Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy designed specifically for trauma. It helps your brain reprocess disturbing memories so they stop feeling so overwhelming.

 

When something traumatic happens, your brain sometimes can't process it properly. The memory gets stuck—complete with the fear, the physical sensations, the belief that you're still in danger. That's why trauma can feel so present even years later. Your brain hasn't finished sorting it out.

 

EMDR helps your brain complete that process. During sessions, you'll focus on the traumatic memory while your therapist guides your eye movements back and forth (or uses tapping or sounds). This bilateral stimulation—engaging both sides of your brain—helps the memory get unstuck and reprocessed into something less distressing.

 

The work happens through the experience itself rather than through detailed discussion. You don't get homework. You don't have to relive the trauma over and over. EMDR works with how your brain naturally processes information, just helping it finish what got interrupted.

 

The memory doesn't disappear, but it loses its emotional charge. You can recall what happened without the panic, the shame, or the sense that you're still there. It becomes something that happened to you, not something still happening.​

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How EMDR Works​​

EMDR is based on Adaptive Information Processing (AIP). Your brain is built to process experiences and store them as memories you can learn from. When something overwhelming happens—especially something traumatic—the processing gets interrupted. The memory stays stuck in its raw, unprocessed state, complete with all the fear and physical sensations.

 

Trauma memories feel different. They feel immediate, visceral, like they're still happening.\

 

EMDR helps your brain finish what it started. The bilateral stimulation—eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds—activates the same processing mechanism your brain uses during REM sleep, when it naturally sorts through experiences.

 

During an EMDR session, you'll bring up the traumatic memory while simultaneously following your therapist's hand movements with your eyes (or feeling alternating taps on your hands). This dual focus allows your brain to reprocess the memory without getting overwhelmed by it.

 

As the memory gets reprocessed, it starts to change. The emotional intensity decreases. The negative beliefs attached to it ("I'm not safe," "It was my fault," "I'm helpless") begin to shift. The memory becomes something that happened in the past, not a threat in the present.

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What EMDR Helps With:​

EMDR was originally developed for PTSD, but it's proven effective for a range of issues rooted in difficult experiences:

 

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, or feeling constantly on edge after trauma

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• Childhood Trauma

Neglect, abuse, or growing up in an unsafe or unpredictable environment

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• Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Especially when connected to specific events or patterns from your past

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• Depression

Particularly when it's tied to unresolved trauma or negative beliefs about yourself

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• Phobias

Intense fears that developed after a frightening experience

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• Grief and Loss

When the pain of loss feels stuck or overwhelming

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EMDR is supported by major health bodies including the World Health Organization, and is widely used by trained clinicians in Canada as one of the trauma-focused therapies recommended in the Federal Framework on PTSD.

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What EMDR Sessions Look Like

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Early sessions focus on building safety and understanding your history. You'll identify which memories feel most stuck and learn some grounding techniques to use if things get intense. This preparation matters—you need to feel steady before diving into trauma work. EMDR follows a structured approach, but your therapist will adjust the pace to what feels manageable for you.

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When you're ready, you'll start the reprocessing work. You'll focus on the traumatic memory while following bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sounds) for short intervals. Between sets, you'll briefly share what's coming up—images, thoughts, sensations. Your therapist guides you through this until the memory loses its emotional charge and you can think about it without the panic or shame.

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Some memories resolve in a few sessions. Others—especially if the trauma was prolonged or happened in childhood—take longer. Complex PTSD from years of abuse or neglect requires more time than a single incident.

 

Even with complex trauma, most people start noticing changes relatively quickly: less reactivity, better sleep, fewer intrusive thoughts, more capacity to be present.​

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is EMDR safe?
Yes. EMDR is recognized as an evidence-based treatment by major health organizations. It's been extensively researched and used for decades. That said, reprocessing trauma can be emotionally intense. A trained EMDR therapist will help you manage that intensity and ensure you feel safe throughout the process.

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Q. How long does EMDR take?
It depends on the type and complexity of trauma. A single traumatic event might resolve in 6-12 sessions. Complex trauma from childhood or prolonged abuse takes longer—sometimes months or years. Your therapist will give you a better estimate based on your specific situation.

 

Q. Do I have to talk about what happened?
You'll need to identify the memory you're working on, but you don't have to recount every part of the experience. EMDR works on the memory itself rather than talking through it.

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Q. What if I can't do the eye movements?
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation—engaging both sides of your brain—which can be done through eye movements, alternating taps on your hands, or sounds in headphones. Your therapist will find what works for you.

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Q. Will EMDR erase my memories?
No. The memory doesn't disappear. What changes is how you feel when you think about it. It becomes less distressing, less vivid, less emotionally charged. It shifts from feeling like something still happening to something that happened in the past.

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Q. What's the difference between EMDR and traditional talk therapy?
Traditional trauma therapy often involves talking through what happened, understanding your reactions, and developing coping skills. EMDR targets the memory directly through bilateral stimulation, helping your brain reprocess it without extensive verbal processing. Both can be effective—EMDR often works faster for specific traumatic events.

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Next Steps

If EMDR sounds like a helpful approach for your situation, our client care team can help match you with a therapist trained in EMDR and set up your first session.