What Happens If You Can’t Remember Trauma In EMDR?

You’ve done everything in your power to bury those feelings, thoughts, and emotions deep inside yourself. You don’t want to think about it.

You don’t want to feel any type of way about it. Experiencing the trauma once was one time too many.

Although this method may have worked for you in the past, you realize it was only a short-term solution. If you really want to fully move forward and heal, you need to look into therapy.

But what are you supposed to do if you can’t fully remember your trauma anymore? Let’s learn more about what happens if you can’t remember trauma in EDMR.

Not Everyone Remembers Trauma

If you’re a little hesitant about EDMR because you don’t remember your trauma, you’re not alone. But the good news is that you don’t have to remember your trauma when it comes to this form of therapy. When it comes to traumatic events, most people don’t remember certain details or parts of the trauma that occurred.

You Don’t Have to Be Completely Accurate

So if you can’t remember certain details of the trauma, you may be wondering how you’re supposed to get the help you need during therapy. Your memory holds more details than even you may think or know. And you don’t need to remember every single detail about what happened. All you need to come into an EDMR session with is a general idea or sense of the memories to get started. Even the smallest of details or memories can typically trigger a response to this form of treatment.

Your Therapist is Licensed, Trained, and Specialized in this Area

Even if you don’t feel prepped and ready for diving into these memories, your therapist is. You and your therapist will work together in your early sessions before even beginning the EDMR treatment in order to pinpoint the cause or any memories you may have relating to the trauma that you experienced. Even if you only remember minuscule details, your therapist will come up with an action plan to help make sure that EMDR is well-suited and can be beneficial to you. Your therapist is licensed, trained, and ready to help you overcome your trauma with EMDR therapy. They have a wide range of tools that they can use that tap into your five senses – sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch – that can trigger a reaction. Items like social media, specific sounds or smells, or photos may be used during this form of treatment.

The Timeframe

If you can’t remember all of the details of your trauma before going into EMDR, there is nothing to worry about. EMDR can still be a great treatment option for you. It is important to note that results may take a bit longer to achieve if you and your therapist are working to uncover and dive into that trauma together. EMDR can still be a successful form of treatment for you. It may take a bit longer than someone who may remember more specific details.

Next Steps

It’s extremely common to not want to remember trauma. It’s even extremely common to try to hide any thoughts, emotions, and feelings that come from your trauma. Burying the trauma deep, down inside of yourself, is only a short-term solution to a much larger problem. Working with a mental health professional is always recommended to fully heal and move forward. EMDR could be a great option for you. One of the best ways to find out is to work with a mental health professional. Reach out to us today if you’re interested in learning more about EMDR therapy.