I purchased this due to using a handheld EMDR device in my psychologist’s office, but needed some self administration of therapy. I noticed some reviews stated their watch was going to sleep before the session ended. I have no problems using my Apple Watch: I set the wake to 70 seconds, open this EMDR app on the watch, and then activate the session on my iPhone. Right as it starts, I put my thumb on my watch screen and slightly scroll up or down once. Then, during the session I just leave my thumb resting on the watch screen. No problems. Already tested to 87 seconds (haven’t tried longer yet due to being late at night and bedtime approaching). Good luck everyone!
I downloaded EMDR Tappers to try with my phone and Apple Watch for the respective right/left stimulation. Unfortunately, the Apple Watch part of the app suffers from stay-awake problems due to limitations of Apple’s public API. And the phone part of the app needs to improve how it handles unexpected disconnection from Apple Watch. I’m upgrading my review to 4 stars because the developer’s kind response that they were working on improvements to the phone app. Thank you and keep up the great work! —Original review follows— When the Watch screen dims after a few seconds, the tapper stops working on the Watch but the phone keeps going. Users also must manually install the EMDR Tappers Watch app via the Apple Watch settings app, and then they must manually launch the Watch app before the iPhone app will talk to it. Finally, the Watch must be kept awake for the two apps/devices to work together. The phone app does not wait for the Watch app nor does it instruct the user to install or launch the watch app. I do not plan to upgrade to Premium until the Watch support is improved. Thank you for building this app, and good luck with any improvements you have planned.
My tappers just broke during a doctor appointment, and I was frantic afterward. I stumbled on this and I am amazed it actually works. (no offense to the developers) I hold my watch in one hand and hold the phone in the other. I’m not sure if it will work with my doctor in an actual session, but I am so grateful for a possibility, as I seek out other tapper replacements. They actually feel like regular tappers. Although I prefer the actual tappers to hold with the machine, I am so grateful this is here and that I will be able to try it out. Thank you so much for the person who decided to create this app. I was suspect, because the download will not accept facial confirmation, so I didn’t know if it was a scam, but apparently not. Thank you so much.
I have hope in my heart for the first time in a very long time. Along with other positive changes, I have worked regular self led EMDR sessions into my day. You guys have provided us with a resource that we can have for free and also for a small fee per month. All other devices out there are at least $100-$450. An app that makes you feel like people out there truly care about something other than just money. I will be purchasing the monthly when I secure my Job. I’m telling everyone who has a need for EMDR about this app. Thank you very much to you all for creating this.
I think this is a cool idea. I don’t have two phones so maybe it works great that way. The tapping does not work on the watch past the 70 second stay awake which is the max stay awake setting the Apple Watch allows. I would not have given this review but the developer keeps saying that the app works well with Apple 5+ because they have the setting that it can stay awake forever, but that’s not the case. I have a series 9 and the max setting is still 70 seconds before it goes to sleep and stops pinging the watch. I tried keeping my thumb on the watch to keep it awake like someone else suggested and that did not work. I just think this app doesn’t work well with the Apple Watch do to the limitations of the Apple Watch design. It’s a shame.
I have been wanting to be able to use pulsators for my self administered EMDR, but I wasn’t going to pay hundreds of dollars for the ones that go with the EMDRkit app. I was so thrilled to find this app today. I upgraded to premium to show my appreciation. I am glad someone created this for those of us who want to use it. It works as expected. I use it with my Apple Watch, and it’s very convenient. Again, I’m THRILLED with this app!!
Thank you so much for creating this app and making it widely available to patients in such a critical time of need to all our humanity! Get it, do it daily. All you need is the headset or ear buds and you are good to go, that alone creates the bilateral stimulation, no need for extra devices, our ears are perfect to receive the stimulus since it’s all connected to your vagus nerve system.
Full customization for one time purchase is not full customization
When trying to select the continuous replay it sent me to the page for purchase. The one time purchase said full customization. I made the purchase. Afterwards I tried to set the continuous replay, and it said that it was not allowed with the one time purchase. And that I had to buy a subscription. I feel this is false advertising. Also, the app crashes when I select two of the sounds.
My only complaint is the affirmations voice is masculine sounding and I’d prefer a feminine sounding voice and I’d like the option to switch between the two. The voice is also a little robotic and jarring at times. I’ve used other methods for DIY EMDR and this is the best so far. I like to go into it with a plan to process something very specific and keep a cheat sheet of the phases of EMDR therapy & easy self soothing options
I can tell there’s authentic intention behind this “minimal resources” functionality! Grateful for people like you! PS : would be cool to develop little Bluetooth hand paddles one could purchase separately, and I could see there being a large market for growth. Yet, this serves most needs without those!
I bought the one time feature long ago so that I could have unlimited taps. Now that feature no longer works even though when I bought it that was sort of the version I paid. I am super frustrated that they are not honoring my original purchase. I love this app and frequently recommend it to others in the counseling profession. I just want the company to honor the purchase I made and all of the things I supposedly paid for at that time.
This app is wonderful! I tried EMDR once and it really didn’t work, but I gave this app a try and I’m shocked at how calm I feel doing the bilateral stimulation technique! The app is designed well. It’s simple yet effective!
Pros: it’s free, it has the eye movement, the alternating sound, and vibration, plus settings to adjust speed and duration. I’ve gotten alot of use out of this. Cons: the screen has the moving ball waaaay at the top and buttons at the bottom so I have to hide the bottom of the screen to focus on the ball. Personally I prefer a black background too.
It’s pretty ironic to make an app to deal with ptsd and anxiety that’s layered with both one time transactions AND subscriptions that interrupt the process hounding you for money and causing anxiety. Capitalism ruins everything. Also the ads for this made it sound completely free. Seems kiiiiiiiinda like you’re preying on the mental ill 🤔
Just started using this- I have had this with my therapist before and I ALWAYS get excellent results with this method. It’s never too late to heal the past. You owe yourself that peace.
I wanted to add bilateral stim to my guided meditation by Jenna Riemersma. I close my eyes for the mediation so I need EMDR Tappers’ vibration mode. How does one get bilateral stimulation using one device? My two older iPods don’t have the required iOS version so i can’t use them.
The app will not let you adjust the length of the vibrations, which is LITERALLY the most important variable in bilateral stimulation. Adjusting only the interval in between taps is not helpful. This app is next to useless, and is nowhere near worth the $50 price tag. Points for creativity with the two phones method. Other than that: Hard pass.
I have a newer iPhone and Apple Watch. The app is installed on both. The haptics only worn on the watch, not the phone, and only some times. It’s just a green ball that flashes from the phone, then the watch and nothing else happens. I paid for the premium and this is literally all I can get the app to do even though the settings show I have the haptics on.
I am a mental health counselor/therapist, and do a lot of EMDR therapy. I know the value of bilateral stimulation to help people calm down. This little app works really well as easy to use.
There is an issue with the watch missing it’s turn, unsure what causes it… but after a few seconds it misses and then you have to tap the watch for it to resume its turn in vibrating
I’m extremely grateful this app is free. Many including myself have a hard time accessing free therapy tools due to financial constraints. This is a blessing!
I like the free version of this app. Was curious if the purchased option allows you to have more or unlimited number of passes? I couldn’t tell by the description of it... it says you can save preset options... but it’s not clear to me how many passes you can set. The free version only goes up to 200. Before I buy I want to know how the number of passes can be determined. Thank you!
Using this with the Apple Watch is frustrating as the app for watch does not stay active and constantly sleeps so you get 70sec max and it is distracting to have to focus on keeping watch awake. Needs improvement.
Tried to access my phone’s contact list without permission
They only inform you that they will access your contact list and use your email for marketing etc after you have spent $9.99. No option to opt out of this data harvesting. Despicable.
Tried 5 times as I really want this to work. Tutorials had no sound, and app would not recognize my watch after downloading and deleting about 5 times. Too bad - but I wouldn’t waste my time - whole point is REDUCTION in stress right?
The affirmations should have how many seconds to set the tapping to. If it’s not set right the affirmation get cuts off. Personally I find the tapping is too slow when set to an affirmation.
I can’t get the sound to work when tapping or on videos; no sound at all with this app! I even upgraded to premium to see if I’d get sound… still no sound !
There are no instructions on how to use this. When do we tap when it vibrates? When the ball is in the center or when the ball hits one end or the other? Do we tap? So confusing. What a disappointment.
Doesn’t explain that the only way to get everything is to pay 50
Offers you a 9.99 option that doesn’t do anything and doesn’t give you anything. The only way the app fully functions is the 49.99 option but it doesn’t explain that. It’s misleading you into thinking you can open a recording for the 9.99 option when in fact you can’t. It shouldn’t offer that or advertise that as an option if it isn’t an option for opening a recording.
I love the accessibility of this app and that they’re not charging. However the sound on the videos isn’t working (I check in Spotify and other apps to make sure it wasn’t my phone or that the volume wasn’t turned up). I hope the creator can trouble shoot this!
The EMDR Tappers app was designed by researchers, veterans, and licensed eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) professionals to replicate EMDR therapy with only an iPhone and Apple Watch. Users can set the pace of animations, vibrations, and sounds. These stimuli are synchronized to replicate the benefits of EMDR therapy in any setting without the expensive, bulky equipment. Users can also use the app with just a single phone or two phones. All of this for free. No external, annoying ads. The core of EMDR therapy is bilateral stimulation—alternatively stimulating each side of the brain with sounds, lights, and vibrations. EMDR is a scientifically proven method of dealing with stress, anxiety, and other negative psychological conditions. The EMDR Tappers app combines the benefits of bilateral stimulation with positive affirmations. These affirmations are delivered bilaterally to help re-program your brain with healthy thoughts and beliefs. EMDR is a “strongly recommended” technique by the leading veterans' organizations, and the American Psychiatric Association has noted that EMDR is effective for treating PTSD symptoms. The premium version of the app allows users to set the color of the animation, choose the sound, and save custom settings as well as access preset settings. Download the app today to experience the power of bilateral stimulation. Terms of service: https://www.inspirehopecounseling.com/emdr-tappers-terms-of-service
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