What to Expect in Your First EMDR Session
- Breanna Potts, LPC.
- Jul 18
- 8 min read
By: Breanna Potts, LPC.
Starting therapy can feel like stepping into the unknown. Maybe you are thinking about trying EMDR therapy. Or, maybe you aren’t sure if you’re ready to commit to the process and just want a bit more information. Wherever you find yourself, I’m so glad you stumbled across this blog! If you’ve read my previous blog on EMDR, then you are full of knowledge on what EMDR is and what to expect in this kind of therapy. If you haven’t checked it, you can find it here: https://www.recoveredandrestoredtherapy.com/post/emdr-for-eating-disorders.
My goal today is not to tell you all about it all over again, but instead to help break down what you can expect in your very first session of EMDR, since the first session comes, well, first!
First Things First—What Is EMDR, Really?
Okay, I know I said I’m not going to repeat anything you may already have learned, but just for a refresher, let’s recap on what EMDR even is! EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. That’s a lot to say at once, I know. But at its core, EMDR is a therapy that helps your brain reprocess and heal from difficult or overwhelming experiences - especially the ones that still feel “alive” in your body or your thoughts, even if they happened a long time ago.
In fact, if these difficult and overwhelming experiences just sit unresolved over time, they will still be activated in triggering situations even if you feel like you’re “fine” or “got over it.” Spoiler alert: Being “fine” and “over it” may be your body’s way of saying you’re actually not fine, but you’re doing a great job suppressing it. I say this with all the kindness and compassion! I know it can be so hard to admit when we are actually not okay.
So, with EMDR (and no, it is not hypnosis, I promise!!), you’ll be fully awake, aware, and in control the whole time. EMDR simply helps you work through old pain in a new and gentle way, without having to relive it in detail.
Okay, So What Happens in the First Session?
Often, one of the most frequently asked questions I get about EMDR is not only “What is it?” But also, “What is the first session like?” So, let’s take the mystery out of it! Your first EMDR session is not about diving straight into the worst thing that’s happened to you. It’s structured like an intake session, with the focus on building comfort, understanding, and trust. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what you can expect:
1. We Start with a Conversation
My personal approach to therapy is relational, and with this comes a conversational style. The last thing I want is for you to feel interrogated! This is your space to share whatever feels relevant. I will guide the conversation by asking questions on what’s been going on, what’s felt hard lately, and what you're hoping to shift and heal. You don’t need to have the “right” words, a clear plan, or all your memories outlined and ready to go. You don’t even have to tell your full story. We’ll just begin where you are willing to go!
2. I’ll Explain How EMDR Works
I’ll walk you through the EMDR process step-by-step, which includes some psychoeducation on how we use bilateral stimulation (BLS-- which you can read more about here: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/bilateral-stimulation/, what each phase of EMDR looks like, and how we keep you feeling safe and grounded. There will always be room for you to ask questions. You’re encouraged to ask anything; EMDR is a lot to digest, and you have every right to ask clarifying questions!
3. We Check In on Safety and Coping Skills
Before any deeper work happens, we make sure you have solid tools to stay grounded. That might mean practicing a calming technique or creating a mental “safe space” you can return to if emotions come up. This mental safe space is called Calm/Safe Place, which is a guided resourcing skill that you can access at any point in the process. You’re never expected to do the hard stuff alone or without support! These coping tools and resourcing skills are meant to help equip you when we get to the hard stuff.
4. We Gently Explore Themes or Patterns
You won’t be asked to talk about the worst thing that’s ever happened to you on day one. Promise!! Instead, we might start identifying patterns or moments that feel connected to your current struggles. Try thinking of this part as gathering puzzle pieces, with the intention of later learning how they fit together.
5. We Move at Your Pace
Lastly, I want you to be reminded that this is your healing journey. This means it is not a race, but a journey at your own pace. Some clients may need more time to build trust, understanding of the process, and stronger coping tools, and that is okay!! Alternatively, some clients are ready to move forward into the next phases sooner, and that is okay, too! There is no room for pressure, rushing, and definitely no judgment or comparison.
What About a First EMDR Session with You?
A first EMDR session with me looks pretty much the same as outlined above; however, just as every client is different, every therapist is different! I follow the same steps listed, but with my own style and approach to therapy mixed in. I shared that I am a relational therapist, which means I highly value the therapeutic relationship I build with clients, fostering trust, safety, and honesty. I personally believe I am not entitled to your information just because I am a therapist!!
Rather, I want to earn your trust and allow rapport to build organically and authentically. So, I spend a lot of time learning about you, your story, your strengths, and your personal therapeutic goals. I then bring so much warmth, compassion, and sometimes a splash of humor to help you move forward in your journey and claim the healing you so deserve!
Additionally, given the intense nature of EMDR, I spend time exploring a client’s past treatment history, their fears and concerns with beginning EMDR, and answering any and all questions I can about it. I really want every client I serve to feel safe, heard, and supported, regardless of their walk of life.
Signs It Might Be the Right Time to Explore EMDR
If you’re wondering whether EMDR might be a helpful next step, you’re not alone. Many people come to EMDR after feeling stuck, exhausted, or like traditional talk therapy isn’t quite getting to the root of things.
Here’s some information on how to start exploring the process and what to look out for when deciding if now is the right time!
Signs EMDR Might Be a Good Fit
You’ve talked through things, but they still feel unresolved. Maybe you’ve done a lot of hard and good work in your therapy, but certain memories or big emotions still feel super intense. EMDR can step in to help more fully and deeply process what’s still stuck in your nervous system, which is where trauma is stored and often the toughest root for traditional talk therapy to untangle.
You feel “stuck” in the same patterns, despite insights made in therapy. EMDR can help support shifts in your core beliefs that are driving your behaviors, especially if you find yourself still stuck in binge, restrict, and/or purge cycles, as well as other cyclical behaviors you have been trying to overcome.
You experience emotional reactions that feel intense and/or hard to control. If small triggers cause big feelings, EMDR may help reduce that intensity by addressing unresolved emotional memories behind the reaction. This comes back to your nervous system stuck in survival mode and reacting to “non-threats” that truly feel like threats to you. This is incredibly overwhelming and hard to live with, and I just want to remind you that you are not alone and you deserve to feel safe again.
You’re exhausted from trying to manage your symptoms with coping skills alone. If you’ve been white-knuckling recovery with grounding techniques, distraction, or mindfulness and still feel constantly on edge, EMDR can help address the root cause, not just the symptoms! Often in eating disorders, we see clients making tremendous progress in reducing symptoms, but still struggling with cyclical patterns. This again comes back to how trauma is stored deeper within the nervous system and therefore needs deeper processing.
How to Know If It’s the Right Time for EMDR
You feel safe enough in your life right now to do deeper emotional work.(It’s okay if you feel nervous or unsure, we just want to make sure you’re not actively in crisis or surviving trauma in real time)
You have, or are working on building, helpful coping tools for regulation between sessions. A huge part of EMDR is making sure you can stay grounded during and after processing, but don’t worry, you won’t be navigating this alone!
You’re feeling ready to try something different than traditional talk therapy.Even if you're not totally sure how it works, but you're curious, that openness is enough to get started!
While these are just a few signs EMDR might be a good fit for you, I do want to highlight that EMDR isn’t a magic fix or the only way to heal. Sometimes it’s more important to focus on stabilization, supportive talk therapy, symptom management, or simply feeling safe in your body again. That is progress, and I want to fully validate how hard that work is. It absolutely matters, and for some people, it is exactly what they need.
The truth is, no one modality is right for everyone. Healing is not linear! You don’t have to rush it or force it, but you can feel empowered to take new steps.
What Can I Do Next?
If you’re feeling curious about EMDR or wondering if it’s time to try something new, I’d be honored to help! Please feel free to reach out, and we can talk about where you are in your journey, what you're hoping for, and whether EMDR might be a helpful next step. As always, we would be incredibly honored to walk alongside you in your healing journey. We see you, we believe in you, and we are rooting for you always!!
Additional Resources
Other Mental Health Services Offered in PA, NJ, DE, SC, MD, CT, VT, and FL
We offer a wide variety of services related to eating disorder recovery including trauma therapy! We offer Weekly Support Groups, Nutrition Services, and Family and Parent Therapy as well as Coaching, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual. We offer our services for Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating, and Orthorexia as well as Maternal Mental Health, and eating disorder therapy for athletes online in New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, Maryland, Florida, Vermont, and Connecticut! We are here to offer our support and understanding in a safe and non-judgmental environment.
We have immediate openings right now for eating disorder therapy in:
Delaware, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland South Carolina, Connecticut, Vermont, and Pennsylvania.
And recovery coaching worldwide.
Recovered and Restored is an eating disorder therapy center founded by Gabrielle Morreale, LPC. We specialize in helping teens and young women heal from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia, and binge eating disorder and treat disordered eating, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. We provide eating disorder therapy in the towns of Horsham, Upper Gwynedd, Lower Gwynedd, North Wales, Lansdale, Hatfield, Blue Bell, Doylestown, and nearby towns with eating disorder therapy. Also providing virtual eating disorder therapy in New Jersey, Delaware, and Florida. Some towns served virtually but are not limited to Pittsburg, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Center City, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Mount Laurel, Cape May, Avalon, Brick, Dover, New Castle, Bethany Beach, Marydel, and Oceanview
Comments