What is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?

Have you ever felt like a past experience is still holding you back? Trauma, big or small, can get stuck in our minds, affecting our thoughts, feelings, and even our bodies. It’s like a wound that never fully heals, constantly reminding you of the pain. For a long time, traditional talk therapy was the primary way to address these issues. But what if there was another way? A way to directly help your brain process and release these old memories?

This is where EMDR therapy comes in. It’s a powerful and often life-changing approach that helps people overcome the lasting effects of trauma and other distressing life experiences. This therapy doesn’t just teach you coping skills. It helps your brain’s natural healing process to get unstuck. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. The name itself hints at its unique approach. By combining targeted focus with bilateral stimulation, EMDR helps you move past the past. It’s a proven treatment with decades of research behind it.

The journey toward healing begins with understanding. This guide will walk you through what EMDR is, how it works, and why it might be the key to unlocking your own inner peace. By exploring the science and structure of this therapy, you’ll gain clarity on whether this path is the right one for you. Our goal at Inner Summits is to provide you with the knowledge and support you need to make an informed decision about your mental health journey.

What is EMDR Therapy and Why is It So Effective?

EMDR is a psychotherapy technique designed to help people heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that result from disturbing life experiences. Unlike traditional talk therapy that focuses on changing emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, EMDR therapy focuses on the memory itself. The idea is that trauma can “freeze” a memory in the brain. When this happens, the memory, with its associated emotions and physical sensations, feels as fresh and painful as the day it happened.

The core of EMDR is the belief that the brain has a natural ability to heal. It’s similar to how your body can heal from a physical cut. The brain has an information processing system that naturally moves toward mental health. However, a traumatic event can overwhelm this system. Think of it as a computer program that crashes. When this happens, the memory is stored in an unprocessed state. This is why you might have flashbacks, nightmares, or strong emotional reactions to triggers long after the event is over. The memory is “stuck.”

EMDR therapy provides a way to “unstick” these memories. It reactivates the brain’s natural healing process. During a session, the therapist guides the client to focus on a distressing memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation. This stimulation, which can be side-to-side eye movements, alternating sounds, or tapping, seems to facilitate the brain’s ability to process the frozen memory. It’s almost like jumpstarting the healing process. This dual focus helps to reduce the vividness and emotional charge of the memory. The result is that the memory no longer holds the same power.

How Does the Brain Process Trauma and How Does EMDR Help?

To understand how EMDR works, we need to look at what happens in the brain during a traumatic event. The amygdala, often called the brain’s alarm system, goes into overdrive. It’s job is to detect threats. In a dangerous situation, it triggers the “fight or flight” response. The hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and context, can be inhibited by this high-stress state. This means the memory of the event is stored in a disorganized way. It’s not properly filed away with a “past” label.

Think of it this way. A normal memory is like a book on a shelf in a library. It has a clear title and is filed in the correct section. A traumatic memory is like a book that has been thrown on the floor in a panic. It’s open to a disturbing page, and every time someone walks by, they trip over it. It’s still there, and it’s still causing problems. The goal of EMDR is to pick up that book, close it, and put it on the shelf where it belongs.

When a person engages in EMDR, the bilateral stimulation is believed to be the key mechanism. There are several theories about why this works. One popular theory is that the bilateral stimulation is similar to the rapid eye movements that occur during REM sleep. This is the time when your brain is naturally processing daily experiences. By mimicking this process while the client focuses on a traumatic memory, the brain is essentially tricked into re-engaging its own healing system. It’s like sending the “stuck” memory through the natural processing pipeline. This helps to integrate the memory with other memories, which reduces its emotional charge. The memory becomes less vivid and less disturbing. The client can remember the event without feeling the same level of distress.

What Are the Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy is a highly structured process, and it’s not just about moving your eyes back and forth. A skilled therapist guides you through a specific, eight-phase treatment protocol. This ensures the therapy is safe, effective, and tailored to your specific needs. Understanding these phases can help you know what to expect.

1. History Taking and Treatment Planning: The first phase is all about getting to know you. The therapist takes a detailed history, including past traumas, current symptoms, and your goals for therapy. They work with you to identify the specific memories or events that will be the focus of the treatment. This is a crucial step for building trust and ensuring the therapy is targeted correctly.
2. Preparation: Before starting the processing, the therapist helps you develop a strong “toolbox” of coping skills. This might include grounding exercises, breathing techniques, or visualization. These resources are important for helping you manage any distress that may come up during the later phases. The therapist also explains the EMDR process in detail, answering any questions you may have.
3. Assessment: In this phase, the therapist helps you identify a specific “target memory” to work on. You’ll pinpoint a negative image, belief, emotion, and physical sensation associated with the memory. You also rate the distress level on a scale from 0 to 10. This gives both you and the therapist a baseline to measure progress against.
4. Desensitization: This is the phase where the bilateral stimulation begins. You will focus on the target memory while the therapist guides you through eye movements, tapping, or tones. You are asked to simply notice what comes up for you, whether it’s new thoughts, feelings, or sensations. The therapist monitors your progress and continues the stimulation until the distress rating for the memory goes down.
5. Installation: Once the distress is gone, this phase focuses on strengthening a positive belief about yourself. For example, if the old belief was “I am helpless,” the new belief might be “I am in control.” The bilateral stimulation is used to “install” and reinforce this positive cognition until it feels completely true.
6. Body Scan: Even if the memory no longer feels distressing, the body can still hold onto residual tension. In this phase, you are asked to do a mental scan of your body. If any lingering physical sensations related to the trauma come up, the therapist continues the bilateral stimulation until they are released.
7. Closure: Each session ends with closure. The therapist ensures you are feeling calm and grounded before leaving. They also provide you with coping skills to use between sessions if any new feelings or memories surface. This phase is about leaving the session feeling safe and stable.
8. Re-evaluation: At the beginning of each new session, you and your therapist re-evaluate the previous work. You check if the old target memory still feels resolved and if there are any new distressing experiences to address. This ensures that the treatment is thorough and that you are making lasting progress.

Is EMDR Therapy Right for You?

EMDR therapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it has been shown to be effective for a wide range of conditions beyond just PTSD. It is a recognized and evidence-based treatment for trauma and other psychological issues.

EMDR has been successfully used to treat:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This is the most common use of EMDR. It is highly effective for both single-event and complex PTSD.
• Anxiety and Panic Attacks: EMDR can help to process the root causes of anxiety, which are often tied to past experiences of fear or helplessness.
• Depression: By resolving unresolved trauma, EMDR can help to alleviate symptoms of depression that stem from those past events.
• Phobias: EMDR can target the specific memory that created the phobia, helping to desensitize the fear response.
• Grief and Loss: It can help people process the traumatic aspects of a loss, such as the shock or suddenness of an event.
• Performance Anxiety: Athletes or performers can use EMDR to resolve past memories of failure or humiliation that are holding them back.

The best way to determine if EMDR is right for you is to consult with a qualified and certified EMDR therapist. They can assess your specific situation and recommend the most appropriate course of treatment. An EMDR therapist has received specialized training and can guide you through the process safely and effectively. At Inner Summits, we are committed to providing personalized care and helping you find the right path to healing.

Conclusion

EMDR therapy offers a powerful and unique path to healing from the effects of trauma. By tapping into the brain’s natural ability to process information, it helps to release the emotional and physical burden of past events. It’s not about forgetting what happened, but about changing how you remember it. The memories no longer have the power to control your present.

If you have been struggling with unresolved trauma, anxiety, or other emotional distress, EMDR may be the key to unlocking your potential for a brighter future. It can help you move from a place of being a survivor to a place of thriving.

The journey to healing is deeply personal, and finding the right support is a crucial step. We invite you to learn more and take the first step toward a life free from the weight of the past.

If you’re ready to explore how EMDR therapy can help you, contact Inner Summits today to schedule a consultation with a certified EMDR therapist. Your path to peace and healing is within reach.

Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.

Common FAQs about EMDR Therapy 

What is the primary purpose of EMDR therapy?

The primary purpose of EMDR therapy is to help individuals heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. It works by helping the brain to process unresolved traumatic memories, reducing their emotional impact and allowing the person to move forward. The goal is to change how the memory is stored in the brain so it no longer triggers distressing symptoms like flashbacks, anxiety, or emotional outbursts.

Is EMDR therapy considered a type of hypnosis?

No, EMDR therapy is not a form of hypnosis. During a session, you remain fully conscious and in control. You are aware of your surroundings and are actively participating in the process. Unlike hypnosis, where the goal is to enter an altered state of consciousness, EMDR focuses on guiding your attention to a specific memory while using bilateral stimulation to help your brain process it in a new way. You can stop the process at any time if you feel uncomfortable.

How many EMDR sessions are typically needed to see results?

The number of sessions required varies greatly from person to person. It depends on the nature and severity of the trauma, as well as the individual’s history and overall mental health. Some people with a single, isolated trauma may see significant improvement in just a few sessions. Others with a history of complex or multiple traumas may require more sessions over a longer period. Your therapist will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan and can give you an estimate of the time needed after the initial assessment.

Can EMDR therapy be done online?

Yes, EMDR therapy can be effectively done online. Many therapists have adapted their practice to offer “tele-EMDR.” The bilateral stimulation can be replicated using technology, such as an online app that provides alternating sounds or visual cues, or by guiding the client to use self-tapping techniques. Research has shown that EMDR delivered online is just as effective as in-person sessions for many people. It offers a convenient and accessible option for those who may not have access to an in-person therapist.

Is EMDR painful or re-traumatizing?

While EMDR therapy involves recalling and processing painful memories, it is not designed to be re-traumatizing. A key part of the process is the preparation phase, where the therapist helps you develop coping skills and resources to manage any discomfort. The bilateral stimulation also helps to keep you grounded and present, reducing the intensity of the emotions. While it can be emotionally difficult, the structured approach and the presence of a trained therapist ensure that the process is safe and controlled, leading to long-term healing rather than re-traumatization.