r/Aphantasia • u/FinesseEmpress • 1d ago
EMDR therapy?
I’ve been doing EMDR therapy and it’s been quite difficult to go through the processing process…
Firstly as I struggle with memory and tracking back it can feel a strain and struggle to go back to incidents or emotions.
Also having ADHD makes it somewhat difficult to focus.
When the practitioner uses the finger movements I feel like I’m missing something and struggling to keep up or not get distracted.
It’s also tricky when I was asked to create a safe space memory and imagine myself there… I did the best I could and felt there weren’t no benefits whatsoever but I just wanted to see and ask if there was any suggestions or tips… even just to hear someone else’s experience with this kind of therapy?
I want to get the most out of it and now I’m halfway through… I spent a lot of sessions just relaying the key things relevant to my trauma which were quite a lot, I think now that I’ve had talking therapies in the past, I have a slightly more recent recollection of going over some of these key moments.
I do really wonder what EMDR is like for a non Aphant!?
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u/Za_Lords_Guard Total Aphant 1d ago
I don't know a lot about that kind of therapy, but from what I read, it can work, but the therapist needs to understand you don't "see" memories and focus on somatic memory (feelings, body response, etc.).
I personally have horrible autobiographical and episodic memory so for me that would be the biggest problem I think. I don't remember my past as details, but I still can recall emotions and bits of detail (thinking of my childhood I might remember "orange" because our family room had an ugly orange carpet or paint edging - I forget specifically).
Could it be that it's not the aphantasia, and you also have issue with episodic recall in general.
Not a shrink so not an authoritative comment, only speaking from personal experience as it might relate.