Misconception: EMDR requires full disclosure of trauma

As a psychiatrist who's been trained in EMDR therapy, I know how powerful the intervention can be for people who've experienced trauma. But I also know that there are a lot of misconceptions out there about what EMDR actually involves - and one of the most common is that you have to fully disclose all of your traumas in order to benefit from the therapy.

So if you're a visitor to my website or one of my patients, I want to set the record straight: EMDR does not require full disclosure of your trauma. In fact, one of the great things about EMDR is that it's a very flexible therapy, and you get to decide how much you want to share.

Now, I know that opening up about trauma can be scary - especially if you haven't talked about it much before. And that's okay. With EMDR, you get to go at your own pace. If you're comfortable sharing your traumatic experiences, that's great. But if you're not ready to do that yet, that's okay too.

You can still benefit from EMDR even if you only share parts of your story or focus on specific triggers or symptoms.

The goal of EMDR is to help you process and integrate your experiences so that they don't have a negative impact on your daily life. This can be done through a variety of techniques, like bilateral stimulation, that don't require you to fully relive or disclose your traumas.

At the end of the day, your comfort and safety are the top priorities in EMDR therapy. You're always in control of what you want to share, and your therapist will work with you to tailor the therapy to your specific needs and goals.

So if you're considering EMDR, don't let the fear of full disclosure stop you from exploring this powerful therapy. Remember, you're in control, and I am there to support you every step of the way.

I look forward to talking to you soon!

Michiel Bosman MD

By using this site you agree to our terms and conditions. The Open Forest website is medical in nature and thus, may include health or medical information. This content is posted for informational and educational purposes only. Open Forest in no way engages in the practice of medicine and does not render medical advice. We do not provide asynchronous telemental health services or any other medical service. Nothing posted on Open Forest is intended to be used for the purposes of medical diagnosis or treatment. The use of Open Forest does not create a provider/patient relationship between a user and Open Forest. Users must always seek the advice of their physician or another qualified healthcare professional with medical questions. Users must agree to contact their healthcare professional or an emergency medical service, by dialing 911 when they believe they are experiencing a medical emergency.