As a therapist specializing in women’s mental health, particularly anxiety and trauma, I’m always looking for the most effective ways to help my clients heal and move forward in their lives. One powerful approach that I use in my practice is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy. You might be wondering: What exactly is EMDR? How does it work? And is it really effective?
I’m so glad you asked! Let me break it down for you in a way that feels accessible and easy to understand.
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a therapeutic approach that’s designed to help people process and heal from traumatic memories, disturbing experiences, or overwhelming emotions. It was developed in the late 1980s by Dr. Francine Shapiro, and since then, it has become one of the most researched and evidence-based treatments for trauma and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
However, EMDR is not just for trauma. It can also be incredibly helpful for a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, phobias, grief, and even some forms of chronic pain.
At its core, EMDR helps people reprocess unprocessed or mis-processed memories or negative beliefs that are “stuck” in their minds and bodies. These memories or beliefs may be causing emotional distress, or influencing current behavior in unhealthy ways.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR is unique in that it involves both talk therapy and bilateral stimulation (often through eye movements, though tapping or auditory tones can also be used). You may wonder: Why would eye movements be involved in therapy?
Here’s how it works:
Processing Disturbing Memories: In EMDR, we’ll focus on a memory or experience that’s causing you distress—this could be something recent or from your past. The goal is to bring up the memory or thought, but not in a way that feels overwhelming or re-traumatizing.
Bilateral Stimulation (BLS):
As you think about the memory, I’ll guide you to move your eyes back and forth, or use other forms of bilateral stimulation. This has been shown to help the brain process and “reorganize” these memories in a healthier way, similar to how we process information during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.
Shifting Negative Beliefs:
Often, trauma and difficult experiences leave us with negative beliefs about ourselves (e.g., “I’m not safe,” “I’m not good enough,” or “I’m unworthy”). EMDR helps you shift those beliefs to more positive, adaptive ones.
Healing & Resolution: As your brain processes the memory in a more adaptive way, the emotional intensity associated with it often decreases, and you’re able to think about the event without the same level of distress. Over time, this helps you feel more in control of your emotions and reactions.
The 8-Phase EMDR Protocol
If you are wondering how the steps actually look in a session, EMDR therapy often follows a structured, 8-phase protocol. This is designed to ensure that the process is thorough, safe, and effective. Each phase builds upon the previous one, guiding you step-by-step toward healing and resolution. It is important to note that there are now multiple adapted procedures for each stage of the protocol for EMDR therapy. Depending on one’s training and other modalities they would like to incorporate into their EMDR work, this can look a bit different case to case and therapist to therapist. Here’s a quick overview of what the 8 phases involve for
the standard protocol:
1. History-Taking and Treatment Planning
In this phase, we’ll talk about your background, current concerns, and the specific issues you want to work on. Together, we’ll identify the memories or beliefs that are most distressing and develop a treatment plan. This helps us focus on your unique needs and goals for therapy.
2. Preparation
This phase is all about ensuring you feel safe, comfortable, and ready to begin the process. I will explain how EMDR works, address any questions or concerns you might have, and teach you grounding techniques to help manage any strong emotions that may arise during or between sessions.
3. Assessment
In this phase, we’ll focus on the specific memory, event or time frame that you want to process. We will identify key elements of that memory, including the negative belief you may have about yourself (e.g., “I’m not safe” or “I’m worthless”), and a positive belief you’d like to adopt (e.g., “I am safe” or “I am worthy”). You’ll also be asked to rate the level of distress you feel about the memory at the beginning of treatment.
4. Desensitization
This is the phase where the bilateral stimulation (I typically use eye-movements or tapping) happens. You’ll focus on the memory while engaging in the eye movements or another form of bilateral stimulation. Over time, the emotional intensity of the memory should decrease, and you’ll start to feel less distressed by it.
Installation
As the distress level decreases, we work on strengthening the positive belief you identified earlier. This phase helps reinforce your new, healthier way of thinking about yourself and the world.
5. Installation:
We will work to strengthen the positive beliefs the client wants to adopt, helping you to replace negative self-perceptions with more adaptive and empowering ones.
6. Body Scan
In this phase, we check in with your body to see if there are any physical sensations connected to the memory. Sometimes, trauma gets “stored” in the body, so we work together to release any tension, discomfort, or lingering feelings of distress.
Closure
7. Closure:
In this stage you helped to return to a state of calm and equilibrium after processing the traumatic memory, ensuring that you feel grounded and safe.
After each session, we’ll make sure you feel stable and grounded before leaving. If the memory hasn’t fully resolved, we’ll take steps to ensure that you feel emotionally safe and can carry on with your day. I’ll also guide you through any relaxation techniques to help you feel calm and centered.
8. Reevaluation
In follow-up sessions, we’ll check in on your progress and see how the memory or issue feels now. If any lingering distress remains, we’ll revisit it. Sometimes new memories or related issues surface as healing happens, and we’ll address them as needed. This phase ensures that your healing continues and that you’re moving forward with the strength and resilience you’ve gained.
This 8-phase approach is designed to make sure that the healing process is comprehensive, paced according to your comfort, and rooted in your unique experiences. It’s one of the reasons why EMDR is such a flexible and powerful treatment—it allows for the deep work of trauma healing while also supporting you as a whole person, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
As always, your therapist should be with you every step of the way, providing guidance, support, and compassion as you work through each phase together.
The Evidence Behind EMDR
One of the most remarkable things about EMDR is that it’s backed by solid scientific research. Over 30 years of studies show that EMDR is highly effective in treating trauma-related disorders and other mental health conditions. In fact, the American Psychological Association (APA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) both recognize EMDR as a recommended treatment for trauma and PTSD.
EMDR has been shown to help people reduce the emotional charge attached to traumatic memories, lower symptoms of anxiety and depression, and even improve sleep and overall well-being. Studies have found that many people experience significant improvement in as few as 6 to 12 sessions, making it one of the most efficient therapies available.
But, just as importantly, EMDR has helped people heal in a way that feels gentle and non-invasive. It allows clients to process their pain at their own pace, without needing to talk through every single detail of their trauma. This is especially helpful for individuals who may feel overwhelmed by the idea of recounting traumatic experiences in detail.
Why EMDR Might Be Right for You
If you’ve been struggling with anxiety, trauma, or any of the emotional burdens that life can bring, EMDR can be a transformative experience. It’s a deeply compassionate approach to healing that doesn’t require you to relive every painful detail of your past. Instead, it gently helps your brain and body heal, so that you can feel more present and at peace in your life.
I know it can feel intimidating to take that first step towards therapy, but I want you to know that you’re not alone in this process. If you’re ready to explore EMDR or would like to learn more about how it might fit with your healing journey, I’m here to support you with warmth, compassion, and a deep understanding of your needs.
Whether you’re dealing with past trauma, ongoing anxiety, or just looking for a new approach to mental well-being, I’d be honored to help guide you through the process of healing with EMDR. If you have any questions or are curious to see if EMDR could be a helpful part of your healing process, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You deserve to feel whole, healthy, and at peace, and I’m here to help you get there.