunted by the trauma at random times – you have a strategy to contain it until you choose to address it. It provides a sense of control and prevents you from getting overwhelmed or re-traumatized by continuous thoughts of the trauma. Therapists will often remind you at the end of a tough EMDR session to “put any remaining distress in your container” so you can leave the session feeling safer. It’s a temporary holding strategy, but very effective for stabilization.
Other Coping Strategies and Resources
In addition to grounding, safe place, and container techniques, EMDR therapists might introduce other coping strategies. These can include mindfulness practices, light physical exercises, or even creative activities – anything that helps you regulate emotion. Some therapists incorporate elements from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), like distress tolerance skills (for example, holding ice is actually a DBT skill called TIP; another is intense exercise or using temperature changes to quickly shift your mood). The goal is to expand your toolbox for self-soothing.
Journaling or tracking your feelings between sessions can also be a stabilization tool. Writing down dreams, bodily sensations, or emotions that come up after EMDR sessions can help you and your therapist identify if you’re having any delayed reactions or dissociative episodes. It’s normal for new memories or feelings to surface in the days after processing trauma. By journaling and discussing these, you ensure they don’t catch you off-guard. Your therapist might also teach you ways to orient to the present, such as looking around the room and naming where you are and what date it is, which reminds the brain that the traumatic event is not happening now.
Finally, building a support system is a form of stabilization too. Trauma work can be draining. Having safe people (friends, family, or support groups) to talk to, or comforting routines (like a nightly herbal tea, prayer/meditation, or a favorite hobby) can keep you grounded outside of therapy. Self-care is not just bubble baths; it’s anything that replenishes your sense of safety. A stable daily routine – regular sleep, meals, light exercise – also lays the groundwork so that intense therapy has less chance of throwing you off balance. Think of stabilization holistically: it’s about creating as much physical and emotional safety in your life as possible while you do the hard work of healing trauma.
How EMDR is Adapted for Clients Who Dissociate
If you have significant dissociative symptoms or a dissociative disorder, EMDR is approached very thoughtfully. Standard EMDR protocols are tweaked because, as mental health experts note, the usual way of doing EMDR (which often involves processing trauma memories at length in a session) might not be suitable for someone who dissociates a lot. Instead, the therapist will use a modified approach often called a “phase-oriented” treatment. This comes from a common trauma therapy model with three phases: Stabilization, Trauma Processing, and Integration.
Phase 1: Stabilization and Safety: This is where you might spend a relatively longer time if you dissociate. The therapist ensures you have strong coping skills before touching the trauma. They might even do some partial EMDR interventions that handle small pieces of the trauma or present-day anxieties to help you feel more in control, without going deep into the worst memories yet. You’ll work on strengthening your ability to stay in the present (through the techniques we discussed: grounding, safe place, etc.). If you have different “parts” or identities (as in DID), the therapist may also use parts work (like gentle Internal Family Systems techniques or other ego-state therapy) before EMDR, to make sure all parts of you feel safe and are on board with the therapy. The idea is to get your internal system cooperating and ready. This phase can take time – weeks or months – and that’s okay. It lays the groundwork so that the later work doesn’t destabilize you. As one resource put it, EMDR should only be used when you're feeling reasonably stable and with a professional who understands dissociative disorders.
Phase 2: Trauma Processing (EMDR): When you and your therapist agree that you’re stable enough (you’ve practiced your skills, you feel trust, and smaller triggers are manageable), you carefully begin the eye-movement trauma processing on the targeted memories. For dissociative clients, this processing often happens in short bursts. For example, instead of doing a long series of eye movements and letting a cascade of images come up, the therapist might do a very short set of eye movements then check in: “What are you noticing now?” If too much came up (you start to go blank or panic), they will stop and ground you immediately. They may encourage you to stay with a memory fragment only as long as you can handle, then perhaps switch to a resource (like safe place) to keep you within your tolerance. This titrated approach prevents flooding – a rush of too many traumatic memories or emotions at once. It’s a bit like dipping your toe gradually into cold water rather than jumping in. Over time, these little dips process the trauma bit by bit. EMDR therapists also often target specific aspects of a memory (say, just one image or a single sensation) rather than the whole event at once, to keep things manageable.
Phase 3: Integration: After processing, the focus is on helping you integrate the changes. For dissociation, this might mean reinforcing a more unified sense of self. If you have parts, integration doesn’t necessarily mean all parts “fuse” immediately (and the goal isn’t to force that), but you might achieve better internal communication and less inside conflict. The therapist will ensure you feel a coherent narrative of your trauma and healing – basically, that you understand what happened to you without feeling like it’s happening now or happening to “someone else.” This is huge for reducing dissociation: memories that used to trigger a disconnected state now feel more like past history that you can recall without losing touch with reality. And of course, continued use of your stabilization tools in daily life helps maintain this stability long-term.
Throughout all these phases, an EMDR therapist working with dissociation will be flexible and patient. EMDR might be slower for you than for someone who doesn’t dissociate, but that’s to ensure safety. It’s not a race; it’s about healing at the pace your mind and body can handle. Many people with complex trauma do ultimately process their worst memories via EMDR, and often they report not only less PTSD symptoms but also less dissociation (like fewer “blackouts” or a stronger sense of presence). The key is that it’s done in a supportive, well-managed way. In fact, studies and clinical practice have found that with proper modifications, EMDR can be safe and effective for dissociative trauma survivors, sometimes even shortening the total length of treatment needed by directly addressing the trauma once sufficient stabilization is in place.
Remember, dissociation is not a flaw or a failure – it’s your brain’s way of surviving. EMDR therapists understand this. The goal of using EMDR with good stabilization is to help your brain realize it doesn’t need that extreme disconnect to stay safe anymore. Over time, as trauma is resolved, the “need” to dissociate often decreases. You learn new, healthier ways to cope and feel in control. And you always have those stabilization techniques to return to, whenever life gets stressful.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Can you dissociate during EMDR therapy?
A: Yes, it is possible to dissociate during an EMDR session, especially if you have a history of dissociation. Many clients describe suddenly feeling spacey, far-away, or emotionally numb when a traumatic memory is being processed – those are signs of dissociation. A skilled EMDR therapist is trained to spot these signs (for example, a “blank” look, not responding to questions, or saying things feel unreal). If it happens, the therapist will immediately pause the eye movements or other processing and help ground you. This might involve asking you to open your eyes, take some deep breaths, notice the room around you, or use your pre-practiced coping tools. The important thing is that dissociation during EMDR is manageable. Therapists expect it can happen and have safeguards in place (like the safe place exercise and other strategies) to handle it. It’s also worth noting that EMDR itself does not cause long-term dissociation – it won’t make you develop a dissociative disorder. Any dissociative reactions in session are typically temporary and are a reflection of trauma that was already there, not a new problem being created.
Q2: What happens if I dissociate in an EMDR session?
A: If you dissociate during EMDR, the session will shift immediately to get you feeling safe and present again. Think of it like this: you and the therapist are driving through your memories, and a fog (dissociation) suddenly surrounds you – the therapist will hit the brakes. They might guide you to use a grounding exercise (for example, “Let’s pause and feel your feet on the floor. Can you describe something you see in the room?”) to clear the mental fog. They could also suggest taking a break and going to your safe place visualization for a few minutes. The therapist may speak in a calm, reassuring voice to remind you that you are here, in the therapy office (or your current environment), and that you’re safe. Often they will encourage you to open your eyes (if they were closed) and make eye contact, or even engage in a simple talk about something neutral (“Can you count the number of books on my shelf?”) – anything to reorient you to the present. Only once you’re fully back and alert will they consider whether to continue or not. In some cases, if dissociation was heavy, the therapist might decide to end the trauma-processing part of the session early and spend the rest of the time just on stabilization. Your well-being comes first. Therapists have a saying: “Go with the client, not the protocol,” meaning they will drop the EMDR steps if you need emotional first aid in the moment. Afterward, they will also debrief with you – possibly discussing what triggered the dissociation, and how to prevent it better next time. They might adjust the approach in future sessions (slower pace, smaller targets, more resourcing) based on what they learned about your needs.
Q3: Why is stabilization so important before EMDR?
A: Stabilization is like building a strong foundation before adding weight on top. EMDR can bring up intense emotions and memories, so you want to be sure that you (the client) have enough support and coping ability to handle that intensity. Without stabilization, jumping into trauma processing could overwhelm you, possibly leading to panic, severe dissociation, or feeling re-traumatized. Research and clinical experience have shown that trauma therapy works best when clients first achieve some level of safety and emotional control in their lives. In practice, stabilization means you spend time learning skills like grounding, mindfulness, and relaxation, and you establish a trusting relationship with your therapist. You also work on improving your current life stability – for example, if you’re in a chaotic or abusive environment currently, a therapist might address that issue or delay deep trauma work because it’s hard to stabilize when you’re still in danger. Once you feel more secure, EMDR can proceed more smoothly. Therapists sometimes use the phrase “ widening your window of tolerance.” This means increasing the range of emotions you can handle without hitting the panic button. Stabilization techniques effectively widen that window, so that when you process a painful memory, it stays within a tolerable range and you don’t flip into extreme distress or dissociation. In summary, stabilization is crucial because it ensures that when you face the difficult stuff, you’ll be able to handle it safely. It sets you up for success in EMDR rather than risking a setback.
Q4: What are some common grounding techniques I can use if I start to dissociate?
A: A few go-to grounding techniques used in trauma therapy (including EMDR) are:
5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Countdown: Name 5 things you see around you, 4 things you can feel (touch) right now, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste. This exercise forces your mind to engage with your immediate environment, pulling you out of your head.
Deep Belly Breathing: Breathe in slowly for a count of 4, letting your belly expand; hold for a count of 2; then exhale for a count of 6. Repeat this a few times. Focusing on the breath and counting engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which naturally calms you down. It’s hard for your body to stay in a dissociative freeze when you’re taking deliberate breaths – it sends the signal that you are safe enough to relax.
Temperature and Texture: Use temperature changes or touch. For example, run your hands under cool or warm water and concentrate on how it feels on your skin. Or grab an object with an interesting texture – like a soft blanket, a stress ball, or even press your feet onto the floor and notice the hardness of it. Some people carry a small textured stone or a piece of Velcro in their pocket for this purpose. The tactile sensation grounds you by giving your brain something real and “now” to process.
Movement: If possible, get up and wiggle or do light stretches. You can stomp your feet a few times or clap your hands – these movements and the sound/feeling they produce can knock you back into awareness of your body. Even gentle tapping on your arms or thighs (one side then the other, like the butterfly hug technique) can both ground you and self-soothe.
Everyone is a bit different, so it’s good to try a variety of grounding methods and see which ones resonate most. Once you find a couple that really help (say, noticing sounds in the room, or perhaps smelling a strong mint or scented oil), you can prepare those for your sessions. Don’t be afraid to use grounding techniques preventatively, too – you don’t have to wait until you’re fully dissociated. If you even start to feel slightly unreal or anxious, using a grounding tool early can stop dissociation in its tracks.
Q5: What is the “Safe Place” technique in EMDR?
A: The Safe Place (or Calm Place) technique is a visualization exercise where you create a detailed mental image of a place where you feel extremely safe, peaceful, and relaxed. The place can be anywhere – real or imaginary – as long as it’s somewhere that evokes positive, secure feelings for you. During EMDR preparation, your therapist will help you build this image in your mind. They’ll ask guiding questions like, “What do you see there? What colors and objects? What do you hear – maybe birds or ocean waves? What does the air smell like?” By answering, you paint a vivid scene in your mind. Then, as you hold that comforting scene in your mind, the therapist often adds bilateral stimulation (like moving their fingers for your eyes to follow, or using gentle taps) to “install” the positive feeling deeply. You also pick a cue word or phrase that represents your safe place. For example, if your safe place is a sunny meadow, you might choose the word “meadow” or “safe” as your cue. The idea is that after installing this, you can just close your eyes and say “meadow” to yourself, and your body will quickly recall the relaxed, secure feeling associated with your safe place. In EMDR sessions, the safe place technique is used whenever you need a break or relief. If things get emotionally intense, your therapist might say, “Let’s go to your safe place for a moment,” guiding you to visualize it and calm back down. It’s like an emotional reset button. Outside of therapy, you can use it too – it’s a great way to cope with stress or anxiety in daily life. Many people continue to use their safe place visualization long after therapy as a lifelong coping skill. Essentially, it’s a portable, inner sanctuary that you can visit any time to feel secure.
Q6: Can EMDR therapy help if I have a dissociative disorder (like DID or depersonalization)?
A: Yes, EMDR can be helpful for people with dissociative disorders, but it requires a specialized approach. It’s very important to work with a therapist who has experience in both EMDR and dissociation. For conditions like Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), therapists often spend a considerable amount of time on stabilization and establishing communication among a client’s different parts before attempting trauma processing with EMDR. Standard EMDR protocols are typically too direct for complex dissociation – they need tweaking. According to guidelines and experts, EMDR for dissociative disorders should focus on very specific pieces of memories (instead of pushing through an entire trauma memory in one go) and only for short periods at a time. This prevents the therapy from triggering a big dissociative episode or what’s called flooding (being overwhelmed by too many traumatic memories at once). For example, a therapist might target just the feeling of being trapped from a traumatic event, rather than the whole event, and process that feeling in a controlled way. Over time, they will address other pieces, gradually working through the trauma in a piecemeal fashion. It’s also crucial that you’re in a stable place in life and have strong safety tools before diving into EMDR with a dissociative disorder. If you meet those conditions, EMDR can actually be transformative – it can help integrate fragmented memories and even improve the cooperation between dissociated parts of self. Many people with DID, for instance, have successfully used EMDR as part of a phase-oriented treatment to process horrific traumas once thought untouchable. The key takeaway is: EMDR is not off-limits for dissociative disorders, but it must be done carefully, and not every therapist is equipped for it. Always ensure your therapist has the proper training and isn’t pushing you faster than you can handle. When done properly, EMDR can reduce the power of traumatic memories and reduce symptoms of dissociation over time.
Q7: Can EMDR make my dissociation worse?
A: When conducted ethically and with proper preparation, EMDR should not make your dissociation worse in the long run. It will not create new dissociative symptoms or disorders. However, in the short term, it’s possible that working through traumatic material may stir up dissociative feelings temporarily. Think of it like cleaning out a long-neglected attic – some dust will get in the air. You might experience moments of dizziness, spaciness, or strong deja vu during or after a tough session. This is usually your mind processing stuff it had compartmentalized. The crucial point is that a responsible EMDR therapist will have prepared you for this and given you tools to handle it. Safeguards such as the safe place exercise, container technique, and titration (gradually dosing the exposure to trauma) are built into good EMDR therapy to manage and minimize these effects. If at any point you feel your dissociation is getting unmanageable, you should voice that to your therapist; they can always slow down or back up in the treatment. In many cases, clients report that over the course of EMDR, their dissociation actually decreases. This is because EMDR helps your brain resolve the traumatic memories that were causing the need to dissociate. As those memories get processed and put in the past, you may find you feel more connected, more “present” in your life than before. So while you might have some rocky moments along the way (which is normal in trauma therapy), EMDR done right is aimed at healing the root causes of dissociation, not worsening it.
Conclusion
Healing from trauma when you have dissociative tendencies is absolutely possible. EMDR therapy, combined with solid stabilization techniques, offers a hopeful path forward. By learning how to stay grounded and work within your comfort zone, you can process painful experiences without getting lost in them. Always remember that you are in control of the therapy process – a good therapist will move at your pace, and you have the right to speak up if you need a break or a change in approach. Over time, as your traumatic memories lose their grip, you’ll likely find that dissociation loosens its hold as well. You’ll spend more time living in the present rather than escaping it. With patience, practice, and support, the journey through EMDR can lead to not just recovery from trauma, but also a stronger, more grounded sense of self. You’ve survived the worst already; now these techniques and therapy can help you truly thrive beyond the trauma. Good luck on your healing journey!
