EMDR Psychotherapy – EMDR HEALING

What is EMDR Therapy? The Eight Phases Explained | EMDR Healing

Research by Van der Kolk, et. al. in 2007 showed that EMDR was even more effective than Prozac in trauma treatment. Ongoing research also supports the efficacy of EMDR in treating many other conditions such as anxiety, depression, addictions, OCD, Chronic pain and other distressing life events. So what is EMDR Therapy? According to the American Psychological Society, EMDR is, ‘A structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories.’

What is EMDR and what can it target?

EMDR—Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing—is an evidence-based psychological therapy developed by American psychologist Dr Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It helps the brain process distressing or traumatic experiences that may continue to affect how you think, feel and respond in the present.
When an experience has been overwhelming, the memory can remain stored in a way that feels unprocessed. Present-day situations may then trigger the same emotions, physical sensations and negative beliefs associated with the original experience. You may logically know that the event is over but still feel as though part of you is responding to an ongoing threat.
EMDR therapy aims to help the brain process these experiences so that they feel more firmly in the past. The memory is not forgotten or erased, but it can become less vivid, emotionally intense and disruptive.

What can EMDR help with?

EMDR is best known as a treatment for trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it may also help people experiencing:
Complex trauma and the effects of difficult childhood experiences
Anxiety, panic and persistent feelings of threat
Distressing memories, flashbacks or nightmares
Phobias and trauma-related fears
Low self-esteem and deeply held negative beliefs
Grief or distress following a painful loss
The psychological effects of accidents, illness, abuse or frightening events
Difficulties with trust, relationships and emotional regulation
EMDR can be helpful following a single traumatic event, such as an accident or assault, as well as for complex trauma involving repeated or prolonged experiences.

What Difference can EMDR make in Present Life?

Unprocessed experiences can influence present-day life in ways that are not always immediately recognised. They may contribute to anxiety, emotional overwhelm, avoidance, hypervigilance, relationship difficulties or beliefs such as “I am not safe,” “I am powerless” or “I am not good enough.”
By addressing the experiences underlying these difficulties, EMDR can help reduce triggers and create more helpful ways of thinking and responding. People may begin to feel safer, calmer and more confident, with a greater ability to regulate emotions, set boundaries and engage more fully in relationships and everyday life.
The aim is not simply to manage symptoms. It is to reduce the hold that past experiences have over the present.

What are the Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy?

Dr Francine Shapiro developed EMDR as a structured therapy consisting of eight phases. These phases provide a safe and thorough framework for treatment.
The eight phases do not mean that EMDR is completed in eight sessions. Some phases may take more than one session, and the overall length of therapy will depend on your history, current circumstances, treatment goals and individual needs.
History Taking and Treatment Planning
Your therapist takes time to understand what has brought you to therapy, how past experiences may be affecting your current life and what you would like to change.
Together, you will begin to identify relevant memories, present-day triggers and future situations that may become the focus of EMDR therapy. You do not have to disclose every detail of an experience for treatment to be effective.
Preparation
Before memory processing begins, your therapist will explain how EMDR works and answer any questions you may have.
You will also develop grounding and emotional-regulation strategies to help you manage distress and remain connected to the present. This phase is particularly important for people who have experienced complex or repeated trauma and may require more time before processing begins.
Assessment
A specific memory or experience is identified for processing. Your therapist will help you notice the image, emotions, physical sensations and negative belief associated with it.
You will also identify a more helpful belief that you would like to hold—for example, moving from “I am powerless” towards “I have choices now.”
Desensitisation
During processing, you briefly focus on aspects of the memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation. This usually involves following the therapist’s fingers with your eyes but may also use alternating tapping or sounds.
You are encouraged to notice whatever thoughts, feelings, images or sensations arise without trying to control them. Over time, the memory can become less emotionally intense as new associations and perspectives emerge.
Installation
Once the distress connected with the memory has reduced, attention turns to strengthening the positive belief identified during the assessment phase.
This may involve beliefs such as “I am safe now,” “I survived,” “I am worthy” or “I can cope.” The aim is for the new belief to feel emotionally true, rather than something you understand only intellectually.
Body Scan
Traumatic experiences can be held not only as thoughts and memories but also as physical sensations. You will be invited to notice whether any tension, discomfort or distress remains in your body when you think about the experience.
If something remains, further processing may take place.
Closure
Each EMDR session ends with support to help you feel settled and grounded, whether or not the memory has been fully processed.
Your therapist may remind you of the strategies developed during preparation and explain what you may notice between sessions. Processing can sometimes continue after the session through new thoughts, feelings, memories or dreams.
Re-evaluation
At the beginning of a later session, your therapist will review what has changed and check whether the memory remains distressing.
You will also consider whether related triggers, emotions, physical sensations or beliefs have changed in your current life. This helps determine whether further processing is needed and what the next focus of therapy should be.

Francine Shapiro’s Understanding of Trauma

Shapiro’s Adaptive Information Processing model proposes that many present-day psychological difficulties can develop when distressing experiences have not been fully processed and integrated.
When these memories are activated, the original emotions, sensations and beliefs can return as though the experience is happening again. EMDR supports the brain’s natural information-processing system, allowing the experience to be understood from a safer, present-day perspective.
EMDR does not change what happened. It can change how the experience is stored and how strongly it continues to affect your life.

Online EMDR Therapy Across the UK and All-Ireland

EMDR Healing provides specialist online EMDR therapy for adults across the UK and All-Ireland. Therapy is carefully paced and tailored to your individual history, needs and goals.
If past experiences continue to affect how you feel or live today, you are welcome to get in touch to find out whether EMDR therapy may be suitable for you.