Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful tool for processing trauma. But sometimes, emotional blocks can make it feel like you’re stuck, unable to move forward. One concept that can help make sense of these blocks is the difference between dirty pain and clean pain – a distinction that can make all the difference in how you experience healing.
In this post, I’ll explain what these types of pain are, how they show up in EMDR, and what you can do to work through emotional resistance.
What Is Clean Pain?
Clean pain is the natural, unavoidable discomfort that comes with difficult experiences. It’s the pain of grief, sadness, fear, or disappointment – the emotions that arise directly from a challenging situation. While uncomfortable, this type of pain is healthy and adaptive. It’s what allows us to process and heal from difficult experiences.
In EMDR, clean pain often comes up when clients fully engage with a traumatic memory. It might feel intense, but it’s a necessary part of the healing process.
What Is Dirty Pain?
Dirty pain, on the other hand, is the extra suffering we create through our thoughts, self-judgment, and resistance to feeling clean pain. It comes from rumination, avoidance, and negative self-talk.
Some examples include:
- Self-judgment: “I shouldn’t feel this way.”
- Negative beliefs: “I’m broken” or “I deserved this.”
- Avoidance: “If I ignore this, maybe it will go away.”
Dirty pain makes emotions feel heavier, often leading to emotional blocks in EMDR. Instead of allowing emotions to flow, it keeps trauma stuck.
How Dirty Pain Creates Blocks in EMDR
Many people experience emotional resistance during EMDR, which can slow progress. Dirty pain contributes to these blocks by:
- Increasing self-judgment: Thinking you “shouldn’t” feel something makes it harder to process.
- Causing avoidance: Pushing memories away often intensifies distress rather than reducing it.
- Reinforcing trauma-related beliefs: Feeling defined by pain makes healing more difficult.
- Creating fear of healing: Some people worry that if they process their trauma, they won’t know who they are without it.
Recognizing these patterns is the first step in moving past them.
How to Work Through Blocks in EMDR
If you feel stuck in EMDR, here are some strategies that might help:
1. Recognize the Difference Between Clean and Dirty Pain
When a painful emotion arises, try to label it. Ask yourself:
- Is this a natural reaction (clean pain)?
- Or is my mind adding extra suffering through judgment or avoidance (dirty pain)?
Simply recognizing this difference can shift how you experience distress.
2. Slow Down the Process
If emotions feel overwhelming, your therapist can adjust the pace. Slowing down eye movements or switching to tapping can help regulate emotional intensity.
3. Use Somatic Awareness
Notice where emotions show up in your body. Tension in the chest? A knot in your stomach? Gentle breathing exercises or grounding techniques can help release stored emotions.
4. Work With Your Therapist
Your EMDR therapist can guide you when dirty pain is blocking progress. Techniques like Cognitive Interweave (Shapiro, 2018) can help shift unhelpful beliefs and allow you to move forward.
Final Thoughts: Moving Through Trauma With Self-Compassion
Healing from trauma means allowing clean pain while reducing dirty pain. It’s not about avoiding discomfort—it’s about working with it in a way that leads to healing rather than getting stuck.
If you’re struggling with emotional blocks in EMDR, you’re not alone. With the right support, you can move through trauma in a way that feels manageable and freeing.
For more support on trauma recovery and EMDR therapy, contact Qualia Psychology today.
References
- Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Experiential Approach to Behavior Change. Guilford Press.
- Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. North Atlantic Books.
- Pittig, A., Treanor, M., LeBeau, R., & Craske, M. G. (2016). The Role of Fear and Avoidance in the Development of PTSD: A Longitudinal Investigation. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 82, 106-112.
- Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures. Guilford Press.
