PTSD and EMDR healing

[Jobug]

Yesterday was the perfect fall day. It was sunny and warm. The leaves on the trees are changing colors and it was just beautiful outside. I came home from a particularly difficult, but very healing therapy session with my therapist.

I've been doing EMDR for the last 3 weeks for PTSD. If you have ever had any issues with PTSD, that haunts you and still affects you, I'd encourage you to look into EMDR. As a Christian, I found it particularly helpful and healing to do this with a Christian therapist. To heal the whole person inside and out, one needs to take the spiritual into account.

In short, PTSD is when one gets "stuck" in a traumatic experience and continues to relive it in different ways...sometimes constantly living in the fight-or-flight mode. (The same experience can be traumatic to one person and not traumatic to another. Everyone has different levels of tolerance that is out of our control.)

EMDR moves the tramatic experience into the correct area of the brain so that one can move on with their life. It helps them to think more rationally about the experience and to process it. It is a truly amazing process to experience. Though it can at times be difficult to do in session (emotional/confusing/vulnerable), it is so worth it. It can open up some emotional pathways that make one more tired and emotional so the time between sessions can be a little strange too. I haven't always "felt like myself," but it's because my brain is self-correcting and becoming who I'm supposed to be.

I've felt like I've been stuck in a rut for so so long. Doing EMDR has pulled me out of the rut. I don't feel as trapped and scared as I was before. So it's a good day. Even if it's a bit cooler today than it was yesterday. I feel better emotionally than I've felt in a long time. I'm tired but my brain has been doing a lot. I feel light and it's so nice after 30 years of heaviness and oppression. There is still a lot of work to do, but a huge chunk of the problem is now gone. Thank you to everyone who posts encouragement and kindness. You help in my recovery as well.

I want to encourage anyone who has PTSD. Please seek out a reputable therapist that you can read about online and feel that you can relate to and/or can help you with your issues. Don't continue to suffer. Lighten your load. If you really want to be rid of your issues that have been haunting you (PTSD), find someone that has EMDR certification. It really helps if you really want to be healed.

[Stilltrying_]

Hi and thanks for sharing. Did you know there is also a "Heal my PTSD " forum on healthunlocked? Another good place to share maybe

[Jobug in reply to Stilltrying_]

Yeah I just saw that after and became a member ☺

[Citrinesun]

Thank you for such an informed post on this therapy. I am in discussions about being referred for this as I have been back & forth with cbt & councelling for anxiety/depression, with little change tbh but only recently ptsd has come to light. & after reading this I think I should at least give it a chance.

How are you getting on now if you are still active around here?

[Jobug in reply to Citrinesun]

Hi Citrinesun! I sent you a direct message