My therapist's specialization is working with clients who have experienced trauma and she's trained in EMDR therapy. When I first started seeing her for therapy she did not use EMDR because at the time there was too much upheaval iin my life and working through trauma and the emotions and experiences that come up with that could destabilize me further.

Though I'm in a much better place now she uses it on a limited basis. She taught me how to do EMDR on my own as well, but with the warning to stop as soon as anything negative comes up. The key was to strengthen positive memories, thoughts, resources. She did not want me to reinforce negative experiences through EMDR. I don't fuck with it because iI've already had one bad experience.

I had done EMDR in the past with a counselor under training supervision at a clinic, part of her training was EMDR. At first it stemmed to help helped, but I had one session where I felt really weird afterwards and it was a rough week. She stopped because I was too destabilized by what was coming up. I dropped out of therapy because I no longer trusted her and I was worse off than before. Ironically I really needed to be in therapy. It took me about two years to find a therapist I trusted, and even longer to reach a stable place.

I was in a bad place as it was and it took a very long time to recover from it. Much more so than if I hadn't tried EMDR.

I also know someone who had a complete breakdown while in EMDR therapy, he was struggling with a traumatic event and re-experiencing it pushed him past a place he could cope.

This is something even therapists can fuck up.