There is a lot of discussion about different therapy approaches and getting started in therapy sessions. You hear about how to show up and be open to change. But what about the finish line? Not many people talk about what happens after therapy ends.
If you’ve gone through EMDR and are wondering what comes next, or if you’re currently working with an EMDR therapist and trying to plan for what’s still to come, this information is for you. Knowing what to expect with the transition can be helpful for your journey.
Your Brain Has Undergone Change
EMDR works by helping your brain reprocess traumatic or distressing memories that became stuck, given your circumstances. Before EMDR treatment, those memories felt raw and kept you in a hypervigilant state, even after the event had passed. After EMDR, those same memories should feel distant or like they belong to someone else.
That shift isn’t just a random feeling. Your nervous system has been reorganized. New pathways have been formed around the trauma. The goal of this treatment was to change your relationship with the trauma, not erase it. The you that walked into the therapy sessions is not the same version that walks out.
Some Emotions May Resurface
Completing a round of EMDR doesn’t mean you’ll never have emotions related to the topic again. Routine stress and big life transitions may cause some feelings to resurface, but that’s okay. That’s life doing its job.
The difference is how you respond. You’ve practiced identifying your triggers and regulating your nervous system. The skills you’ve built during EMDR are meant to stay with you for future challenges.
Common things that come up after EMDR include:
- Feeling emotionally fragile for a few weeks while your nervous system is settling back down
- Catching on to old patterns in relationships sooner than you previously did
- Experiencing unexpected grief
- Feeling a sense of lightness that is unfamiliar to you after carrying that heaviness for so long
These are all part of the EMDR process and proof that the work you’ve done is being integrated.
Your Relationships May Shift
A subtle side effect of EMDR is the new way you show up in your relationships. When you’ve had the opportunity to reprocess negative beliefs like not being enough or not feeling like you can trust anyone, you stop responding to people with that narrative in mind. You might find certain dynamics no longer suit you. Setting boundaries with people might be easier now.
This new shift can feel disorienting at first, especially when your loved ones are used to a different version of you. Give yourself and them time to reacclimate. The good relationships will find a way to adjust. The unhealthy ones may fall off a bit, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Know that this shift isn’t always obvious. The way you react may be more subtle than it used to be. Conversations that would have hurt you six months ago don’t. They’re all signs of a shift.
You Decide What Comes Next
For some people, wrapping up EMDR is a natural stopping point. For others, reprocessing a traumatic memory opens the door for the next phase of therapy, one that is focused on building a healthier future.
There’s no right answer to what happens beyond EMDR. As long as you stay tuned in to your experience and find the support you need to reach your goals, you’re on the right path.
If you’re curious about whether EMDR might still be part of your journey, or if you’re wondering what comes next, we’re here to talk you through it. Contact us to learn more about our EMDR therapy and how we can support you, wherever you’re at in your journey.