You may be wondering or even confused about the difference between EMDR and traditional talk therapy. If you’re asking yourself, “What the heck is EMDR therapy?”, pop on over to my short blog post, “What is EMDR: The cliff notes version of what you need to know”. I wanted to write this blog to save people from suffering any longer than they have to.
I noticed that after a few sessions of treating clients using EMDR and the issue having been resolved, they look at me and say, “Why didn’t my therapist tell me about this?”, “Why don’t people know about this?”, or “Why didn’t I do this years ago?” The issue is that not every therapist or non-therapist knows about EMDR; and although unfortunate, that’s the reality. EMDR is most commonly used to treat PTSD, trauma and anxiety-related disorders. It is also used to treat addictive behaviors, fears, nightmares, emotional eating, performance enhancement, grief, and depression, just to name a few.
What’s the difference between EMDR and talk therapy? Without making this more convoluted than it needs to be, what I share with my clients is that EMDR is like talk therapy on steroids. One EMDR session can be the equivalent of a year or more of weekly talk therapy. For those who are motivated by financial reasons, let’s take a look at it from that angle. Since I don’t take insurance, I am going to use the average price psychologists are charging in Los Angeles County for a private-pay session.
Let’s say you experienced a shooting, assault, car accident, or any other single event and decide to pursue treatment:
Standard talk therapy treatment plan (weekly sessions focusing on the event and related issues contributing to your distress)
Cost: One session at $150/hr. x 44 sessions (assuming you take some time off for holidays, vacation or personal time) adds up to $6,600. Let’s say you’re super strong, resilient, and have been in therapy before. Cut the cost in half to $3,300.
Standard EMDR treatment plan
Session 1 (60 min): Get to know you, what you’re coming in for, and determine whether EMDR would be a good fit
Session 2 (60 min): Prepare you for the EMDR process and build up resources
Session 3 (120 min): Do EMDR therapy
Session 4 (120 min): Complete EMDR therapy and process what the experience was like for you.
Cost: $150/hr. with a total of six hours would add up to $900.
EMDR is seven times less expensive and takes seven times less time than talk therapy. Easy choice, right? Not always. The most important thing to keep in mind is doing what you feel is best for you. If you like things at a slower speed and are more confident taking a more leisurely pace, then talk therapy may be the better option. If you have tried talk therapy and are still experiencing distress or symptoms, then I would urge you to consider EMDR therapy. If you want to bulldoze right through the memory and get rid of the symptoms, then EMDR may be the best choice.
Final words. Every clinician is different, just as each client is different, and therapy does not come in a one-size-fits-all protocol. It is vital that you, as the client, feel comfortable, safe, and trust who you are working with.