Aftercare Between Therapy Sessions

Trauma therapy works by accessing and processing material that has been stored in your nervous system, often for years or decades. When this material is activated in session, whether through EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, schema therapy, or another modality, it does not simply switch off when the session ends. Your brain continues to work with the material, integrating new perspectives, consolidating emotional shifts, and sometimes bringing related memories or feelings to the surface.

This between-session processing is a normal and often positive part of therapy. It can also be unsettling, tiring, and emotionally unpredictable. Knowing what to expect and having strategies in place can make a significant difference to how you experience this period and how effectively the therapy progresses.

The strategies in this guide are not rigid prescriptions. Different approaches will suit different people, and what helps may change from week to week depending on what was covered in your session. Use this as a menu to choose from rather than a checklist to complete.

Therapy does not always feel like "work." Some weeks you may leave a session feeling lighter, clearer, or even energised. Other weeks you may feel raw, heavy, or stirred up. Both are valid. How you care for yourself between sessions should respond to how you are actually feeling, not to how you think you should feel.

Keep it brief and non-pressured. You do not need to write pages. A few lines can be enough. Some useful prompts: "What am I noticing today?" "How is my body feeling?" "What came up after my last session?" "What feels different this week?" The purpose is to create a gentle habit of self-observation, not a comprehensive trauma narrative.

Write about the present, not only the past. Journalling between sessions does not have to mean writing about your trauma. It can be equally valuable to write about your current emotional state, your dreams, small moments of connection, things you noticed during the day, or how your body felt during a particular experience. Trauma therapy involves learning to live more fully in the present, and journalling about your present life supports that.

Set a time limit. If you tend to spiral when you write, set a timer for ten or fifteen minutes and stop when it goes off. This contains the process and prevents journalling from becoming a re-traumatising exercise rather than a reflective one.

If journalling does not suit you, that is entirely fine. Some people process better through voice notes, drawing, movement, or conversation. There is no obligation to write. The goal is to have some form of reflective practice, whatever form works for you.

A note on trauma narratives. You may feel an urge to write out your full trauma story between sessions. While this can be part of some therapeutic approaches (and your therapist may specifically assign it), doing it without guidance can sometimes lead to re-traumatisation rather than processing. If you want to write about traumatic events, discuss this with your therapist first so they can help you do it safely.

The day of therapy. Keep this day as light as possible. Avoid scheduling stressful meetings, difficult conversations, or emotionally demanding activities before or after your session. Eat well, hydrate, and give yourself permission to do less.

The day after therapy. Some people feel energised and lighter after a session; others feel drained, fragile, or emotionally raw. Many experience a delayed reaction where the difficult feelings surface a day or two later. Notice your own pattern and plan accordingly. If you consistently feel depleted the day after therapy, try not to schedule demanding commitments on that day.

The rest of the week. Allow space for gentle processing to continue. You do not need to put your life on hold, but be realistic about your capacity. You may not have as much emotional bandwidth as you normally would. As therapy progresses and your nervous system stabilises, you will likely find that the impact of sessions becomes less disruptive.

Social commitments. Be selective about social engagements, particularly in the days following a session. Choose time with people who feel safe and nourishing. Postpone interactions that feel draining or performative. If you do not have the energy for socialising, that is a valid reason to say no.

Be realistic, not rigid. Pacing is about self-awareness and flexibility, not about creating a rigid schedule that adds another source of stress. Some weeks you will manage beautifully. Other weeks things will be harder. The goal is to learn your own patterns and respond to them with compassion, adjusting your expectations when you need to rather than pushing through regardless.

Dreams and memories. After a therapy session, particularly after EMDR processing, you may have vivid dreams, notice new memories surfacing, or find that familiar memories appear with different emotional tones. This is part of how your brain consolidates and integrates the work done in session. Note any significant dreams or memories to bring to your next session, but try not to over-analyse them in the meantime.

Emotional waves. You may experience periods of unexpected emotion between sessions: sadness, anger, anxiety, or even unexpected lightness and relief. These emotional waves are part of the processing and typically pass within hours or a day or two. When they come, acknowledge them ("I am processing"), use your grounding skills, and allow them to move through without judgement.

Physical sensations. Trauma is held in the body, and as it processes, physical sensations may emerge: tightness in the chest, heaviness in the limbs, tingling, temperature changes, fatigue, or a sense of release. Respond to them with gentle curiosity rather than alarm. Rest when you need to. Move when movement feels right.

The urge to avoid. Some weeks, you may notice a strong urge to cancel therapy, to stop thinking about the material, or to distract yourself intensively. This can be a sign that your system is approaching something important and the protective avoidance is activating. Bring this observation to your therapist. Avoidance is information, not failure.

Containment. If processing feels overwhelming between sessions, use the containment exercise described in your bedtime routine: visualise placing the difficult material in a strong container. You are not suppressing it. You are regulating the pace at which you engage with it. You can open the container in your next session, with your therapist alongside you.

Keep notes for your therapist. Rather than trying to process everything alone, jot down brief notes about what has come up between sessions to bring to your next appointment. A few bullet points are sufficient: "Had a vivid dream about [topic]. Felt unexpectedly angry on Wednesday. Noticed a new memory surface during grounding practice." This bridges the gap between sessions and ensures that important between-session material does not get lost.

Reach out to your therapist if: you are experiencing intense, prolonged distress that is not responding to grounding or self-care; you are having thoughts of self-harm or suicide; you are experiencing flashbacks or dissociation that feel unmanageable; you feel significantly worse than before your last session and the distress is not easing; or something has happened between sessions that feels urgent (a crisis, a re-traumatising event, a significant change in circumstances).

Most therapists have a policy for between-session contact. Some offer brief email or phone check-ins; others have specific emergency contact protocols. Clarify this with your therapist early in therapy so that you know the options available to you. Knowing that contact is possible, even if you never use it, can itself be regulating.

If you contact your therapist and they are not immediately available (which is often the case), use your grounding toolkit, reach out to your support network, and if you are in crisis, use the crisis resources listed below.

Identify your safe people. Who in your life feels safe, non-judgemental, and genuinely supportive? This does not have to be a long list. One or two people who you can be honest with is enough. Let them know, in general terms, that you are going through a therapeutic process and may need occasional support. You do not need to share the details of your therapy, just the fact that you are doing difficult work and might need a cup of tea or a quiet presence sometimes.

Be specific about what helps. People who care about you often want to help but do not know how. Tell them: "It helps when you just listen without trying to fix it." "What I need is company, not advice." "A text checking in means a lot, even if I do not reply immediately." Specific guidance makes it easier for your support network to show up for you in ways that actually help.

Online communities. If in-person support is limited, online peer support communities can provide connection with others who understand. Choose communities that are moderated, compassionate, and focused on recovery rather than those that are unstructured or potentially re-traumatising. Your therapist may be able to recommend appropriate resources.

Professional support beyond therapy. Depending on your needs, you might benefit from additional supports: a GP who understands trauma, a support group, a wellbeing service at work, or a helpline for specific issues. These are not replacements for therapy but complementary resources that can strengthen your overall safety net.