Woman's green eyes looking at camera, EMDR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic treatment for trauma. This technique can help you process upsetting memories, thoughts, and feelings related to the trauma. By processing these experiences, you can work through the trauma and get relief from distressing symptoms.

How EMDR Works

During EMDR, you will focus on a back-and-forth motion or sound. Usually, this involves moving your eyes from side to side. While this is happening, you focus on a traumatic memory until shifts occur in the way you experience and react to that memory. By recalling traumatic events while devoting attention to the task at hand, you can experience the memory with less intensity (since you are doing two things at once). 

Holding two fingers up in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy

Preparing for EMDR

EMDR practitioners take an eight-phase approach to planning and enacting EMDR with their clients.

  1. Client history and treatment planning: In the first phase, you and your therapist will talk about the trauma you want to process and your therapist will determine the first target memory to process

  2. Preparation: During this phase, you and your therapist establish a relationship. You will go over self-control techniques for the ends of sessions and talk about how to stabilize your emotions between sessions

  3. Assessment: You and your therapist will work together to identify the target memory for your session. You will be asked to recognize the most intense or important image associated with this memory. Your therapist will help you reframe the memory to help you overcome the negative effects of your experiences

  4. Desensitization: Your therapist will ask you to focus on the memory and the back-and-forth motion simultaneously. After each set of movements, your therapist will direct you to take a deep breath and clear your mind of the memory

  5. Installation: Your therapist will help you replace the unprocessed traumatic memories with stronger, more positive cognition 

  6. Body scan: Your therapist will help you recognize and release any remaining tension 

  7. Closure: Self-control techniques are used to bring you back to a state of equilibrium, and your therapist explains what to expect between sessions

  8. Reevaluation: You and your therapist review the treatment’s effects and consider additional targets

Woman sitting in a chair during EMDR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Benefits of EMDR

EMDR is an evidence-based, effective treatment for trauma that can result in long-lasting positive effects without making symptoms worse during treatment. Many patients appreciate that it doesn’t require discussion of traumatic experiences and that it works more quickly than techniques such as prolonged exposure therapy. It isn’t uncommon to see meaningful results in just two or three sessions. All in all, EMDR is a safe, constructive way for you and your therapist to work together to heal your trauma.

Learn more about EMDR: