Clearing Up the Confusion with the Best EMDR Therapist in Dhaka!
If you are exploring paths to healing from trauma, anxiety, or the heavy weight of the past, you may have come across the term EMDR. And, if you are like many people, the description of “eye movements” might have conjured a very specific and perhaps unsettling image: a swinging pocket watch, a therapist speaking in a low, mesmerizing voice, and the fear of being put into a trance where you might lose control, say things you don’t mean, or be made to do something against your will. It is a powerful image, deeply ingrained in our popular culture, and it is the image of stage hypnosis.
Let’s begin by validating that apprehension. For any human being, the idea of surrendering control can be frightening. For a survivor of trauma, whose sense of control and safety was profoundly violated, it can feel absolutely terrifying. The desire to remain in control of your own mind and body is not just a preference; it is a fundamental, intelligent, and necessary part of your survival system. So, if the idea of EMDR has sparked a fear in you that it might be a form of hypnosis that will take your control away, I want to offer you a deep and resounding sense of reassurance: EMDR is not hypnosis.
While both are powerful therapeutic tools that work with the mind in profound ways, they are fundamentally different in their core philosophy, their process, what they feel like for the client, and their ultimate goals. One is a journey into a state of deep relaxation to receive suggestions, while the other is a journey of staying fully conscious and present to process what is already inside of you. This article is your compassionate and comprehensive guide to understanding these differences. Our intention is to replace any fear you might have with clear, gentle knowledge, so that you can feel empowered to make the choice that is best for your own healing journey. With insights from the Best EMDR Therapist in Dhaka at Mind to Heart, let’s clear up the confusion together.
To create a clear understanding, let us first explore the world of clinical hypnotherapy with the respect it deserves as a legitimate therapeutic tool. It is crucial to immediately separate it from the caricatures of stage hypnosis. Clinical hypnosis, when practiced by a licensed and ethical professional, is a therapeutic technique that guides a person into a state of deep, focused relaxation. This state is often called a “trance,” but that word can be misleading. It is not a state of unconsciousness or sleep. In fact, it is a state of heightened inner awareness. It is a natural state that you likely enter every single day without realizing it—when you are completely absorbed in a beautiful piece of music, when you are lost in a wonderful book, or when you are driving a familiar route and suddenly realize you’ve arrived at your destination without actively thinking about every turn.
In this deeply relaxed state, the busy, chattering, critical part of our conscious mind—the part that is always analyzing and questioning—tends to quiet down. This allows for a more direct line of communication with the subconscious mind. The fundamental goal of hypnotherapy is to use this state of heightened focus and receptivity to offer positive, therapeutic suggestions. For example, for someone trying to quit smoking, the therapist might offer suggestions that connect the act of smoking with unpleasant sensations and connect the act of breathing fresh air with feelings of health and vitality. For someone with a phobia, the therapist might guide them to imagine encountering their feared object from a place of safety and calm, creating a new, more peaceful association in the subconscious. The healing in hypnotherapy comes from the client’s own mind accepting and integrating these powerful, positive suggestions, which can lead to profound changes in habits, perceptions, and behaviors. The role of the therapist is that of an active, verbal guide, using their voice and carefully crafted language to lead the client into relaxation and to offer the healing suggestions.
Now, let us turn to the world of EMDR and explore how it is a fundamentally different path. The core philosophy of EMDR, the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, is not based on suggestion, but on the belief that your own brain has an innate, powerful, and self-correcting ability to heal. The Best EMDR Therapist in Dhaka who practices EMDR believes that the healing intelligence is already inside of you. Their job is not to put anything new in (like a suggestion), but to help get the “stuck” material out of the way so your own brain can complete the healing process it was naturally designed to do.
The experience of being in an EMDR session is therefore radically different. The primary requirement of EMDR is that you remain fully conscious, fully awake, and fully present. The entire process is built upon what we call “dual awareness.” This is the cornerstone of the therapy. It is the practice of having one foot firmly planted in the safety of the present moment, in the therapy room with your trusted therapist, while another part of your awareness is simply observing the memory of the past as it passes by, much like watching scenery from the window of a train. You are not “in a trance.” You are, in fact, in a state of heightened mindfulness. You are the conscious, adult observer of your own experience, not a passive recipient of it.
This is why the “Stop Signal” is such a sacred and non-negotiable part of the preparation for EMDR. Before any processing begins, you and your therapist will agree on a simple hand gesture that you can use at any time, for any reason, to immediately pause the process. This single tool is a constant, powerful reminder of a fundamental truth: you are in complete control. Your therapist is your guide and your safety anchor, but you are the one driving the bus. This commitment to client empowerment is why the the Best EMDR Therapist in Dhaka at Mind to Heart is built on a foundation of absolute respect for your pace and your sense of safety.
The goals of the two therapies are also fundamentally different. The goal of hypnotherapy is often to change a behavior or perception through the power of suggestion. The goal of EMDR is to process a memory. It is to take a “stuck,” raw, unprocessed traumatic memory and allow your brain to finally digest it, integrate it, and file it away correctly in the past. The therapist is not telling your brain what to think or feel about the memory. They are using Bilateral Stimulation (BLS)—the eye movements, tapping, or tones—to stimulate your brain’s own information processing system. The new insights, the emotional release, and the shifts in perspective come organically from within you. The healing is generated by your own mind making new, adaptive connections. For example, your brain might connect the memory of a painful childhood event with your adult understanding that it was not your fault. This insight is infinitely more powerful because it is your own, not one that was suggested to you.
Let’s place these two powerful approaches side-by-side to make the distinctions crystal clear.
In terms of Consciousness and Control, hypnotherapy intentionally guides you into a deeply relaxed, trance-like state to quiet the conscious mind. In EMDR, you are required to be fully conscious, present, and alert. Your control over the process is explicit and paramount.
In terms of the Source of Healing, in hypnotherapy, the healing is often catalyzed by the positive suggestions offered by the therapist being accepted and integrated by your subconscious mind. In EMDR, the healing is catalyzed by your own brain’s innate ability to process information, with the new insights and resolutions emerging organically from within you. The Best EMDR Therapist in Dhaka using EMDR trusts in your inner wisdom above all else.
In terms of the Role of the Therapist, the hypnotherapist is often a very active verbal guide, using a soothing monologue to direct the experience. The EMDR therapist, during the processing phases, is much quieter. They are a deeply attuned, grounding presence, a safe container, but they follow your brain’s lead rather than directing it with words.
In terms of the Experience of Memory, hypnosis might be used to reframe your emotional response to a memory. EMDR directly targets the unprocessed sensory, emotional, and cognitive components of the memory itself, allowing your brain to fully “digest” it and store it as a completed event in the past.
The experience after a session can also differ. After hypnosis, clients often report feeling exceptionally relaxed, calm, and peaceful. After an EMDR processing session, clients can feel a whole range of things. Sometimes they feel a quiet sense of peace and resolution. Sometimes they feel tired, as if they have just done a significant workout. And sometimes they feel emotional, as feelings that have been stuck for a long time have finally been allowed to move. The Best EMDR Therapist in Dhaka will always dedicate the end of every session to ensuring you feel grounded and stable before you leave.
Choosing a therapeutic path is a deeply personal decision, and it is essential that you feel completely safe and respected in the process. We hope this gentle and thorough exploration has cleared away the fog of confusion and replaced it with a sense of clarity and empowerment. EMDR is not hypnosis. It is a conscious, collaborative, and client-empowered journey that is built on a profound trust in your own mind’s and body’s capacity to heal. The fear of losing control is one of the most significant barriers that can keep a survivor of trauma from seeking help. The beauty of EMDR is that it was designed with this very fear in mind, with safeguards and principles that ensure you are always the one in the driver’s seat.
If you are looking for the Best EMDR Therapist in Dhaka and safest path to finally be free from the weight of the past, we invite you to consider this powerful, evidence-based approach. The team of the Best EMDR Therapist in Dhaka at Mind to Heart are not just trained in the techniques of EMDR; we are deeply committed to its compassionate, empowering, and humanistic philosophy. We are here to answer all your questions, to honor your pace, and to create a space of unwavering safety where you can finally do the healing work you have so long deserved to do.
Book your sessions today with the Best EMDR Therapist in Dhaka!