What is EMDR therapy & how does it work?
If you’ve ever searched “What is EMDR therapy?” or “Can EMDR help with trauma?” — you’re not alone. Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful and widely recognised therapy that’s helping people across the world heal from emotional pain.
In this post, we’ll explore:
What EMDR therapy is
How EMDR works
What EMDR is used for
Who it can help
What to expect in a session
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It’s an evidence-based therapy developed in the 1980s by psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro.
Rather than relying solely on talking through a problem, EMDR helps the brain reprocess unresolved memories that are stuck due to trauma or distress. These memories — and the beliefs, feelings, or body sensations attached to them — can continue to affect us long after the event.
EMDR enables the brain to reprocess and “file away” these memories properly, reducing emotional intensity and allowing you to move forward.
What Can EMDR Be Used For?
While EMDR is best known for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it’s also highly effective for a wide range of emotional and mental health issues, including:
Anxiety and panic attacks
Depression
Childhood trauma
Sexual assault or abuse
Relationship difficulties
Phobias and OCD
Grief and loss
Performance or exam anxiety
Chronic pain
Low self-esteem
Confidence and assertiveness
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
EMDR is now also used in coaching, personal development, and wellbeing work — helping people unlock emotional blocks and reconnect with their potential.
How Does EMDR Work? (The Science Bit)
When something distressing happens, the brain’s natural processing system can become overwhelmed — especially when we feel powerless, unsafe, or confused. The experience may get “stuck” in the nervous system, along with the emotions, thoughts, and body sensations from that moment.
One key element of EMDR is bilateral stimulation — often through guided eye movements, alternating tapping, or sound. This mimics the brain activity that occurs during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, the phase where emotional processing naturally happens.
By engaging this REM-like state while focusing on a difficult memory, EMDR helps the brain to safely reprocess the experience — allowing emotional healing to take place.
What Makes EMDR Different?
It’s structured and evidence-based
It works with the brain’s natural ability to heal
It’s not about re-telling your trauma in detail
You stay in control of the process
It often works faster than traditional therapy
Many people say that after EMDR, their distressing memories “feel further away,” or no longer cause the same emotional reaction.
What Happens Before Reprocessing?
Before any memory processing begins, EMDR includes a resourcing phase — helping you feel safe, regulated, and emotionally prepared.
This may include tools like:
Safe place visualisation – a calming internal image to return to
Container exercise – to safely “put away” distressing thoughts
Breathing and grounding techniques – to regulate your nervous system
These strategies form your personal emotional safety toolkit, ensuring you’re supported throughout the process.
What Does an EMDR Session Look Like?
EMDR follows 8 key phases:
History-taking – understanding your story and current difficulties
Preparation – teaching calming tools and building emotional safety
Assessment – identifying a target memory and related beliefs/sensations
Desensitisation – using bilateral stimulation to reduce distress
Installation – strengthening positive, empowering beliefs
Body Scan – checking for and releasing leftover physical tension
Closure – helping you return to calm at the end of each session
Re-evaluation – reviewing progress in future sessions
Each person’s EMDR journey is unique — and the pace is always tailored to your needs.
Who Is EMDR Therapy Suitable For?
EMDR is suitable for:
Adults and young people
People recovering from trauma or abuse
Those living with anxiety or panic
Individuals feeling emotionally “stuck”
Anyone looking for a powerful method of self-healing
If you’re unsure whether EMDR is the right fit, an initial consultation with a qualified EMDR therapist can help explore your needs.
What to Expect in Your First Session
You won’t jump into memory work straight away. In your first few sessions, we’ll:
Talk through your history, current goals, and what’s bringing you to therapy
Build trust and establish a sense of emotional safety
Introduce resourcing tools to support you between sessions
Answer any questions you have about the EMDR process
It’s a collaborative process — we go at your pace.
Final Thoughts: Could EMDR Help You?
If you feel stuck in emotional loops… if past experiences are holding you back… if traditional talk therapy hasn’t worked for you — EMDR may offer a different path forward.
Whether you're working through trauma, anxiety, low self-worth or something you can't quite name — EMDR therapy offers a way to process, heal, and grow.
Ready to explore EMDR for yourself?
I’m an accredited EMDR therapist based in Coventry, offering in-person and online sessions.
If you’d like to learn more or book a consultation, feel free to get in touch:
📧 Email: ames@amesaspire.com
🌐 Website: www.amesaspire.com
📸 Instagram: @amesaspire
