EMDR Therapy: What You Need to Know

What is EMDR therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an interactive psychotherapy technique used to process psychological stress and is an effective treatment for trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

During EMDR therapy sessions, you process traumatic or triggering experiences in brief doses while the therapist directs your eye movements.

EMDR is thought to be effective because recalling distressing events is often less emotionally upsetting when your attention is diverted. This allows you to be exposed to the memories or thoughts without having a strong psychological response.

Over time, this technique is believed to lessen the impact that the memories or thoughts have on you.

What are the benefits of EMDR therapy?

People who are dealing with traumatic memories and those who have PTSD are thought to benefit the most from EMDR therapy.

It’s thought to be particularly effective for those who struggle to talk about their past experiences.

EMDR therapy is also being used to treat:

• depression
• anxiety
• panic attacks
• eating disorders
• addictions

How does EMDR therapy work?

EMDR therapy is broken down into eight different phases, so you’ll need to attend multiple sessions. Treatment usually takes about 12 separate sessions.

Phase 1: History and treatment planning

Your therapist will first review your history and decide where you are in the treatment process. This evaluation phase also includes talking about your trauma and identifying potential traumatic memories to treat specifically.

Phase 2: Preparation

Your therapist will then help you learn several different ways to cope with the emotional or psychological stress you’re experiencing.

Stress management techniques such as deep breathing and mindfulness may be used.

Phase 3: Assessment

During the third phase of EMDR treatment, your therapist will identify the specific memories that will be targeted and all the associated components (such as the physical sensations that are stimulated when you concentrate on an event) for each target memory.

Phases 4-7: Treatment

Your therapist will then begin using EMDR therapy techniques to treat your targeted memories. During these sessions, you will be asked to focus on a negative thought, memory, or image.

Your therapist will simultaneously have you do specific eye movements. The bilateral stimulation may also include taps or other movements mixed in, depending on your case.

After the bilateral stimulation, your therapist will ask you to let your mind go blank and notice the thoughts and feelings you’re having spontaneously. After you identify these thoughts, your therapist may have you refocus on that traumatic memory, or move on to another.

If you become distressed, your therapist will help bring you back to the present before moving on to another traumatic memory. Over time, the distress over particular thoughts, images, or memories should start to fade.

Phase 8: Evaluation

In the final phase, you’ll be asked to evaluate your progress after these sessions. Your therapist will do the same.