What to Expect During and After EMDR Therapy: Common Reactions and How to Cope Between Sessions

What to Expect During and Between EMDR Sessions

Understanding Your Experience of Processing and Healing

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a powerful, evidence-based therapy used to help people process traumatic or distressing experiences. While the benefits of EMDR can be life-changing, the experience of going through it may feel unfamiliar or even unsettling at times — especially during and after processing sessions. This article aims to shed light on what is normal, what may arise, and how to care for yourself as your brain works through past material.

EMDR in a Nutshell: Activating the Brain’s Natural Healing Process

EMDR works by helping the brain reprocess stuck or unprocessed memories. This is done through bilateral stimulation (typically side-to-side eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones) while focusing on a distressing memory. This process mimics the brain’s natural processing that occurs during REM sleep (Stickgold, 2002), allowing the emotional intensity of the memory to reduce and for new, more adaptive beliefs to emerge.

What Might You Feel During an EMDR Session?

Emotional Waves

It’s completely normal to feel strong emotions during an EMDR session. You may feel sadness, anger, fear, shame, or even a deep sense of relief. These emotional waves show that your system is accessing material that may have been held beneath the surface for some time.

Physical Sensations

Clients often report physical sensations such as tightness in the chest, a lump in the throat, tingling, or warmth. These sensations may represent stored bodily memories (van der Kolk, 2014). They usually shift or pass as processing continues.

Mental Imagery and Shifting Memories

Images, symbols, or vivid memory fragments may emerge. You might feel like you’re dreaming while awake. This can feel disorienting, but it’s part of the brain’s way of filing away old information in a new, less charged way.

What Can Happen Between EMDR Sessions?

Processing Continues Outside the Therapy Room

EMDR doesn’t stop when the session ends. Your brain continues to integrate new information in the days that follow. This ongoing processing can show up in various ways — emotionally, physically, cognitively, or even relationally.

Common Symptoms Between Sessions (And Why They’re Normal)

Emotional Shifts

Unexpected tears or irritability
Feeling emotionally raw or exposed
Mood swings, such as cycling between sadness and relief
A deep sense of emotional fatigue or vulnerability

These symptoms are often the nervous system’s way of releasing stored emotion that had previously been blocked.

Cognitive Changes

Intrusive thoughts or flashbacks
Sudden insights or re-evaluation of past events
Increased awareness of negative beliefs (“I’m not safe” or “I’m unlovable”) surfacing for healing
Temporary confusion or forgetfulness

Your brain is rewiring and forming new connections — some disorientation can be part of that reorganisation.

Sleep Disturbances and Dreams

Vivid or emotionally intense dreams
Night waking or restlessness
Sleep that feels less restorative for a few nights
Feeling groggy or foggy-headed in the morning

EMDR activates similar brain regions as REM sleep (Stickgold, 2002), which is why sleep may temporarily shift as your system integrates.

Somatic and Physical Sensations

Headaches, muscle tension, nausea, or gut discomfort
Tingling, shivering, or sweating
Feeling wired or fatigued
Sensitivity to sounds, smells, or sensory input

These are often the body releasing stored trauma responses. Think of them like echoes of the original experience being discharged.

Changes in Relationships and Boundaries

Feeling more emotionally reactive with others
Wanting more space or solitude
Feeling triggered in situations you previously tolerated
Noticing patterns in how you relate to others

EMDR can shift your awareness of relational trauma or attachment wounds, which may cause changes in how you relate or respond between sessions.

Some People Also Report:

Feeling like they are “outside themselves” (mild dissociation)
Wanting to withdraw or isolate for reflection
Heightened self-criticism or inner dialogue
Moments of peace or clarity followed by emotional discomfort
Revisiting old memories that seem unrelated but now feel significant

These responses are not signs of regression. They are a natural part of how your nervous system is digesting unprocessed material — some of which may have been stored since early childhood.

Supporting Yourself Between Sessions

It’s important to know that these symptoms are not dangerous, but they can feel distressing if you’re not expecting them. Here’s how you can take care of yourself:

Practical Tools:

Grounding techniques – sensory grounding (touch, sight, sound), breathwork, cold water
Movement – walking, yoga, or gentle exercise can help discharge excess activation
Sleep hygiene – winding down with screens off, warm drinks, and weighted blankets
Soothing practices – music, mindfulness apps, nature, art, journaling

Emotional Support:

Speak to your therapist about what you’re noticing
Talk to a trusted friend or partner (if it feels safe)
Write down thoughts or dreams to share in the next session
Remind yourself: “This is part of healing, not a setback.”

When to Contact Your Therapist

Most between-session effects are manageable. But you should reach out to your therapist if:

You feel overwhelmed or unsafe
Suicidal thoughts emerge
You are unable to function in daily life
Sleep disturbance lasts for more than a week

Therapists trained in EMDR are equipped to support clients through these moments and may provide additional stabilisation techniques or pause processing if needed.

Healing Isn’t Always Comfortable — But It Is Worthwhile

The path of healing from trauma can feel messy, unpredictable, and even exhausting at times. But each wave of emotion, each flicker of memory, and each night of odd dreams is often a sign that something old is moving — making space for something new.

Your brain is not broken. It is working through what it couldn’t safely process before. And with the right support, this work can transform your relationship with yourself, your past, and your future.

“The storm is part of the clearing — not a sign of more damage.”

Ready to Begin or Continue Your EMDR Journey?
If you’re curious about EMDR therapy or want support understanding your experiences between sessions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Philip Bruce Therapy
Specialist in EMDR and Internal Family Systems therapy for trauma and neurodivergence
www.philipbrucetherapy.co.uk reshape your deep-rooted patterns and achieve lasting change. of safety, trust, and hope.whether this approach could be right for you.