What Do You Think About During EMDR Therapy?
EMDR can seem overwhelming at first. If you’re considering EMDR therapy or have recently started treatment, you might not be familiar with what actually happens during sessions, especially during the bilateral stimulation phase. You may be wondering whether you have to think about your trauma, and what to do if you don’t remember all of it. Understanding what to expect can help reduce anxiety and prepare you for this evidence-based trauma treatment.
Early Sessions: Building Your Foundation
During your initial EMDR sessions, conversations focus on preparation rather than trauma processing. You’ll work with your therapist to identify possible target memories—specific traumatic events or disturbing experiences you want to address. These early sessions involve sharing your mental health history, clarifying your treatment goals, and creating a roadmap for your EMDR journey.
This preparation phase is essential because it establishes safety and trust before diving into difficult memories.
During Bilateral Stimulation: What to Expect
The bilateral stimulation phase is where the deeper processing happens. Here’s what makes EMDR different from traditional talk therapy: you don’t need to think through every detail of your traumatic experience, explain it eloquently, or even fully understand it.
Instead, your therapist will guide you through your thoughts by asking, “What do you notice?” You don’t need to concentrate intensely or steer your thoughts in a particular direction. In fact, trying to control the process often makes it harder. People are often surprised by what shows up. You might think about:
Another memory that seems unrelated
A strong emotion, like sadness, anger, or fear
A physical sensation, such as heaviness in your limbs
A thought or belief that suddenly feels very clear
Or sometimes… not much at all
Sometimes naming what you’re thinking feels difficult, and that’s completely normal. In those moments, you can describe what you’re experiencing without labeling it precisely.
The Body Remembers: Somatic Awareness in EMDR
EMDR recognizes that trauma lives in the body, not just the mind. During bilateral stimulation, you might become aware of tension, discomfort, warmth, or other physical sensations in different parts of your body—your chest, shoulders, neck, or stomach. This is especially helpful if your mind goes “blank” or you feel numb or distant from your experience.
Sharing these somatic experiences with your therapist is valuable information that helps guide the processing work. Your body’s responses provide important clues about how the trauma is stored and how healing is progressing.
Preparing for EMDR Sessions
As you approach your EMDR sessions, avoid obsessing about the bilateral stimulation phase. Don’t rehearse the traumatic memory in your mind before you meet with your therapist. This can intensify distress without the therapeutic support needed to process it effectively. Instead, practice the relaxation and grounding techniques your therapist teaches you.
During sessions, focus on what your therapist guides you through. Verbalize what you can, and when you can’t find words, it’s perfectly acceptable to say, “I can’t talk about this right now” or “I don’t have the language for what I’m experiencing.”
Moving Forward with EMDR
EMDR therapy respects your pace and acknowledges that healing doesn’t require reliving every moment of trauma. Its structured phases create the conditions for your brain to reprocess disturbing memories in a way that reduces their emotional charge.
Trust the process, communicate openly with your therapist about what you’re experiencing, and remember that your only task is to notice, allow, and report without judging your thoughts.
If you’re interested in exploring EMDR therapy for trauma, anxiety, or other concerns, our team at Key Counseling Atlanta offers compassionate, evidence-based treatment. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn whether EMDR might be right for you.
