EMDR Therapy
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR Therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a structured psychotherapy approach that helps people process distressing experiences that continue to feel emotionally charged, intrusive, or unresolved.
It can be helpful when something is understood logically, but still feels stuck. You may know that a difficult experience is over, yet still find yourself reacting as though the danger is present.
How does EMDR therapy work?
EMDR is based on the understanding that overwhelming experiences can sometimes remain insufficiently processed. When this happens, memories may continue to feel as emotionally charged and immediate as they did at the time.
EMDR helps the brain reprocess these experiences so they can be stored in a more adaptive way. Over time, a memory that once felt overwhelming may begin to feel more like something that happened in the past.
Part of this process involves bilateral stimulation, which may include eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones.
What Conditions or Symptoms Can EMDR Therapy Address?
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD)
- Recent Traumatic Events
- Dissociative Disorders
- Phobias
- Pain Conditions
- Panic Disorders
- Complicated Grief
- Sleep Disturbances
- Depression
- Difficulties with Anger
- Performance Anxiety
- Addictive Conditions
Why EMDR Therapy?
We may not be thinking about past experiences all the time, but they can continue to leave their imprint. This may show up in anxiety, shame, self-doubt, emotional overwhelm, body tension, or patterns that feel difficult to change.
EMDR can help bridge the gap between what you know and what you feel. You may know that you are safe now, that a painful experience is over, or that what happened was not your fault, yet still find yourself reacting with fear, shame, urgency, or inadequacy.
What EMDR Therapy Looks like in practice
EMDR follows an eight-phase approach, which includes history-taking, preparation, assessment, processing, and reevaluation. This does not mean every session looks the same or that therapy moves straight into processing.
Sometimes the work begins with preparation and stabilisation. Sometimes it involves identifying patterns, triggers, and target memories. Sometimes it involves reprocessing distressing experiences more directly. The pace depends on your history, your goals, and what feels manageable for your nervous system.
How I use EMDR
I use EMDR thoughtfully and at a pace that takes your nervous system seriously. EMDR is not always the first step. Depending on what you are bringing to therapy, we may begin with building stability, strengthening resources, and making sure this approach feels supportive and well-timed.
Part of my role is to help determine whether EMDR is appropriate for you, and if so, how to use it in a way that feels careful, collaborative, and contained.
If you are curious about whether EMDR may be a good fit for you, we can discuss this together in the early stages of therapy.
What to Learn More?
If you would like to know more about EMDR therapy please watch this video courtesy of EMDR International Association.
If you would like more information, studies and references, please visit their website for more details.