About EMDR
Do I have to tell everything that happened to me?
Not necessarily. You work with what you can and want to tell, at your own pace. EMDR doesn’t need a detailed account of what you lived through.
Does it help if nothing serious happened to me?
Yes. EMDR tells apart a single serious event, such as an accident or violence, and situations that don’t look serious on their own but leave a mark when they last for years. Both are worked with.
I’ve had therapy before. Is EMDR something else?
It is another kind of therapy. It is not better or worse than the one you had, it is different. If you are in therapy now, EMDR can sit alongside it, and the two therapists can work as a team.
What if I get upset during a session?
It can happen, and it is expected. During or after a session you may feel distress, more tiredness, vivid dreams or strong sensations in your body. They usually pass, though nobody can say beforehand how it will be for you. That is why the first sessions are preparation: before working on any memory, you build resources to come back to.
Can I do EMDR if I take medication?
Yes. Follow your doctor’s instructions and tell your therapist if your medication changes. The EMDR therapist and your psychiatrist can work together. Your therapist may also suggest seeing a psychiatrist at some point; it is not a requirement to start.
Does EMDR work online?
Yes. EMDR follows the same phases by video call as in person. The directory’s Online filter shows who works that way.
How many sessions will I need?
Nobody can say beforehand. It depends on you and on what you work on. Sessions are usually weekly, or every two weeks at most, because the process needs continuity.
Is there EMDR for children, teenagers or couples?
Yes. EMDR has protocols for children and teenagers, for couples, and for other situations such as complex trauma or chronic pain. Each profile says which ages and which formats that therapist works with.
Before you start
Do I need a diagnosis or a referral to start?
No. You can write to a therapist directly. What brings you is what the first consultation is for.
What happens in the first consultation?
The therapist asks what brings you and explains how they work. Ask anything you want: their training, their fees, how often you would meet. How to choose has a list of questions.
Can I change therapist?
Yes, at any time. If you don’t feel comfortable, you can say so and look for someone else in the directory.
About Psilumina
How do you check therapists?
Before a profile goes live we check two things: the licence, in the official register that grants it, and the EMDR training certificate. Each profile shows the date of each check. How we verify has the detail.
How much does a session cost?
Each therapist sets their own fees, and the profile shows them when the therapist publishes them. What you pay for a session goes straight to your therapist. Psilumina takes no commission.
Does Psilumina recommend a therapist?
No. We refer no patients. How to choose explains what to look at and what to ask.
How is the list ordered?
Therapists accepting new patients come first, then the rest in a random order that changes every Monday. If you search by place, the nearest come first. Nobody pays to appear first.
Do I need an account?
No. You search, read the profiles and write to a therapist without signing up.
What does Psilumina see when I contact someone?
That a contact button on a profile was tapped. Not your message: it goes by WhatsApp or your email, straight to the therapist. What we measure has the detail.
What if I am in a crisis?
Psilumina is a directory and does not handle emergencies. If you are in danger now, call your country’s emergency number. Urgent help lists the numbers by country.