EMDR Therapy

What Is EMDR Therapy?

When a traumatic event happens, your brain becomes too overwhelmed to process the experience. This makes you feel “frozen” in time, as if the past is endlessly repeating itself. EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a research-backed form of therapy that can change how you respond to trauma. It helps you process or “digest” painful memories so that they no longer feel present in your life.
With EMDR therapy, you may notice that emotions that previously felt intense and overwhelming have less of a hold on you. You may also notice that your relationships with others improve, as well as overall functioning in other areas of life. Your brain and body can heal after years and years of feeling disconnected and distressed, allowing you to feel lighter, freer, and more empowered.

How Effective Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is one of the most powerful forms of trauma treatment in the world. It’s endorsed by the American Psychological Association, World Health Organization, Department of Veterans Affairs, and many other reputable medical organizations (1). According to many studies, about 84 to 90 percent of people with one traumatic event in their past no longer have PTSD after just three sessions of EMDR. And for those with multiple traumas, about 77 percent no longer have PTSD after six sessions (2).

What makes EMDR so much more effective than other forms of trauma therapy?

For one thing, it bypasses the need to “talk through” your trauma in detail. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation techniques—such as tapping or side-to-side eye movements—to access the part of the nervous system where traumatic memories are stored. Standard talk therapy cannot access this part of the nervous system, because it only works with the conscious mind. EMDR works with your subconscious, letting you dig beneath the surface of your awareness and heal your deepest emotional wounds.

And since it doesn’t require you to talk about your trauma, EMDR also reduces the risk of being re-traumatized. After all, most forms of talk therapy just make trauma worse—by having you recount what happened, you end up feeling re-triggered and overwhelmed. EMDR doesn’t require you to share your story in detail—you can tell your therapist as much or as little as you want!

How Does EMDR Therapy Look?

The first part of EMDR treatment is the resourcing stage. During this part, you and your therapist will come up with strategies to help you stay calm and regulated as you process traumatic memories. These strategies can include meditation, deep breathing, visualization, and any other mindfulness-based skills that work for you.

Next, you’ll begin the actual EMDR work. Your therapist will help you determine which memory to target first, asking you to hold different aspects of that memory in mind. At the same time, they’ll ask you to follow their hand or light source as they move it back and forth across your field of vision. Other forms of bilateral stimulation may include sounds or tapping.

This bilateral stimulation activates both sides of the brain, allowing you to move your trauma from the emotional side to the intellectual side. In other words, EMDR reduces the emotional impact of trauma and helps you form a more rational perspective on what happened to you. In this way, it transforms the meaning of traumatic events on the deepest level possible.

How Can EMDR Benefit Your Life?

EMDR doesn’t just reduce your symptoms—it allows for substantial, lifelong healing. Rather than slap a band-aid on your pain, EMDR gets right to the core of what’s going on, addressing the longstanding emotional wounds that perpetuate your struggles. It enables you to break out of old patterns that are holding you back from living up to your fullest potential.

For instance, if your past trauma made you want to isolate and avoid social gatherings, EMDR can help you overcome the sense of fear that keeps you from leaving your comfort zone. It can empower you to feel more confident and at ease in your own skin, making it easier to seize new opportunities and connect with new people. You can stop engaging in unhealthy habits and make decisions that move you closer to happiness, peace, and stability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is EMDR therapy?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro to help people heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. During EMDR, your therapist guides you through bilateral stimulation (usually eye movements) while you focus on a traumatic memory. This process helps your brain reprocess the memory so it no longer triggers the same intense emotional and physical responses. EMDR is recognized by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, and the Department of Veterans Affairs as an effective treatment for PTSD.

How does EMDR work?

When a traumatic event occurs, your brain can get “stuck” processing the memory, which is why trauma survivors often feel as if the event is still happening. EMDR helps your brain unstick by activating its natural healing process through bilateral stimulation (such as guided eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones). Over the course of treatment, the distressing memory gradually loses its emotional charge — you still remember what happened, but it no longer triggers the same level of distress.

How many EMDR sessions will I need?

The number of sessions varies depending on the nature and complexity of what you’re processing. Some people experience significant relief from a single traumatic event in as few as 6 to 12 sessions. Complex trauma — involving multiple events or early childhood experiences — typically requires more time. Your therapist will work with you to create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and goals.

Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail during EMDR?

No. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require you to describe your traumatic experience in extensive detail. You’ll need to briefly identify the memory you want to work on, but the processing itself happens internally — your therapist guides the process while your brain does the healing work. Many clients find this aspect of EMDR particularly appealing if they feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed by the idea of talking through their trauma at length.

Is EMDR only for PTSD?

No. While EMDR was originally developed for PTSD, research and clinical experience have shown it to be effective for a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, phobias, grief, performance anxiety, chronic pain, and disturbing memories that don’t meet the full criteria for PTSD. If a past experience is still causing you distress, EMDR may be able to help.

Begin Your Journey Toward Healing And Wholeness

Our EMDR therapists are all EMDRIA-trained, meaning that we’ve been trained to use EMDR at the highest level. We decided to use this approach because of how effective it was in treating trauma survivors. What’s more, our therapists can also work with prescribers, doctors, family members, and anyone else you’d like to involve in your care.

If you want to heal from the pain of the past and begin your journey toward healing and wholeness, contact us or call (646) 918 – 1181. We look forward to working with you!
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