What is EMDR?

Regardless of whether you’re working one-on-one with a therapist or in a group, the core part of the EMDR session involves thinking about the memory or experience that has been stressful or traumatic while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, auditory tones, or tapping your own body. You’ll then continue to follow a series of prompts, all of which will be guided by your therapist to help facilitate the brain's natural healing abilities.

Bilateral Stimulation, like eye movements and tapping, mimic the natural process of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, which is involved in the processing of emotional memories. Neuroscience research into REM sleep and its role in memory processing supports the idea that bilateral stimulation helps to facilitate the processing of traumatic memories.

The human brain, much like the body, knows how to heal. But just as a splinter lodged in your skin prevents healing, traumatic memories stuck in our minds keep us from moving forward. The part of the brain where traumatic memories are stored is disconnected from the rational, cognitive processing parts of our brain which means talking about them doesn’t help and instead they get stuck on a loop in our mind. When we use bilateral stimulation, we engage both sides of our brain which helps to move the looping traumatic memory from the emotional brain to integrate with the rational brain where it can be worked through. If you imagine your brain is like a library, and the bad memory is a book put in the wrong section, EMDR helps your brain find the right place to store that book so it makes sense.

EMDR does not change your memories but rather how these memories are stored and how you feel and respond to them. Neuroscience research tells us that traumatic experiences can disrupt the normal memory processing pathways in the brain. We also know that the brain is capable of plasticity, which means it can change and reorganize itself in response to experiences. EMDR therapy leverages this plasticity to help the brain reprocess traumatic or distressing memories to diminish their power. As a result, the memory remains, but the intense feelings, physical sensations, and negative beliefs associated with it can be significantly reduced.

While EMDR therapy does involve focusing on traumatic or distressing memories, it does not require you to relive these experiences in a deeply emotional way, nor to talk about them aloud. It's more about noticing the memory from a safe distance, with your therapist guiding you, so you feel secure throughout the process. The therapy aims to allow you to work through these memories safely and with less emotional distress, reducing their impact.

EMDR therapy is effective for a wide range of psychological issues, including but not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and stress-induced problems. It's also used to improve personal performance in many areas of life, including work and sport.

The length of EMDR therapy varies depending on the individual's needs and the complexity of their issues. Some clients notice significant improvement after just one session, while others may require a longer treatment period. Typically, EMDR therapy produces noticeable results more quickly than traditional talk therapy.

Yes, EMDR therapy can be effectively conducted online both individually and in groups. Online sessions allow for the use of bilateral stimulation through visual cues or body tapping. Whether it's one-on-one, in a group, in person or online, EMDR has been shown to maintain its effectiveness, giving you flexibility in how you receive therapy.