Page 119 - Post-traumatic stress disorder in adults with mild intellectual disability: Screening, assessment, and brief intensive EMDR therapy

Experiences with intensive EMDR and rotating therapists
EMDR therapy] has been very positive. He did not find it difficult
either.”
Participant two (after therapy): “I think if you have it [EMDR
therapy] every week for so many weeks, then I’m going to do
other things... If you only go once a week and you do not go for
two weeks... then I think in the third week: hey, they have not
said anything yet.”
Therapist two (after therapy): “I think if you have that [not coming
to EMDR therapy] a few times in a row and you see each other
weekly, the barrier to come back becomes quite high.”
After participant one had stopped therapy, he indicated that if he started
EMDR therapy again, he would prefer an intensive program to make faster
progress. His professional caregiver believed that an intensive program
was more suitable for participant one, as he might have dropped out even
sooner in a less intensive therapy format. Participant two shared a similar
view: he indicated that if the therapy had been less intensive, he would
quickly start doing other things and lose his motivation. He believed that
if there was too much time between sessions (e.g. two weeks), he would
already have doubts about the progress in the third week, which could
result in him ending the therapy prematurely. Both participants indicated
that they would have been more likely to stop if the therapy had been less
intensive, which emphasised their preference for more intensive EMDR
therapy. Therapist two confirmed this notion as she explained that when
there is more time between sessions, the barrier for returning to therapy
becomes considerably higher, which can lead to more dropouts. Participant
three did not express any specific opinions on this matter.
Expectations/experiences of EMDR therapy with six different therapists
Participant one (before therapy): “[Exciting], that I have to trust
those people.”
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