What is EMDR Therapy, and How Does It Help Trauma Survivors?
- Mahi Jain
- Apr 25
- 2 min read
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a unique and powerful approach to helping people process traumatic memories. Developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR therapy is now widely recognized for its effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions.
But how does it work, and why is it so effective?
The core idea behind EMDR is that traumatic memories can get “stuck” in the brain, often triggering intense emotional and physical reactions long after the initial event. These memories, unlike other types of memories, remain vivid and distressing because the brain didn’t fully process them at the time of the trauma. EMDR helps unlock these memories and reprocess them in a way that reduces their emotional impact.
What can you expect in an EMDR session?
In an EMDR session, a therapist guides the patient to recall a distressing memory while following a repetitive movement—typically the therapist’s hand moving back and forth—or sometimes using sounds or taps. This bilateral stimulation (back-and-forth movement) seems to engage both sides of the brain, similar to how the brain processes memories during REM sleep. Through this process, the brain begins to “recode” the traumatic memory, gradually reducing its emotional intensity and transforming it into something manageable.
One of the remarkable aspects of EMDR is that it doesn’t require individuals to talk extensively about their trauma if they’re not comfortable doing so. Instead, EMDR helps them process memories internally, which can be especially helpful for people who have difficulty discussing traumatic events.
Backed by peer-reviewed research
Research has shown EMDR to be effective in decreasing symptoms of PTSD and reducing feelings of distress, often in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy. It provides trauma survivors with a way to revisit painful memories without feeling re-traumatized, ultimately helping them to feel more in control and at peace with their past. EMDR therapy is a testament to the brain’s ability to heal, giving trauma survivors a powerful tool to reclaim their lives.
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