What Is EMDR? A Plain-Language Introduction

If you have been considering starting therapy, you have probably come across the acronym EMDR. It stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. That is a mouthful and most people don’t know what it means. Many people think it is only used for big traumatic events and don’t realize that it is a powerful, comprehensive approach to psychotherapy. EMDR is evidence based, meaning research has shown it to be an effective therapy for a wide range of client presentations.

The core idea

Your brain has a natural ability to process difficult experiences. Most of the time it does this on its own. You go through something hard, you think about it, maybe talk about it, you sleep, and over time the memory settles into the past where it belongs.

Sometimes an experience is too overwhelming and it takes a different route in the brain. If our human survival resources kick in, that experience can become encoded in a special way in our brain. After an experience like that, you may know the event is in the past but your body may still react as if it is still happening. That somatic reaction can show up as what appears to be an overreaction to things that happen in the present.

It is like having a wound that hasn’t healed. Until that wound is able to heal it will hurt. Often time doesn’t heal wounds that are stored as trauma, and we can live with that pain for months, years or decades.

Unresolved trauma can be the root of unwanted patterns of behavior, thoughts and reactivity. The way you see yourself, the world and your relationships are all affected by trauma. EMDR can help change that.

EMDR therapy helps your brain finish processing those stuck memories. The past does not change, but how it lives in your brain and body does. People often describe it this way: the memory is still there, but it no longer has the same charge.

Most people are not aware of memories that are stuck in their system as trauma wounds. That is normal, and it is not necessary for you to know the origin of your current suffering. That will be the job of the EMDR therapist to help guide you through the path toward healing.

What happens in EMDR

EMDR is an 8 phase approach to psychotherapy that is delivered by a qualified mental health professional. The first part of the therapy is to get to know you, your unique strengths and make a plan for your treatment.

The first phases help you understand EMDR, develop needed coping skills and make a plan for getting to the root of your current problem.

Once you are ready and you and the therapist have determined an appropriate target memory, you will be guided through the reprocessing phases of EMDR. This is the part that includes bilateral stimulation, in the form of eye movements, tapping or other methods, that help your brain know and feel like the memory is actually over.

During this process, your brain starts making new connections. Insights surface, emotions shift, and the memory begins to lose its intensity. You are awake, aware and in control the entire time, and one thing surprises many people: you do not have to describe the memory in detail for EMDR to work.

What EMDR helps with

EMDR is best known as a treatment for trauma and post-traumatic stress, where it has been studied for more than 30 years. It is recognized in treatment guidelines from organizations including the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association. Therapists also use it to help with anxiety, panic, grief, phobias, difficult childhood experiences, and painful beliefs about yourself that formed early in life.

How long does it take?

There is no single answer. Some people notice significant change in a few sessions, especially with a single distressing event. Longstanding or repeated experiences usually take longer, because there is more for your brain to work through. Your therapist will move at a pace that feels manageable for you.

This article is for general education. It is not therapy, diagnosis, or a substitute for care from a licensed professional.