How does EMDR work to reprocess trauma?
What distinguishes EMDR from other therapy models is the use of bilateral stimulation, meaning anything that stimulates the left and right hemispheres of the brain back and forth quickly. Most of my clients like to use either eye movements or small handheld devices with alternating vibrations that I affectionately call “buzzies”. The prevailing scientific understanding is that this stimulation helps the brain heal from trauma in several ways:
It mimics how the brain processes naturally during REM sleep when our eyes dart back and forth as our brain integrates daily experiences into long-term memory.
It keeps the brain in a dual-attention state where half of your attention is focused on the memory while the other is distracted and grounded by the bilateral stimulation. This makes it possible for the brain to revisit trauma without becoming overwhelmed.
It activates brain networks that are hard to access when we only talk about trauma, allowing the memory, emotion, and reasoning centers to work together again. This integration helps clients shift from, “I know it wasn’t my fault, but I still feel ashamed” to “I know it wasn’t my fault, and I finally feel that.”
What I love most about EMDR is that, despite the fascinating science behind it, the sessions themselves are simple and approachable. We begin by calming the body down and putting away all the random worries and stressors from the week. Next we zoom in on a memory we have identified as a target for processing. From there, I guide clients to bring that memory to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation. Together, we then simply notice what unfolds as your brain does the work of processing the memory.
One of the best aspects of EMDR is that you don’t need to talk through every detail of a trauma or stay in a memory for long periods of time. I also like to reassure my clients that you can’t do EMDR incorrectly. The bilateral stimulation naturally activates the brain’s processing system, so we can trust what your brain is doing and follow its lead. I often tell clients that the question with EMDR is rarely if it will work, but rather how many targets we’ll need to process before you start to feel some relief.
The effectiveness of EMDR is one of countless pieces of evidence that trauma doesn’t have to define your story. Your brain and body are capable of remarkable healing, and EMDR provides a proven pathway to that. If you’ve ever felt frustrated that you couldn’t simply “get over” what happened, understand that there is nothing wrong with you. Your brain just needs to be given a chance to complete the healing it couldn’t finish at the time of the trauma. If you’re curious whether EMDR might be right for you, I would be happy to talk with you about how this approach could support your healing journey.
Resources
American Psychological Association. (2017, July 31). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). In Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments/eye-movement-reprocessing
EMDR Institute: What is EMDR?
EMDR International Association: About EMDR Therapy
