If you’re considering EMDR therapy, you might be wondering exactly how the process works. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy has helped thousands of people recover from trauma, anxiety, and emotional distress and shift unhelpful (often referred to as negative) thoughts. Understanding the EMDR therapy process can help prospective clients feel more prepared and confident as they begin their healing journey. It is also worth noting that although this blog addresses the standard protocol, EMDR is actually quite a flexible treatment modality that can be adapted to each client scenario.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy is a structured, evidence-based approach developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR therapy focuses on reprocessing stressful or traumatic memories using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones (Shapiro, 2018). In cases where none of these modalities will work, I have integrated art therapy using proven EMDR interventions that were originally designed for children, but work wonderfully for my creative clients. For those dealing with the stress of fast-paced careers, high expectations, or past trauma, EMDR therapy offers a way to heal deeply without spending years in therapy.
How EMDR Therapy Works: The Step-by-Step Process
As explained above, EMDR can be complex to explain and is also adaptable for each client’s unique needs. The description of how EMDR work below is based on the standard protocol, which all modifications stem from. They are:
1. History-Taking and Treatment Planning
In the first sessions, your EMDR therapist will gather information about your history, identify target memories, and determine if EMDR is appropriate. This phase builds the foundation for personalized treatment. This phase can be from one to many (in some cases months for very complex Trauma). The way we gather history is also highly customizable and dependent on the client’s reason for seeking EMDR.
2. Preparation
Your therapist will explain the EMDR therapy process and teach you coping strategies, such as grounding techniques, to manage emotional disturbances. This phase because it fosters a sense of emotional safety. In some cases, we start with Phase 2 before Phase 1. It is not uncommon for highly complex trauma to require Phase 2 to last for many sessions.
3. Assessment
You and your therapist will select a specific target memory to work on. You’ll identify associated negative beliefs (e.g., “I’m not safe”) and desired positive beliefs (e.g., “I am in control”). This step ensures that the work during EMDR sessions is focused and intentional.
4. Desensitization
During this critical phase, you’ll engage in bilateral stimulation (BLS) while focusing on the traumatic memory. The EMDR therapist will guide you through sets of eye movements, sounds, or taps. Over time, the distress connected to the memory should decrease. This may occur rapidly or take place over many sessions.
5. Installation
Here, positive beliefs (or adaptive ways of thinking) are reinforced. If you started with the negative thought “I am powerless,” EMDR aims to install a new, adaptive belief like “I am strong and capable.”
6. Body Scan
Your therapist will help you notice any residual physical tension linked to the memory. In EMDR therapy, the goal is to achieve both emotional and somatic (body-based) healing. (Interestingly, we can also use a somatic approach in Phases 4 and 5.)
7. Closure
Each EMDR session ends with grounding exercises to ensure you leave feeling calm and contained. In the fast-paced environment we are all living in, this step is especially crucial to maintain emotional balance between sessions.
8. Reevaluation
At the start of the next session, you and your EMDR therapist will assess progress and decide whether to continue with the same target memory or move to another.
Why Clients Choose EMDR Therapy
In our high-pressure society, many clients choose EMDR therapy because it often achieves faster results than traditional therapy. A meta-analysis found that EMDR therapy can produce significant reductions in PTSD symptoms in fewer sessions compared to cognitive-behavioral therapy (Chen et al., 2014).
Furthermore, EMDR therapy is adaptable: whether you’re dealing with childhood trauma, professional stress, or anxiety, the EMDR process can be tailored to your needs.
Virtual EMDR Therapy for Washington DC Residents, Virtual EMDR Therapy for Florida Residents, Virtual EMDR Therapy for Virginia Residents, Virtual EMDR Therapy for Vermont Residents
Given our busy lifestyle, Jordan Nodelman, LCSW offers online EMDR therapy. Research shows virtual EMDR therapy can be just as effective as in-person sessions (Lenferink et al., 2020), giving clients flexibility without sacrificing results. Jordan has conducted thousands and thousands of hours of virtual EMDR with tremendous results.
Conclusion
Understanding how EMDR therapy works can ease your nerves and help you engage more fully in the healing process. If you’re searching for a practical, effective approach to emotional wellness, EMDR therapy could be the life-changing method you’ve been looking for.
References
Chen, Y. R., Hung, K. W., Tsai, J. C., Chu, H., Chung, M. H., Chen, S. R., & Chou, K. R. (2014). Efficacy of Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for Patients with Posttraumatic-Stress Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. PLoS ONE, 9(8), e103676. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103676
Lenferink, L. I., Meyerbröker, K., Boelen, P. A., & van den Bout, J. (2020). Online EMDR Therapy for PTSD During COVID-19: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 74, 102263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102263
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Publications.
