Preparing the Body for EMDR

One of the common reasons why clients may struggle in the EMDR process is because their body is not prepared to fully feel what they need to in order to process the material we are working on. Francine Shapiro (creator of EMDR) stated repeatedly that in order for Phase 4 Reprocessing to be effective, the person has to be ready to feel all the emotions and sensations associated with the target memory. Often, clients are phobic of those emotions and sensations. We can help them get ready to feel what they will need to feel by directly preparing the body to allow the experience of previously overwhelming sensations and emotions to move through and be released.

This means working to expand their window of tolerance not just in a general way, but in a focused and experiential process to treat any phobias of the raw affect states they will need access to later in Phase 4. This Body specific preparation process requires a slow but steady introduction to the sensational experience of the present moment and of the impact of the past. This goes way beyond “Where do you feel that in your body?” and teaches the client (and us) to listen to the constant communications of the subconscious through the body in its many forms.

The body speaks through sensation, energy, pain, illness, impulse, desire, stillness, movement, relaxation, rigidity and much more. We can learn to listen and prepare our clients to do the same. The most common reason we become phobic or intolerant of our own experience is when we experienced them in the past we did not receive the relational attunement or connection we needed. This could have looked like being left alone with our big feeling as a kid. ‘Crying it out’ as a baby. Or a caregiver that was there but not thereemotionally. It may also be that we received direct or indirect messages that our expressions of feeling or need were shameful, embarrassing, or inconvenient. However the message came, we all have emotions and body experiences that we suppress (or entirely repress/dissociate) because we learned early that we would either be alone, rejected or shamed if we expressed them.

Because of this relational learning which is the origin of our feelings phobias, it is essential that we experience acceptance, compassion and attunement as part of the treatment process. The MYTH OF SELF-REGULATION is pervasive and alluring in our culture of individualism and independence. But our bodies will never be taken in by the lie that we alone can be everything we need to feel safe and connected. Self-regulation is meant to be a temporary support until we can return to relational safety where all our feelings are welcomed and called GOOD. So as we begin the process of preparing the body for EMDR we begin with relational attunement, body to body resonance. We communicate to our client on a cellular level, I SEE YOU AND I WANT TO SEE MORE WHEN YOU FEEL SAFE TO SHOW ME.