What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It’s a type of therapy that helps people heal from difficult or upsetting experiences, especially those that the brain hasn’t been able to fully process or “put away.”
How It Works – The Simple Version
Imagine Your Brain Is a Giant Filing Cabinet
Every day, your brain is taking in experiences and "filing" them under thoughts, feelings, and body reactions. Usually, this happens smoothly, especially during sleep (in the dream stage called REM).
But if something really upsetting or scary happens, your brain might not file that memory away properly. Instead, it leaves it out, thinking, “I need to keep this close just in case it helps keep me safe.”
The problem is… when that memory stays out in the open, it can keep popping up and affecting your daily life, even when it doesn’t make sense anymore.
So, What Does EMDR Do?
EMDR helps your brain go back to that unfiled memory and process it properly. It’s kind of like helping your brain finish a job it started but didn’t get to complete.
It uses something called bilateral stimulation (we call it “BLS”), which simply means using both sides of your body or brain, like moving your eyes left and right, tapping each hand in turn, or listening to alternating sounds in each ear.
This helps your brain to unblock the stuck memory and process it. You don’t forget the memory, but it no longer feels like it’s right up in your face. Instead, it becomes just another memory, and it stops interfering with your emotions, thoughts, and behaviours.
What Does a Session Look Like?
- We start by getting to know you. We talk about what’s been hard and how it’s affecting you. We don’t jump into the tough stuff straight away.
- You’ll learn skills to feel safe and calm, even when thinking about upsetting stuff.
- When you’re ready, we choose one memory to work on.
- You’ll be asked to focus on that memory while doing some BLS (like following fingers with your eyes or using hand buzzers).
- After each short round of BLS, you’ll just say what came up. It might be a feeling, a thought, a memory, or even a body sensation. There are no right or wrong answers.
- We keep going until that memory feels less intense, and we help your brain connect it with positive, healthier thoughts.
- You always stay in control. You can pause or stop at any time.
Is It Just for Trauma?
Not at all. EMDR can help with:
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Depression
- Grief and loss
- Low self-esteem
- Phobias
- Chronic pain
And more... It’s used with people of all ages, including teens and adults, and it’s backed by research and science.
Important Things to Know
- You are always in charge. If something feels too intense, we stop and help you feel grounded again.
- It’s not about forgetting the memory. It’s about removing the “emotional charge” so it no longer controls you.
- It’s a bit like emotional spring cleaning, we’re helping your brain tidy up so it can feel calmer and clearer.
Still Not Sure? That’s Okay!
It’s totally normal to feel unsure or nervous. EMDR is a collaborative process, and we’ll go at your pace. You don’t need to believe in it for it to work, your brain does the work naturally.