Past processing
 

What can you do if you are told you are stuck in the past and you are not moving forward. I would really like to move forward however my therapist has said I am stuck in the past. What must I do? We have done several emdr sessions and they have been very beneficial however now I seem to be stuck - what can I do?

Re: Past processing
 

Well, you may know that I can only make general comments here, not specific case consultations since we don't have enough information.

If anyone is "stuck" in EMDR, it is the therapist's job to get the client unstuck. Those skills are learned at the Part II training at the EMDR Institute. But sometimes the stuckness is because there is additional groundwork that needs to occur, stabilizing the client and preparing parts of the client for the EMDR. That too is the therapist's responsibility. Sometimes therapists need to get case consultation to get ideas on how to get a client unstuck, since there can be so many reasons.

Being stuck in the past is what EVERYBODY with trauma symptoms are. Being stuck in the past doesn't mean one is to blame for the stuckness though. EMDR and other methods will get things unstuck, but sometimes the other methods have to go before the EMDR or it just stays stuck.

I don't know if the above general comments apply in your case or not. You might take this to your therapist to see what s/he says.

Re: Past processing
 

One more thing...there is always a GOOD and understandable reason why things are stuck. There can be many possible reasons, ranging from, "its not safe to move ahead since I'm supposed to keep secrets," to "who would I be without this problem, I've had it so long," or many many more. Lots of times these are outside of awareness.

A clever therapist will help figure out the blocking beliefs and the internal structure that holds the work in a stuck spot.