How Long Does EMDR Therapy Take?
EMDR therapy is certainly more efficient than many cognitive therapies and talk-based modalities. That being said, giving a timeline for emotional healing is a snake oil salesman pitch!
The reason for this is that the mind and brain don’t heal in a linear way. Your medical doctor can give you a reasonably accurate estimate for recovery post surgery or after a broken leg. But your EMDR therapist would be unwise to give you a timeline for psychological healing and recovery.
There are many variables that influence the length of time a person may require psychotherapy and in particular process memories via EMDR. Here’s a few for example of variables that can help or indicate clinical need to slow down the process of EMDR therapy:
Current life stressors and level of emotional/physical safety in your environment
Degree of isolation, aloneness and support
Chronicity of the theme you are working on
Intensity and layering of multiple traumas
Real or imagined felt sense of inescapabilty within memory you are processing
Presence of dissociative symptoms
How big or small is your window of distress tolerance
Ability to notice, feel and tolerate various somatic sensations
Degree of self-compassion within the mind and about your history
Long story short, if you are thinking of trying EMDR therapy, you are definitely on the right path! You and your therapist will come up with an informed plan as to how to prepare your nervous system for optimal processing and deep healing. And just like any other growth experience, it would be important to view EMDR therapy as a long-term therapeutic investment rather than a band-aid solution with fixed terms.
Curious and have more questions? Reach out to us to see how EMDR therapy can help you in the next chapter of your healing journey!
