It takes great courage to process one's traumatic experiences. If you are on the fence about when to begin your trauma processing journey, here are some factors to consider.
1. Readiness to overcome the past
First of all, when to process trauma is a personal decision. In sessions, your EMDR therapist will help you understand how your past may impact on your current thought process and self-belief, as well as how your future may look like without the psychosomatic symptoms. However, ultimately, the more motivated you are to overcome you past experience, the more likely you can make quick progress.
2. Some stability in life
Having some stability in home environment, in your career/ studies and in personal relationship is important, particularly for young people. This is to ensure that, as much as possible, we can protect you from more turbulence in your life while processing difficult memories.
3. A good support network
Having friends and family you can talk to or feel safe with can be helpful during your EMDR treatment. As you process your past, the defence mechanism, such as avoiding triggers, that was in place may no longer feel appropriate. Having consistent support from people you trust can help you develop resilience.
4. Grounding techniques
Having grounding techniques in your toolbox, like breathing exercises & meditation, can be immensely helpful to support your trauma processing journey. Your EMDR therapist will help you explore the supportive resources you can draw on in sessions, and equip you with additional grounding techniques if needed.
What is holding you back from processing your past? What would help you overcome that hurdle? Let us know in the comment below!