EMDR THERAPY

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach designed to help people process distressing memories and traumatic experiences. It works with your brain’s natural ability to heal.

Think of it this way: Just as your body knows how to heal a physical wound, your brain has an innate ability to recover from psychological distress. But after a traumatic event, this natural healing system can become blocked, leaving the memory “stuck” with all its original emotions, sensations, reactions and negative beliefs intact.

EMDR gently unblocks this process. You briefly focus on the traumatic memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, typically following side-to-side eye movements. This helps your brain reprocess the memory and store it in a healthier way.

The result? The memory does not disappear, but it loses its emotional intensity. You can recall what happened without feeling overwhelmed, allowing for genuine healing and new insights to emerge.

Understanding Unprocessed Trauma

Traumatic memories are not stored like ordinary memories. Instead of being filed away as past experiences, they remain raw and unintegrated. When triggered by a reminder, they do not feel like something that happened in the past, they feel as if the event is happening right now, complete with the original emotions and physical responses.

What Happens in Your Brain

When a traumatic memory is triggered, your brain’s rational control centre (prefrontal cortex) becomes less effective, while your emotional processing centre (amygdala) goes into overdrive. This creates a powerful feedback loop: intense emotions trigger vivid memory recall, overwhelming your ability to regulate and intensifying the emotions further.

This loop can include physical responses (racing heart, sweating, tension), mental effects (intrusive thoughts, flashbacks), and emotional reactions (fear, panic, shame), all reinforcing each other. Each time a traumatic memory is recalled, the neural pathways connecting the emotional and memory-processing centres are strengthened, like well-trodden trails in a forest. Over time, these reinforced pathways make the memory easier to trigger and keep the trauma feeling intensely present, often making emotional regulation increasingly difficult.

What Can EMDR Therapy Help With?

While originally developed for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, extensive research has shown Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to be effective for a wide range of conditions.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Complex Trauma
Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Depression
Phobias
Grief and Loss
Childhood Trauma and Abuse
Social Anxiety
Low Self-Esteem
Performance Anxiety (e.g., for athletes, public speakers)
Addiction and Compulsive Behaviours (often linked to underlying trauma)

Why Eye Movements?

When you follow a moving object with your eyes during EMDR, it creates a gentle, calming effect in your body while you think about the difficult memory. This helps you process the experience without feeling overwhelmed. Research has found several ways that EMDR helps the brain process memories and reduce distress.

Orienting Response

Eye movements trigger an automatic “what-is-it” reflex that creates physiological relaxation while processing traumatic memories, pairing calmness with distressing content. The pairing of a relaxation response with the distressing memory helps your brain file it away more efficiently.

Working Memory Taxation

Doing two things at once, like recalling a memory while following a moving object with your eyes, can overload your brain’s working memory. When this happens, the memory becomes less clear and feels less intense emotionally.

Reduced Stress Response

EMDR creates measurable changes: decreased heart rate and skin conductance, and increased heart rate variability, all signs that stress is reduced

Reciprocal Inhibition

The relaxation response induced by eye movements cannot coexist with anxiety, weakening the connection between traumatic memories and distress.

Orienting Response

Working Memory Taxation

Reduced Stress Response

EMDR creates measurable changes: decreased heart rate and skin conductance, and increased heart rate variability, all signs that stress is reduced

Reciprocal Inhibition

The relaxation response induced by eye movements cannot coexist with anxiety, weakening the connection between traumatic memories and distress.

The Treatment Process

EMDR follows a structured eight-phase approach, ensuring you are fully prepared and supported throughout your healing journey

History & Planning Treatment: You explore your past experiences with your therapist and identify which memories to focus on.
Preparation: You learn coping and calming techniques to manage emotional distress and develop resources and tools to support you throughout the journey.
Assessment: For each target memory, you will identify the negative belief associated with it (e.g., “I am not good enough”) and a desired positive belief (e.g., “I am worthy”).
Desensitization: This is the processing phase, where you focus on the memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, or tones), and simply notice whatever comes to mind without judgment.
Installation: The positive belief is reinforced and “installed” to replace the negative one.
Body Scan: You check for any remaining physical tension linked to the memory.
Closure: Each session ends with grounding and reflection, so you leave feeling calm and present.

Re-evaluation: At the beginning of the next session, progress is reviewed and new target memories are selected as needed.

What Happens During Treatment

During EMDR sessions, you may notice both physical and emotional changes:

These changes help you work through traumatic memories without getting stuck in overwhelm. Many people find this gentler approach helps them feel safer during treatment while still supporting healing. This is why EMDR can be a good option if traditional exposure therapy feels too intense.

You Do Not Have to Relive the Trauma

Unlike therapies requiring detailed verbal descriptions, this approach can work without you having to explain everything that happened. Many people find this gentler method helps them feel safer during treatment while still supporting their healing.

What You May Find:

Memories feel less intense and distressing
You can recall events without your body reacting strongly
Flashbacks and intrusive images become less frequent
New, healthier perspectives about yourself begin to emerge
You may feel more present and engaged in daily life

Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR

Will I get overwhelmed during EMDR?

You may experience emotions or physical sensations as memories are processed, which is a normal sign of healing. Your therapist is trained to help you manage this, and the intensity is temporary. The goal is to alleviate, not increase, your distress.

How long does EMDR therapy take?

The number of sessions needed varies. A single traumatic memory might be processed in a few sessions, while more complex trauma may take longer. You and your therapist will develop a personalised plan based on your individual needs.

Is EMDR therapy safe?

Yes. When conducted by a properly trained and certified EMDR therapist, it is a safe and effective treatment. Your therapist will ensure you have the tools to stay grounded and will never push you faster than you are ready to go.