The short answer to this question is, “Sometimes, yes.” Many people experience temporary increases in emotions or symptoms during EMDR before meaningful relief occurs. This does not mean EMDR is failing or harming you—it often means your nervous system is actively processing material that has been stored and avoided for a long time. That said, EMDR should never feel overwhelming, unsafe, or unmanageable. When done properly, any increase in discomfort is temporary, supported, and purposeful.
Key Takeaways
- EMDR can sometimes feel worse before it gets better, as the nervous system begins actively processing previously avoided trauma.
- Temporary increases in emotion or symptoms are common—but they should be manageable, supported, and short-lived.
- If distress feels overwhelming or persists without relief, treatment should be slowed or adjusted to prioritize safety and stabilization.
Why EMDR Can Feel Worse at First
When people say EMDR feels “worse,” they’re usually describing short-term nervous system activation, not regression or damage. These reactions occur because EMDR accesses memories and sensations that were previously compartmentalized. The brain is doing what it was unable to do during the original experience—process, integrate, and resolve. Common experiences can include:
- Heightened emotions (sadness, anger, fear, grief)
- Increased awareness of body sensations
- Vivid dreams or trauma-related dreams
- Fatigue or feeling emotionally “raw”
- Temporary increase in anxiety or reactivity
- Memories surfacing outside of sessions
How Long Can Discomfort Last?
For most people, increases in discomfort are short-lived, often lasting:
- A few hours to a few days after sessions
- Occasionally a week or two during active processing phases
Symptoms should gradually decrease, not intensify over time. As processing continues, memories typically become less emotionally charged, triggers lose their power, and the nervous system returns to baseline more quickly. Persistent or worsening symptoms are a sign to slow down—not push forward.
Productive Processing vs. Retraumatization
One of the most important distinctions in trauma work is the difference between productive discomfort and retraumatization.
Productive processing often includes:
- Strong emotions that rise and fall
- Increased insight or clarity over time
- A sense of movement or resolution
- Feeling supported and grounded, even when emotional
Retraumatization may look like:
- Feeling flooded, panicked, or out of control
- Dissociation or emotional shutdown
- Worsening symptoms session after session
- Loss of functioning between sessions
- Feeling pressured to continue despite distress
It’s important to note that trauma healing should stretch capacity—not overwhelm it.
How Therapists Support Clients Through Difficult Phases
At BATT, we view symptom increases as information, not something to ignore. Ethical, trauma-informed EMDR therapists actively monitor nervous system responses and adjust treatment accordingly. Support may include:
- Slowing the pace of processing
- Returning to stabilization and grounding
- Using containment and resourcing exercises
- Shortening sets or targeting less intense material
- Checking in frequently during and between sessions
- Normalizing responses without minimizing distress
Signs That EMDR Is Helping
Healing rarely happens in a straight line—but forward movement is noticeable over time. Even when EMDR feels challenging, positive changes often appear gradually and subtly at first. Signs EMDR may be helping include:
- Reduced emotional charge around memories
- Faster recovery after being triggered
- Decreased avoidance
- Improved sleep or fewer nightmares
- Greater self-compassion or emotional clarity
- Feeling more present in daily life
- Increased sense of safety in the body
When to Reassess or Slow Down Treatment
Slowing down is not failure—it is good trauma care. EMDR can be paused, modified, or integrated with other approaches to better support your nervous system. It’s important to pause and reassess if:
- Symptoms continue to worsen without relief
- You feel destabilized between sessions
- Coping skills no longer feel effective
- Daily functioning is significantly impacted
- You feel afraid to speak up in therapy
Conclusion
It’s true that EMDR therapy can sometimes feel worse before it gets better—but when practiced safely, that “worse” phase is temporary and purposeful. Trauma healing often involves touching difficult material so it can finally be released, rather than avoided.
At Birmingham Anxiety & Trauma Therapy, we believe effective EMDR is paced, collaborative, and grounded in nervous system safety. Healing doesn’t come from pushing through pain—it comes from building capacity, trust, and support along the way. If you’re considering EMDR and wondering whether what you’re experiencing is normal, a trauma-informed therapist can help you understand what’s part of the process—and when it’s time to adjust. Contact us today to schedule your first appointment.
