What Is EMDR and How Does It Help with Trauma?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) sounds unusual, and many people are skeptical when they first hear about it. But EMDR is one of the most extensively researched trauma therapies available, endorsed by the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association. Let me explain what it is and how it actually works.

**The core idea.** Trauma memories are stored differently in the brain than ordinary memories. Rather than being processed and integrated, they can get 'stuck' — retaining the emotional charge, physical sensations, and fragmented quality of the original experience. When something triggers the memory, it can feel like you're reliving it, not just remembering it. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — most commonly guided eye movements — while you briefly focus on the traumatic memory. This appears to facilitate the brain's natural information processing system, allowing the memory to be 'unstuck' and integrated in a way that reduces its emotional intensity. **What an EMDR session looks like.** 1. **History and preparation** — Understanding your history, building coping resources, establishing a 'safe place' exercise 2. **Assessment** — Identifying the target memory, associated beliefs, body sensations, and emotional charge (SUD score) 3. **Desensitization** — Following the therapist's finger (or tapping, or audio tones) while briefly accessing the memory. Sets are repeated until distress reduces 4. **Installation** — Strengthening a positive belief to replace the old negative one 5. **Body scan** — Checking for residual tension 6. **Closure and re-evaluation** — Reviewing progress **What EMDR helps with:** PTSD, complex trauma, childhood abuse or neglect, accidents, grief, phobias, performance anxiety, and more.