Hi Thistle,

I hope you don't mind me butting in. My therapist and I used EMDR for approx a year. My opinion only: Yes, it's possible to lie while doing EMDR, but I think it's highly unlikely to happen if I'm doing it correctly. By that I mean, I'm relaxed as much as possible and allowing my mind to be open enough to go wherever it needs to go, rather than directing or controlling it like I normally would in day to day life. I've had similar experiences as you describe. I've also had unexpected things come out when I do the right/left hand writing technique.

I struggle with believing, also. When I'm obsessing, demanding of myself that I need to know, I tell myself that I may never know, but forcing myself or being insistent sure won't help me. I remind myself that the best way to set up optimal conditions is to relax, open my mind to whatever it wants to reveal, and accept what comes. That doesn't mean I necessarily believe it, but I accept that that image or sentence or whatever it is was offered to my consciousness. Hopefully at some point in the future I'll have enough info to make sense of it all. Really good question, and one I ask myself regularly.

troubledwaters