What to Expect After Your First EMDR Session: Common Side Effects and Self-Care Tips
Starting EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a brave and powerful step toward healing. If you’ve just completed your first EMDR session, you may be wondering what’s normal to feel afterward and how to take care of yourself during the post-processing period.
Let’s walk through what you might experience and how you can support your mind and body in the days that follow.
Common Reactions After Your First EMDR Session
EMDR doesn’t end when the session does. Your brain continues to process thoughts, memories, and emotions — often on a deeper, unconscious level. This is totally normal and can lead to a range of aftereffects:
1. Emotional Sensitivity
You may feel more emotionally raw or vulnerable than usual. Feelings of sadness, anger, fear, or even relief might surface unexpectedly. Some people report crying easily or feeling more “on edge.”
2. Heightened Dreams
EMDR can stir up subconscious material, and your dreams may become more vivid or intense. These dreams often reflect your brain’s continued processing of traumatic material.
3. Physical Fatigue
Processing trauma is taxing on your nervous system. Many people feel tired, drained, or even physically achy after their first session — especially if a lot was uncovered emotionally.
4. Intrusive Thoughts or Flashbacks
Some memories or images might continue to arise between sessions. These are often fragments your brain is still working through. While this can be uncomfortable, it’s typically part of the healing process.
5. Feeling Numb or Disconnected
In some cases, people feel emotionally flat, zoned out, or dissociated after their first EMDR session. This can be your mind’s way of taking a “break” after doing deep internal work.
Post-Processing Self-Care Tips
What you do after EMDR is just as important as what happens during the session. Here’s how to support yourself in the hours and days that follow:
1. Give Yourself Space
Avoid cramming your schedule right after your EMDR session. Build in quiet time — even just a walk, nap, or sitting with a cup of tea — to let things settle internally.
2. Journal or Voice Note
Keep a journal or voice memo handy to track any thoughts, dreams, or feelings that arise. This can help you identify patterns and give you something to reflect on with your therapist.
3. Use Grounding Techniques
If you feel overwhelmed or dissociated, grounding practices like:
Naming 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear...
Holding a cold object (ice cube, frozen orange)
Gentle stretching or movement
These can help bring you back into the present moment.
4. Get Good Sleep
Prioritize rest. Sleep is when your brain does some of its most important processing work. Even if your dreams are intense, try to maintain a regular bedtime and reduce screen time before sleep.
5. Stay Hydrated and Nourished
Trauma processing affects the whole body. Make sure to drink water, eat nourishing meals, and avoid excessive caffeine or alcohol, which can increase anxiety or dysregulation.
6. Connect (If You Want To)
You may want to talk with someone you trust — a partner, friend, or support group — especially if you’re feeling stirred up. On the other hand, some people prefer solitude. Either is valid; trust your needs.
When to Reach Out
While temporary discomfort is normal, contact your therapist if:
You’re experiencing intense flashbacks, panic, or suicidal thoughts
You feel unable to function in daily life for more than a few days
You’re unsure whether your reactions are within the expected range
EMDR is powerful work, but you’re not meant to go through it unsupported.
Your first EMDR session may leave you feeling raw, reflective, tired — or even relieved. Whatever you're feeling, it’s likely a sign that your brain is beginning to rewire old patterns. That’s healing, even if it’s messy.
Be gentle with yourself, prioritize rest and regulation, and remember: each step forward, no matter how small or stormy, is part of the journey to wholeness.
