While talk therapy can be effective for addressing trauma and various mental health issues, it often stirs up difficult emotions and may take several sessions to see progress. What if there was a more efficient way to process traumatic memories?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a structured therapeutic approach that is quite commonly associated with trauma-related disorders, especially PTSD. Unlike traditional therapy, EMDR focuses on relieving distress associated with traumatic memories and can help individuals reprocess and integrate trauma in a more adaptive way.
The Origins of EMDR Therapy
EMDR was first developed in 1987 by psychologist Francine Shapiro. Shapiro’s discovery of EMDR occurred during a casual walk in a park when she noticed that her own negative thoughts diminished when she moved her eyes rapidly from side to side. This observation led her to research how eye movements and other forms of bilateral stimulation could reduce the intensity of traumatic memories.
From her findings, Shapiro wrote that “a single session of the procedure was sufficient to desensitize subjects’ traumatic memories, as well as dramatically alter their cognitive assessments.” However, this statement unfortunately led to a misconception that EMDR therapy could cure PTSD just after a single session. Shapiro never made this statement; and what she actually wrote was that the EMDR procedure "serves to desensitize the anxiety, not to eliminate all PTSD-related symptoms. She reported that "an average treatment time of five sessions" was needed to comprehensively treat PTSD.
After years of research and the success of EMDR therapy being an effective treatment for many clients, Shapiro felt an ethical obligation to take her findings and teach other clinicians so that more people suffering from PTSD could also find relief. After conducting several studies, Shapiro formalized the therapeutic approach that we now know as EMDR. Since its inception, EMDR has evolved into a highly structured, eight-phase treatment process.
The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model
Dr. Shapiro also developed the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, a model heavily used in EMDR therapy for its explanation of how the brain stores and processes memories. Under normal circumstances, the brain is capable of integrating new information smoothly, connecting it with existing knowledge and memories. This networking allows new memories to be stored in an organized way, making them easily accessible to recall when needed. However, during a traumatic or distressing experience, this memory processing can malfunction. Instead of integrating smoothly, these memories may become isolated and “stuck” in the brain. When this happens, the memory’s emotions, physical sensations, and beliefs associated with it remain unprocessed. This can cause distressing symptoms to arise unexpectedly, such as intrusive memories, flashbacks, or intense emotional reactions. Often, this leads to a sense of constant vigilance and a recurring need to “go back” to the traumatic event in one’s mind, even when it’s no longer safe or productive to do so.
Dr. Shapiro’s AIP model suggests that traumatic memories are stored differently because the brain’s typical networking process is disrupted during trauma. Instead of creating healthy, adaptive links between memories, trauma leads to fragmented memory storage that doesn’t connect to the brain’s broader, organized memory system. As a result, the traumatic event remains unprocessed and “offline,” separate from the rational, language-based parts of the brain. In other words, the brain doesn’t integrate the experience as it normally would with non-traumatic events, preventing it from completing a natural healing process.
Trauma can leave a lasting psychological wound, creating a hyperactive response to anything that remotely resembles the original traumatic event. This phenomenon also explains why sensory triggers such as certain sounds, sights, smells, or situations can provoke intense distress or unwanted memories. Over time, newer experiences can become linked to the initial traumatic memory, reinforcing and perpetuating the negative responses. This process disrupts healthy links between sensory memories and rational processing and creates a cycle of reactivity to even mildly related experiences. Just as the body is sensitive to pain from a physical injury, the mind becomes highly sensitive to sensory inputs related to trauma.
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
Traumatic memories can be stored in the brain in a way that can become counterproductive, can trigger us, interrupt our daily lives, and can prevent natural healing in the long term. EMDR therapy’s structured approach allows for the reprocessing of trauma through controlled exposure to the traumatic memory and bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones. These methods stimulate both sides of the brain, creating a state that facilitates the processing and integration of memory in a healthy way. By undergoing EMDR, the brain “revisits” the trauma but within a controlled, safe environment where emotional intensity can be managed.
The therapeutic goal of EMDR is to reduce the emotional charge connected to these traumatic memories. When an individual accesses the memory during EMDR, they may briefly experience some of the emotions or sensations associated with it. However, the bilateral stimulation techniques enable the brain to reprocess the memory, lessening the fight-or-flight response it originally triggered. Over time, this allows the trauma to feel less distressing when recalled, as it is re-integrated into a healthier mental network and detached from intense emotional responses.
Bilateral Stimulation
Bilateral stimulation involves alternating stimulation of both sides of the brain, through eye movements. Often, the therapist will ask the client to follow a moving object, such as the therapist’s fingers, while recalling a distressing memory. This process helps to desensitize the memory and allows the brain to integrate the experience more effectively.
Other methods of bilateral stimulation include:
- Tactile stimulation (tapping on the client's hands or shoulders)
- Auditory stimulation (alternating tones played through headphones)
The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy
EMDR is a highly structured treatment that consists of eight distinct phases. These phases guide both the therapist and client through the process of healing traumatic memories:
- History Taking and Treatment Planning – The therapist gathers detailed information about the client’s trauma history and develops a treatment plan.
- Preparation – The therapist explains EMDR and ensures the client has the necessary skills to handle emotional distress during the process.
- Assessment – The therapist identifies the specific traumatic memories and negative beliefs that will be the focus of treatment.
- Desensitization – Using bilateral stimulation, the therapist helps the client desensitize the emotional charge of the traumatic memory.
- Installation – The client installs more adaptive beliefs related to the traumatic event.
- Body Scan – The therapist checks for any remaining physical tension or sensations related to the memory.
- Closure – The therapist helps the client return to a state of calm and stability after each session.
- Reevaluation – The therapist reviews progress at the beginning of each session and adjusts the treatment plan if necessary.
What Conditions Can EMDR Treat?
EMDR is most widely known for treating PTSD, but it has also proven effective for treating a variety of other mental health conditions as well. This type of psychotherapy focuses on those who have experienced a traumatic event or a series of events. A traumatic event can trigger the body’s fight-or-flight stress response, which is a natural process that helps us determine our need for survival. However, with severe trauma, the brain doesn’t get to process the event properly and can fail to recognize the memory as an event of the past. The idea behind EMDR is that traumatic memories, when unprocessed, can become “stuck” in the brain, almost as if the traumatic memory is frozen in time, leading to a wide array of emotional and psychological difficulties, said clinical psychologist Steven Silver, PhD. This stress response associated with the traumatic memory stays engaged, and the brain alerts that it’s in danger, even when it is safe. That’s where EMDR therapy comes in and helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories, effectively reducing the intense stress response associated with them.
By reconsolidating the memory, the constant heightened state of a person’s fight-or-flight response becomes diminished while the memory itself remains intact. This process allows for more natural emotional healing, so when the trauma is recalled later, it no longer triggers severe distress. As EMDR helps reprocess and resolve the trauma, it can often alleviate associated conditions such as anxiety, depression, or panic disorders. Because these conditions frequently stem from unresolved trauma, helping patients reprocess their memories can naturally improve these symptoms. Therefore other conditions that can often be treated through EMDR therapy also include:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety and Panic Disorders
- Depression
- Phobias
- Complex trauma or childhood abuse
- Grief and loss
- Addictions
- Chronic pain
- Dissociative disorders
EMDR Therapy vs. Traditional Talk Therapy
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn’t require in-depth conversations about these traumatic events, instead, it focuses on helping the brain process memories by altering the emotions, thoughts, or behaviours associated with these painful experiences. This therapeutic approach offers many benefits, particularly for those who struggle to talk openly about their trauma and struggle to process uncomfortable emotions, as it allows their brains to heal naturally by reprocessing the memory and reducing its emotional impact.
Traditional talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy or psychodynamic therapy, typically relies on verbal exploration and analysis of a patient’s thoughts, behaviours, and experiences. This process can be highly effective for some individuals, especially those who are able to discuss their past in detail. However, talking about traumatic events can sometimes be overwhelming or retraumatizing for certain patients. In contrast, EMDR offers patients the chance to address trauma without having to explicitly retell the traumatic events. Instead, patients focus on shifting the emotional response to these memories, facilitating healing without repeatedly reliving distressing details. Traditional therapy may focus on cognitive restructuring or behavioural changes, while EMDR shifts the underlying emotional response to memories, offering a holistic resolution to trauma-based symptoms.
The Value of EMDR for Holistic Healing
By engaging the brain’s natural healing processes and shifting the way traumatic memories are processed, EMDR can significantly reduce distress without requiring detailed verbal recounting of traumatic events. This allows patients to heal more comfortably and naturally while addressing trauma at its core. EMDR’s focus on the brain’s adaptive processing of memories makes it uniquely suited for addressing the complexities of trauma, where both mind and body are impacted.
Through EMDR, our counsellors at An Elegant Mind encourage individuals to feel empowered when processing past traumas effectively, bringing relief and resilience that can transform their lives. Book a free consultation and we would be happy to answer any more questions you may have on EMDR therapy.
References:
5 mental health conditions that can benefit from EMDR. Amen Clinics 5 Mental Health Conditions that Can Benefit from EMDR Comments. (n.d.). https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/5-mental-health-conditions-that-can-benefit-from-emdr/
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). What is EMDR therapy and why is it used to treat PTSD?. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/emdr-therapy-ptsd
History of EMDR. EMDR Institute - EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING THERAPY. (2024, January 3). https://www.emdr.com/history-of-emdr/
professional, C. C. medical. (2024, May 1). EMDR therapy: What it is, Procedure & Effectiveness. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22641-emdr-therapy
Shapiro, F. (2014). The role of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in medicine: Addressing the psychological and physical symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences. The Permanente journal. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3951033/