A grounded look at EMDR
If you have been thinking about trying EMDR—or a health professional has suggested it—it is completely normal to feel a little unsure about what you are signing up for. Trauma therapy sometimes carries a certain mystique, and EMDR in particular can be described in ways that make it sound either miraculous or a little strange. This article offers a calmer, more grounded look at what EMDR actually involves.
What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a structured form of psychotherapy that helps people process memories that have become “stuck”—memories that still carry a strong emotional or physical charge, even though the event itself is long over.
EMDR is a first-line treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, but it is not only used for PTSD. It may also be used for grief, anxiety, depression and other experiences where earlier events still feel unresolved. People may use it to work through difficult single events, such as an accident or frightening medical experience, as well as forms of anxiety where an earlier experience appears to be contributing to present-day distress. Whether it is the right fit for you is something to discuss with your therapist.
Before any reprocessing happens
There is groundwork that comes before the “eye movement” part. An EMDR therapist will not jump straight into reprocessing a difficult memory. Early sessions are usually focused on preparation.
- Getting to know your history—not to dwell on it, but to understand the shape of what has happened and how it connects to what is troubling you now.
- Building a shared plan—a map, developed together, of which memories or experiences might be useful to work on and in what order.
- Talking honestly about the process—what EMDR involves, what you may experience and the fact that you are free to pause or stop at any point.
Preparation is part of the therapy
This stage can take one session or several, depending on the person. It is not a delay; it helps make the rest of the work possible.
What actually happens in a session?
Once you and your therapist feel ready, a typical session may involve:
- bringing a specific memory to mind, together with the images, beliefs, feelings or body sensations connected with it;
- following a form of bilateral stimulation—often the therapist’s fingers moving from side to side, although tapping or other tasks may also be used;
- taking short breaks between each set, when the therapist asks what you noticed without requiring you to interpret or explain it; and
- continuing this process until the memory feels less charged—less vivid or distressing, and more like something that happened than something still happening.
You do not have to talk about it in detail
EMDR does not require you to narrate every detail of what happened out loud. Many people find relief in this because it removes one of the biggest barriers to seeking trauma therapy: the fear of having to relive and describe the worst parts. Your therapist can work with the memory as you experience it internally, checking in along the way without requiring you to spell it all out.
Questions people sometimes have
Will I lose control during a session?
No. You stay awake, aware and in the driver’s seat throughout. Your therapist checks in regularly, and you can slow down, pause or stop whenever you need to.
Is this hypnosis?
No. There is no trance, and nothing is being done “to” you while you are unaware. You remain present and engaged throughout. It is a collaborative process, not something that happens while you switch off.
How many sessions will this take?
It depends on what you are working through. A single, more recent event may settle in a handful of sessions. Something longstanding or layered will usually need more time. An exact number cannot be predicted before your therapist understands your history and needs.
Is it going to feel difficult?
Sometimes, yes. Reprocessing can bring up strong feelings or sensations. Your therapist helps you remain within a manageable range, and the aim is for you to leave the session feeling more settled than when the difficult material first surfaced, not less.
How EMDR may sit alongside other care at Harmony
At Harmony Specialist Healthcare, EMDR is offered as part of a broader, trauma-informed approach to care rather than in isolation. Depending on what is clinically appropriate, it can be integrated with other psychological therapies, such as CBT, Schema Therapy or ACT; medical input from our pain specialist physicians; and support from our exercise physiologists to address the physical dimensions of trauma and chronic stress.
Our psychologists and counsellors work together to determine which combination of care makes the most sense for each person. EMDR is one part of that picture, rather than a stand-alone or exclusive treatment.
When more intensive support might be considered
For some people—particularly those who have been living with PTSD for a long time, or whose symptoms have not shifted substantially with standard-paced treatment—a more intensive approach may be worth discussing.
At Harmony, this can take the form of a dedicated intensive PTSD program drawing on EMDR, prolonged exposure therapy and trauma-informed clinical exercise, condensed into a short block of around two weeks. Some people prefer this concentrated format rather than spacing treatment across many months.
An intensive approach is not the right fit for everyone. Suitability is considered individually, and no treatment can guarantee a particular outcome. For the right person, however, it may be a meaningful option to consider.
Taking the next step
If you are curious about whether EMDR could help with what you are going through, the best next step is a conversation—with us or with the therapist you are considering. We want you to feel informed and confident about whichever decision you make.