EMDR Therapy Tampa & Phoenix 101 : How Long Does EMDR Therapy Last and Can There Be An Instant Impact

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How long will EMDR last? Can there be an immediate impact? Will I feel better instantly? These are all valuable questions when considering EMDR therapy as the treatment you are pursuing. And to these questions, I have the age-old psychology response; it depends. It depends on the type of trauma you are coming into therapy for. If you are coming into therapy with a single situation, like a car accident, the length of therapy could be relatively short. If you are coming into therapy to address years of childhood trauma, the length of therapy will most likely take some time.

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How Long Will EMDR Therapy Last (in Phoenix or anywhere else in the world?!)

Those who have had years of trauma impacting the nervous system, brain, and heart will take more time to heal than just a session or two. So there may not be an immediate impact for someone with a life full of trauma. Still, I think the important thing is that there is an impact and that you can notice the load becoming lighter because that’s what so many people crave. This is why I am such a huge advocate for self-care and finding the things that give you joy, whether it’s gardening, bike riding, yoga, hiking, spending time with family, or going to comedy clubs, these practices in combination with good coping skills and processing in therapy can all help someone heal over time. Now for those that may come in for a straightforward case, like the one-off instances of trauma, these things can take less time to process because there’s not as much in the body and brain to unpack.

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Can There Be an Immediate Impact?

For straightforward pieces of trauma, there could be an immediate impact after a few sessions, but one important thing to note is that in either case, EMDR therapy isn’t like talk therapy, and sometimes talking can slow down the progress. If the client is OK with this and wants to spend more time talking, I am all for that, as it helps us get to know each other and for the client to feel more comfortable, which, in turn, helps with developing good resources and processing trauma. We are in a culture where we have gotten used to everything being fast, and while there can be an impact in just a few sessions, I encourage you to be patient with yourself and your healing process as you move forward. It takes time to heal.

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Take Aways From an EMDR Therapist in Phoenix, Arizona

The adage goes, “Time is Money.” And while I don’t necessarily disagree, I also believe that our energy, our time, and the money we invest in something is worth far more than just money. It’s because of this that I so strongly believe that taking the time, energy, and investment to heal is worth more than its weight in gold, it’s invaluable. Whether you are reading this with a lifetime of trauma or just a single experience, one of the first things we can do is recognize, honor, and respect our experiences as we show up with them and move forward in our healing journey. I hope this information has been helpful. If you are looking to understand more about EMDR therapy or if it may be a good fit for you, I would love to have a quick chat with you to talk about what you’re going through. I offer free 15-minute consultations, and I’m more than happy to discuss if EMDR therapy might be a good fit for you or if there is a better fit for what you are looking for.