Follow Us

Scroll

Table of contents

Trauma Therapy: How To Answer Your EMDR Therapist’s Question

EMDR is one of the most effective counseling approaches that help you deal with trauma. While trauma experiences manifest in many ways, they typically show up in the form of distressing memories and negative core beliefs. Liz Chelak is a trained EMDR therapist and helps you reprocess traumatic experiences using bilateral stimulation and asking questions regarding your distressing experience. She understands how trauma can affect you and focuses on relief, potential release, and lasting positive change to ensure your transformative journey toward healing.

Begin personalized therapy, online or in-person, in West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton, FL.

Call Us

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy deals directly with the brain. EMDR stands for Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It utilizes bilateral stimulation and stimulates both the right side and the left side of the body to help the brain reprocess stressful experiences.

Your EMDR therapist may not use eye movements only, but they may also use tapping, sounds from headphones, hand buzzers, or even just moving with both sides. EMDR therapy can be used for essentially anything. It not only helps you work through trauma, but it can also treat many other conditions, such as PTSD, OCD, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, stress, and several others.

The questions asked in EMDR are more than prompts for discussion. They are tools that guide your journey through your memories, emotions, and beliefs. Your therapist crafts the right questions at the right time to make the difference between a client feeling stuck or experiencing a breakthrough. With your answers, the therapist can help you process trauma and move toward healing.

Read on to understand EMDR better, what to expect, and how your therapist will use this therapeutic process to help you deal with tough memories and anxiety and ensure you find relief and inner peace.

How Does EMDR Therapy Work?

EMDR works by taking a stressful memory, thought, feeling, or body sensation you have and allows your brain to reprocess it in an environment where you are not stressed out, overwhelmed, or in fight or flight mode. This way, the brain makes a connection that this memory does not need to hold that much power over you any longer.

The therapist crafts effective EMDR questions that can significantly enhance the therapeutic process. It can lead to deeper emotional processing and healing for clients. While the EMDR protocol provides a structured approach, the flexibility of this treatment enables the therapists to tailor their questions to your unique experiences. This way, the therapists can ask all the right questions that relate to your trauma and help to make this therapy a success.

Why Does the EMDR Therapist Ask You What You Notice?

When your therapist asks you what you notice, they want to know how your brain has stored an upsetting memory. This question is almost always asked during bilateral stimulation or BLS. It is when side-to-side eye movement, sound, or touch is used to process trauma.

EMDR therapy targets traumatic memories stored in the brain’s neural network. Reprocessing them can ease distress. The therapist’s question serves as a window into this complex process, almost as a loose association question. Even if what you notice does not feel related to the trauma, you should still name it.

Associations in Trauma Therapy

When asked about what you notice, your mind may think about several experiences, images, feelings, body sensations, thoughts, or distractions. These are the associations your brain is making as it explores the mazes of your trauma memory. Regardless of whatever comes up, it is normal, and even if it feels completely unrelated to the trauma, you can name it without worrying about anything.

Remember, there are no wrong answers in EMDR therapy. You just have to report what you notice. The only wrong answer would be a dishonest one. Whether you are aware of the subtle shifts in your body or overwhelmed by a flood of emotions, your response gives insight into your experience of the trauma. It is best to keep your responses to their questions brief so there is no long break or pause to the trauma process. A sentence or two is sufficient as long as you stay in the experience.

Common Things You May Notice in EMDR Therapy

When your EMDR therapist asks what you notice, your mind may go to images, feelings, body sensations, thoughts, or distractions. Everyone’s response is unique and valid. You must answer honestly, based on your experience, so the therapist can do their best for you. Even if you do not want to share details of what you are experiencing or noticing or if it is too difficult to put into words, you can tell the therapist, and they will continue processing.

Here are some of the most common experiences reported:

Everyone has a different experience, and there is no right or wrong way to respond to the therapist’s question. Whether you notice images, feelings, body sensations, thoughts, or distractions, they provide an insight into your inner work. Trusting the process and giving yourself a chance to explore these different experiences can take you closer to healing and growth.

How to Respond to Your EMDR Therapist When You Are Uncertain

You may feel unsure of what to say when your EMDR therapist asks what you notice. It is normal to find yourself amid emotions you cannot explain. However, it is also important to make sure you are not disassociating, as it can affect your treatment.

What to Do if You Are Facing Uncertainty in EMDR Therapy?

Acknowledging your uncertainty is acceptable. You can tell the therapist that you are not sure what you are noticing right now or you feel a bit unclear.

You can:

EMDR is an 8-phase process, and it is okay if you do not have all the answers immediately. It is normal to feel uncertain or hesitant, but each step you take in therapy is a valuable part of your journey toward healing. Also, there is no right or wrong way to engage with the process.

Embrace the diversity of your experience, stay open to exploring whatever comes up during your sessions, even if it feels uncertain or uncomfortable, and share your thoughts with your therapist. If you feel good with your therapist and trust your training, you don’t have to worry. They will guide and support you as needed.

For more information about our counselors or to schedule an appointment for your therapy, call our office by number:

(561) 363-7994

Disassociation in EMDR Therapy

Dissociation can significantly affect EMDR therapy effectiveness. It is a disconnection between thoughts, emotions, sensations, and memories. It is a perfectly normal, sometimes even healthy, response to overwhelming experiences.

During dissociation, you may feel detached from your surroundings, identity, or even your body. Dissociation can disrupt the EMDR process.

Impact of Dissociation on EMDR Therapy

In the case of dissociation, effectively engaging in EMDR therapy can be challenging. Dissociative symptoms may interfere with your ability to maintain focus, concentrate during EMDR sessions, and access and process traumatic memories. It can impact therapy too. In case of dissociation, your therapist will spend more time resourcing you and helping you stay present.

EMDR is not a quick fix. It focuses on making people feel better quickly, but if you cannot engage in the process, trauma cannot be processed. Your therapist will focus on building grounding skills, enhancing distress tolerance, and increasing a sense of safety before starting EMDR reprocessing. With specialized techniques, collaboration, and support, you can benefit from EMDR therapy despite experiencing dissociation.

Begin personalized therapy, online or in-person, in West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton, FL.

Call Us

If you are ready to explore EMDR therapy, Liz Chelak is here to support you. She understands how trauma can impact your life and offers personalized care for your needs to help you take the first step toward healing. She understands that it is natural to feel uncertain or vulnerable during the EMDR sessions. She guides you through the EMDR process with empathy and expertise and prepares you to embrace your experience so you are fully present in the therapeutic process for complete and long-term healing.

Page Modified on Jan 16, 2025 by Liz Chelak (Trauma Therapist)