How do you react to EMDR? How can you tell it's starting to work?

[Liliuokalani]

I first heard about EMDR from The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. van der Kolk. I thought why not give it a try, I doubt much damage would be done if it doesn't work. And I at first found it a little hard to believe that a little eye movement can dramatically improve emotional processing. But I started to notice before learning about EMDR that when I'm really stressed out my eyes start to hurt. Does that happen to anyone else? Like an eyeball headache in both eyes. Along with being achey all over. And my intestines going nutz.

I have zero monies for to go to therapy. So I actually found some how to's and videos on youtube. I thought I'd give them a try, and found the ones that struck me as less creepy than others. There are some weird ones out there with a soundtrack from like another planet. But I settled on some peaceful ones and gave it a try. And it seems to make the eyeball headache go away, along with feeling just more motivated. Like it isn't quite so much like wading through a sea of molasses to get any sort of chore or errand done. For a few days at least, then it comes back. I've only done like three or four sessions for myself. And when I start to feel the eyeball headache I make sure to do the videos.

Just wondering how other people have felt about this. I hope I'm not just having a placebo effect that will wear off.