EMDR Therapy
When you know it’s in the past, but it doesn’t always feel that way.
Sometimes you know you’re okay now, but your body hasn’t quite got the memo. You can understand what happened, have talked about it and know it’s in the past, yet still feel its impact. Old experiences can continue to show up in our emotions, body, beliefs and reactions.
This is where EMDR can help.
What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. Our brains have a natural capacity to process and make sense of experiences, much like our bodies have a natural capacity to heal. Sometimes, however, an overwhelming or distressing experience can remain feeling “stuck” so even when we know it is in the past, our mind and body can continue to respond as though it is happening now.
Developed by Francine Shapiro in the 1980s, EMDR has since become one of the leading evidence-based treatments for trauma and PTSD and is recommended in major international treatment guidelines. EMDR helps the brain process these experiences differently, reducing the distress connected to them and allowing them to begin to feel more like something that happened in the past, rather than something you are still experiencing in the present. It doesn’t erase what happened or change your story. Instead, it can help change the way the experience is held, so it no longer has the same emotional intensity or impact on your life today.
Why can the past still feel so present?
Most of the time, our brain naturally processes experiences and integrates them into our wider story. But when something feels overwhelming, frightening or happens repeatedly over time, the experience may not be fully processed. Parts of it can continue to be activated long after the event itself has passed.
This might show up as anxiety, panic, feeling on edge, shutting down, strong emotions, physical sensations, negative beliefs about yourself, or reactions that seem much bigger than what is happening in the present moment.
Sometimes you know exactly where the reaction comes from. Other times you may have no idea why a particular situation, feeling or interaction affects you so strongly.Your brain and body may simply be responding based on what they learned they needed to do to protect you at the time.
EMDR helps us work with these experiences so your brain can process what happened with the information and perspective you have now allowing the past to begin to feel more like the past.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR works with the brain’s natural capacity to process and integrate experiences that may still feel unresolved.
Before any processing begins, we spend time understanding what has brought you to therapy, identifying what you would like to work on, and making sure you have strategies to help you feel grounded and supported.
When you’re ready, we identify a particular memory, experience or issue to work with. You’ll be guided to notice aspects of the experience, which might include thoughts, emotions, images or sensations in your body, while engaging in bilateral stimulation.
Bilateral stimulation simply means alternating left-to-right input. This is most commonly done through guided eye movements, although tapping or sounds can also be used.
We work in short sets, pausing regularly so you can notice what is coming up and tell me what you’re experiencing. There is no “right” response and you don’t need to force anything to happen, we follow what your brain naturally brings forward.
Over time, the memory can begin to feel less emotionally intense, new connections and perspectives may emerge, and something that once felt very present can begin to feel more like something that happened in the past.
You still remember what happened. The aim is simply for it to no longer carry the same level of distress or have the same impact on you today.
What to expect
1. Getting to know you
We begin by understanding what has brought you to therapy, what is happening in your life now and what you would like support with. There’s no expectation that you arrive knowing exactly what you want to process, we work that out together.
2. Preparation & resourcing
We don’t jump straight into difficult memories. We take time to build trust, understand how your nervous system responds to stress and develop grounding and regulation strategies to help you feel safe and supported throughout the process.
3. EMDR processing
When you feel ready, we identify what we want to work with and begin EMDR processing using bilateral stimulation. We work in short sets, checking in regularly and following what comes up for you.
You remain in control throughout the process. We can pause, slow down or stop at any time.
Processing can sometimes bring up emotions, thoughts, memories or physical sensations. We make space for whatever arises and work at a pace that feels manageable for you, there is no expectation to push through distress.
4. Integration & moving forward
We regularly check in on what is changing, not just within the memory itself, but in your emotions, beliefs, body responses and everyday life. As experiences are processed, we make space to notice and integrate these shifts, strengthen new perspectives and consider what you need moving forward.
EMDR isn’t always a linear process, and everyone responds differently. We continue to review how the therapy is feeling for you and adapt our work together as needed.
What can EMDR help with?
While EMDR is best known for its use in treating trauma and PTSD, it can also be used to work with distressing experiences, memories and beliefs that may be contributing to a range of difficulties:
○ Trauma and PTSD
○ Anxiety and panic
○ Birth and medical trauma
○ Childhood experiences and attachment wounds
○ Grief and loss
○ Phobias and fears
○ Stress and overwhelm
○ Difficult or distressing memories
○ Negative beliefs and low self-esteem
○ Performance blocks
○ Experiences of rejection, shame or not feeling “good enough”
○ Patterns or triggers that continue to affect you in the present
You don’t need to have experienced one single “big” traumatic event for EMDR to be relevant. Sometimes it’s one experience that changed everything. Sometimes it’s many smaller experiences over time. And sometimes you simply notice that something from the past is still affecting how you feel, respond or see yourself today.
The benefits of EMDR
Less distress around difficult memories
EMDR can help reduce the emotional intensity connected to past experiences, so remembering what happened doesn’t necessarily feel as though you are back there again.
You don’t have to tell the whole story
EMDR doesn’t require you to describe every detail of an experience. This can be helpful when something feels difficult to put into words or you simply don’t want to share every detail.
Changes in triggers and reactions
As experiences are processed, you may notice that situations that once triggered strong emotional or physical reactions begin to feel more manageable.
Shifting old beliefs
Experiences can leave us with beliefs such as “I’m not safe,” “I’m not good enough,” or “It was my fault.” EMDR can help these beliefs shift as the experience is processed with the perspective you have now.
Greater understanding and self-compassion
Processing past experiences can help you understand why certain patterns or responses developed and begin to see them with less judgement and more compassion.
Helping the past feel like the past
The goal isn’t to erase what happened. It’s to help the experience become something you can remember without it continuing to have the same hold over your present.
FAQs
-
EMDR can accelerate therapy by resolving the impact of your past traumas and allowing you to live more fully in the present. It is not, however, appropriate for everyone. The process is rapid, and any disturbing experiences, if they occur at all, last for a comparatively short period of time. Nevertheless, you need to be aware of, and willing to experience, the strong feelings and disturbing thoughts, which sometimes occur during sessions.
-
EMDR can be brief focused treatment or part of a longer psychotherapy program. EMDR sessions are often for 60 to 90 minutes.
-
Yes, during EMDR treatment you will remain in control, fully alert and wide-awake. This is not a form of hypnosis and you can stop the process at any time. Throughout the session, the therapist will support and facilitate your own self-healing and intervene as little as possible. Reprocessing is usually experienced as something that happens spontaneously, and new connections and insights are felt to arise quite naturally from within. As a result, most people experience EMDR as being a natural and very empowering therapy.
-
EMDR is an innovative clinical treatment which has successfully helped over a million individuals. The validity and reliability of EMDR has been established by rigorous research. There are now nineteen controlled studies into EMDR making it the most thoroughly researched method used in the treatment of trauma.
(Details on www.emdr-europe.org and www.emdr.org) and is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical
Kate Landete is an Accredited EMDR Practitioner and is a current, full member of EMDRAA.
