EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It's a structured psychotherapy approach designed to help people process and heal from traumatic experiences and distressing memories.

  • Goal: Help the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer trigger intense emotional reactions.
  • Method: The therapist guides the patient to recall traumatic events while engaging in bilateral stimulation—usually side-to-side eye movements, but it can also be taps or sounds.
  • Idea: This process mimics the brain’s natural healing during REM sleep and helps "unstick" traumatic memories so they can be integrated into a person's life story in a healthier way.

EMDR can be helpful to process:

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Panic attacks
  • Depression
  • Grief
  • Phobias

An EMDR session follows a set protocol which involves:

  1. History-taking
  2. Preparation
  3. Assessment (identifying target memories)
  4. Desensitization (with eye movements or other stimulation)
  5. Installation (reinforcing positive beliefs)
  6. Body scan
  7. Closure
  8. Re-evaluation

NICE Guidance (UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence)

The 2018 NICE Guideline (NG116) recommends that EMDR should be offered to adults with PTSD (non‑combat‑related trauma) after 3 months of the event, and considered even at 1–3 months if that’s what the person prefers .

EMDR should follow a validated manual and typically involves 8–12 sessions delivered by trained practitioners, with trauma education, coping strategies, and bilateral stimulation until distress subsides .