EMDR with Crystal
EMDR for bereavement
When we lose someone we love...
It can feel like part of us is missing. We may revisit the hours and days prior to the death of our loved ones over and over again, and wonder if there's anything we could have done or said differently. Somedays, waves of emotions hit and it makes life very difficult.
Indeed, grief is the price we pay for love. However, there is a way to remember our loved ones without the acute physiological response of trauma. EMDR can take the 'harshness' off your memories so you can hold on to the love you have for your loved one.
Will EMDR make me lose the beautiful memories I have with my loved one?
Your memories are yours to keep and EMDR cannot take that away. In EMDR, we locate the memories that are particularly distressing for you and reduce the emotional charge for you so you can remember your loved one with less distress and focus on enjoying the beautiful memories you've created together.
Do I have to talk about my loss?
One of the beauties of EMDR is that you don't necessarily have to verbally share your difficult memories with your therapist. If you do not wish to talk about the traumatic experience in the past, I may ask for your permission to begin with the 'Flash Technique' where we support you to process your memories subconsciously only by bringing it into your mind briefly. Alternatively, we can use the 'Blind Therapist' protocol, where I would encourage you to bring the images that represent the difficult memory in mind and guide you to process it by only asking if the image is shifting in your mind without asking for details.
I was worried EMDR will erase my memory of my son, but it didn't. In fact, it's taken the edge off the difficult memories so I can now remember him without getting upset.
Tony*
bereaved parent
