Again, in general, not necessarily applicable to you, a few comments:

1) sleepiness often occurs when ones defenses are being pushed against, its tiring. In parts work, we say that the part of the self that is protecting against work gets exhausted by the task.

2) Anytime anyone is getting worse with EMDR, the EMDR should stop, the therapist should rethink the case formulation, and often its wise for the therapist to get consultation. Sometimes the defenses are outdated, and don't realize that its 2005 and its safe now to do the work. Sometimes the defenses are there for a good reason, namely, because the necessary preparatory work needs to be accomplished first.

3) No client is obligated to continue with a process that is making them worse. In my experience with EMDR this occurs sometimes when a therapist hasn't considered the degree of dividedness of the self and proceeds prematurely with EMDR. I don't know if that applies in your case.

4) Sometimes clients feel they have to continue but in a way they are reenacting the way they felt they had to allow someone with power to do something that hurt them in childhood.

5) Having said all that, its normal to feel temporarily worse after EMDR but there should NOT be a downward slide over the course of treatment. That's the very definition of destabilization.

In sum, I don't know if this applies to you at all, but what I say to people in this situation, in general is this: You might print this off and take it to your therapist for discussion. I'm confident that if he is a well intentioned and responsible therapist he will consider all these things, openly discuss it with you and if necessary seek consultation. Safety is paramount.

Respectfully submitted,

Sandra Paulsen PhD