If you are considering EMDR, you may be wondering whether it is suitable for you, whether you are ready or whether your experiences are “serious enough” to justify having it. There is no simple online test that can tell you whether EMDR is right for you. Suitability depends on what you are experiencing, what you hope to change and whether
Conditions of worth are the internal rules people develop about who they must be to feel acceptable, valued or loved. Someone may learn that they are worthy only when they succeed, remain strong, help other people or avoid causing difficulty. Feelings and behaviours that attract approval become acceptable, while those associated with criticism or rejection may be denied or distorted.
Conditions of worth are not always obvious in counselling. A client is unlikely to arrive and say, “I believe I must behave in certain ways to deserve acceptance.” Instead, these beliefs may appear through how clients speak about themselves, respond to the counsellor and decide which parts of their experience feel safe to reveal. A client may apologise for crying,
EMDR can be an effective way of processing traumatic or distressing experiences, but it is not unusual to feel different after a session. You might feel tired, emotional or more aware of certain memories for a short time. These reactions are often described as EMDR side effects, although “after-effects” may be a more accurate term. EMDR does not cause medicinal
Low self-esteem can affect how you see yourself, approach relationships and respond to everyday challenges. You may constantly question whether you are good enough, assume other people are judging you or struggle to accept praise even when it is genuine. Sometimes these beliefs develop following obvious traumatic experiences. At other times, they form gradually through repeated criticism, rejection, bullying, emotional
The locus of evaluation is an important concept within Carl Rogers’ person-centred theory. It describes where we look when deciding what is right, valuable or acceptable — and whose judgement we trust when evaluating ourselves and our experiences. Do you trust your own feelings and values, or do you need other people to confirm what you should think, feel or
EMDR is generally considered a safe psychological therapy when it is delivered by a suitably trained therapist. It is non-invasive, does not involve medication and does not require you to describe every detail of a traumatic experience. However, safe does not mean that EMDR will always feel easy or comfortable. Processing difficult memories can temporarily bring up strong emotions, physical
Experiences from childhood can continue to affect you long after the original events have ended. You may understand that the past is over, yet still react to certain situations with fear, shame, anger, anxiety or a powerful need to protect yourself. Perhaps you struggle to trust people, feel responsible for other people’s emotions or repeatedly believe that you are not
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can leave you feeling as though part of you is still living through something that has already ended. You may know intellectually that you are safe, yet your body and nervous system continue to respond as if the danger is happening now. A sound, smell, place or unexpected reminder can trigger intense fear, physical sensations, intrusive
If you are considering EMDR therapy, you may be wondering what actually happens once you are in the room with your therapist. Will you have to describe everything that happened? Will the eye movements begin immediately? What if the memory becomes overwhelming? An EMDR session is more structured than many forms of talking therapy, but it is not a rigid
Unconditional positive regard (UPR) is one of the core conditions at the heart of Carl Rogers’ person-centred approach. It sounds simple — accepting someone without judgment — but in practice, it’s one of the most powerful (and often misunderstood) elements of therapy. If you’ve ever felt truly accepted by someone, even at your worst, you’ll already have a sense of
The Seven Stages of Process The Seven Stages of Process describe how people gradually change over the course of therapy, particularly in the person-centred approach. Rather than being a set of steps that clients move through in a linear way, the stages reflect shifts in how individuals experience, express, and relate to their inner world over time. The model was
