Who Should Not Do EMDR?

Who Should Not Do EMDR?

Short Answer: There is not a broad category of people who can never do EMDR. More often, the question is whether this is a good time to do a session and whether a self-guided or therapist-guided format makes the most sense for you. You may want to wait if you are in an immediate mental health crisis, are under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs, are having significant difficulty staying focused on the present, or simply do not feel ready to work with a particular memory today.

Key Takeaways

• Most people do not need to rule out EMDR altogether.
• Sometimes waiting until another day makes more sense than doing a session when you cannot focus clearly.
• Being under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs is a good reason to postpone a session.
• If you are in an immediate crisis and cannot maintain your own safety, dealing with the immediate situation comes first.
• Difficulty staying present may mean you would prefer a more supported approach rather than working independently.
• Simply feeling nervous, emotional, tired, or unsure does not automatically mean EMDR is not appropriate for you.

Who Should Not Do EMDR Right Now?

The phrase “Who should not do EMDR?” can make it sound as though there is a long list of people who are automatically excluded from EMDR.

That is usually not the most useful way to think about it.

In many situations, the better question is:

“Is this a good time for me to do an EMDR session?”

There may be times when waiting makes sense. That does not necessarily mean EMDR is permanently unsuitable for you.

You might simply need a different time, a different focus, a shorter session, or a different level of support.

Wait If You Are Under the Influence of Alcohol or Recreational Drugs

EMDR involves paying attention to what you are experiencing while following a structured process.

If alcohol or recreational drugs are affecting your attention, judgment, awareness, or ability to follow the exercise, it makes sense to wait until those effects have passed.

This is not about whether someone who drinks alcohol or uses recreational drugs can ever do EMDR.

It is simply about doing a session at a time when you can focus clearly and make decisions about whether you want to continue, pause, or stop.

If you are not able to concentrate normally, come back to the session later.

An Immediate Mental Health Crisis Is Not the Time for Self-Guided EMDR

If you are in an immediate crisis and are having difficulty maintaining your own safety, working through a distressing memory by yourself is probably not the priority at that moment.

The immediate situation comes first.

This is different from feeling anxious, sad, stressed, nervous, or emotional. Those feelings are common human experiences and do not automatically mean you need to avoid EMDR.

The distinction is whether you are able to make choices, stay focused on what you are doing, and take care of yourself during the session.

Once the immediate crisis has passed, EMDR may still be something you choose to explore.

Wait If You Are Having Difficulty Staying Present

EMDR requires enough attention to notice what you are thinking or feeling, follow the bilateral stimulation, and recognize when you want to continue or take a break.

Sometimes a person may have difficulty staying connected to what is happening around them.

This can range from ordinary distraction or feeling “spaced out” to having much more difficulty following what is happening.

Occasionally losing focus does not mean you cannot do EMDR. Everyone gets distracted sometimes.

The more important question is whether you can stay present enough to follow the exercise and make decisions about your session.

If that is difficult today, you may choose to wait. If this is something you experience regularly, you may prefer a more supported approach rather than doing EMDR independently.

There is no need to turn this into a complicated diagnostic question. The practical issue is simply whether you can comfortably stay engaged with the session.

You Do Not Have to Work on Something You Are Not Ready to Address

One of the most ordinary reasons to postpone an EMDR session is also one of the simplest:

You do not feel ready today.

You may sit down intending to work on a particular memory and then realize that you would rather leave it alone for now.

That is okay.

You can choose another memory or focus. You can shorten the session. You can stop. Or you can come back another day.

You do not need to tackle the most difficult experience in your life simply because you decided to try EMDR.

Readiness can also change from day to day. Something you do not want to work on today may feel completely manageable another time.

Feeling Nervous Does Not Automatically Mean You Should Avoid EMDR

It is understandable to feel a little nervous before trying something unfamiliar, especially when the process involves thinking about something that has been upsetting.

Nervousness by itself is not necessarily a reason to avoid EMDR.

The same is true if thinking about a memory brings up some emotion.

EMDR involves focusing briefly on memories, thoughts, feelings, or body sensations. Having an emotional response does not automatically mean that something is wrong or that you should not continue.

You can still decide how much you want to work on and whether you want to keep going.

Previous Tiredness, Crying, or Emotion Are Usually Not Reasons to Stop Doing EMDR

People sometimes wonder whether a reaction during or after a previous session means they should avoid another one.

For example, you may have:

• Felt mildly tired afterward
• Cried during part of the session
• Felt emotional for a while
• Needed to pause
• Wanted a shorter session
• Felt that not much happened
• Needed more time before your next session

None of these experiences automatically means that EMDR is not suitable for you.

People respond differently to EMDR, and sessions can also feel different from one another.

You can use what you learned from a previous session to decide what pace feels comfortable next time.

What If You Become Uncomfortable During a Session?

Thinking about an upsetting experience can sometimes feel uncomfortable.

That does not mean you have to keep going.

If you decide you have had enough for that session, you can pause or stop.

You can also choose a different focus or return another day.

Stopping midway through an exercise does not mean that you failed. It simply means you decided not to continue at that moment.

With self-guided EMDR, having control over the pace is especially important because you are the person deciding when to begin, continue, pause, or stop.

Who Might Prefer Therapist-Guided EMDR?

Some people simply prefer having another person guide the process.

You may prefer therapist-guided EMDR if:

• You want someone else to structure and guide each session
• You find it difficult to stay focused when working independently
• You want to talk through what is happening as part of the process
• You feel more comfortable doing memory-focused work with another person present

That does not mean there is something wrong with doing self-guided EMDR. It is a question of format and personal preference.

Traditional EMDR is guided by a therapist, either in person or remotely. Self-guided EMDR uses a structured program that you navigate independently.

What About Virtual EMDR?

Virtual EMDR is a specific self-guided online EMDR program.

Because it is self-guided, you choose when to do a session and manage your own pacing. You can pause or stop whenever you choose and return at another time.

That flexibility can be useful on days when you start a session and realize you would rather wait or work on something different.

Virtual EMDR is different from therapist-led EMDR conducted remotely by video, which is also sometimes described generally as “virtual EMDR.”

When Is It Usually Fine to Continue?

You generally do not need to rule out EMDR simply because:

• You are a little nervous about starting
• You feel emotional when thinking about a memory
• You cried during a previous session
• You felt a little tired afterward
• You needed to pause
• You prefer shorter sessions
• You want several days between sessions
• You are not sure exactly what you want to work on yet
• A previous session felt different from what you expected

These are not automatic signs that EMDR is unsuitable for you.

Instead, pay attention to whether you can focus on the process and whether you want to continue.

Sometimes “Not Today” Is the Answer

People often interpret “Who should not do EMDR?” as a permanent question.

But many situations are temporary.

You may be too distracted today.

You may have had alcohol.

You may simply not be in the mood to work on a particular memory.

You may want to wait until you have more uninterrupted time.

None of those decisions means you have ruled out EMDR.

Sometimes the best answer is simply:

“Not today. I’ll come back to it another time.”

Conclusion

There is not a long list of ordinary people who simply “should not do EMDR.”

More often, it comes down to timing, readiness, and the type of EMDR experience you prefer.

Waiting makes sense if you are intoxicated, dealing with an immediate crisis, having too much difficulty staying present to follow the process, or simply do not want to work on a particular memory today.

On the other hand, ordinary nervousness, emotion, tiredness, crying, taking breaks, or wanting shorter sessions do not automatically mean you need to avoid EMDR.

If you are using a self-guided approach, you remain in control of when you start, what you work on, when you pause, and when you decide to come back another time.