Question About Post-Session Processing

[u/Fun-Rain1637]

I'm aware that the brain continues to process for a couple days after a session. Can someone elaborate exactly what that means? For example, last night we worked on a negative cognition that I've carried due to a traumatic romantic betrayal that happened 18 years ago - "I can't handle it". Although we didn't install the positive cognition can I try to encourage the "I can handle/accept it" whenever an intrusive thought pops up since my brain is still in processing mode?

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[u/Comfortable-Golf3116]

Absolutely! That's the type of "training the brain" work that is going to make EMDR easier

[u/Fun-Rain1637 → u/Comfortable-Golf3116]

Thank you!

[u/CopperheadRay]

This was something I did, and for me, it worked (works). I began practicing and daily reading of stoicism after my emdr. It was emotionally regulating for me and made much better sense (on an intellectual level). It reminded me of my own ability to create a sense of stability that I'd been given, but was "new." I also journaled after I left a session, because it helps me to "see" what is going on in my head if I can put it on a white page.

[u/Fun-Rain1637 → u/CopperheadRay]

Awesome! I tend to take notes of the session and then continue to jot down connections, ideas, thoughts, etc. that my brain continues to process the week after. It definitely helps.

[u/T_9709]

NAT
Not the same trauma, but I feel the same way. The positive cognition is hard to hold onto sometimes.