Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based psychological treatment for processing traumatic memories and other adverse life experiences to reduce current symptoms of associated distress. EMDR research shows it is equally effective when delivered online via video sessions (telehealth) or face-to-face in clinic. 

EMDR harnesses the natural functions of your brain and body by using bilateral (both left and right hemisphere) brain stimulation to access memory networks and process the beliefs, emotions, and physiological reactions connected with unprocessed memories. Bilateral brain stimulation can be achieved not just through eye movement as the name of the therapy implies, but also through audio stimulus and tapping. You and your therapist can trial different ways of processing to find the one that works best for you, and you might use all three during the processing stage of EMDR. Although this might be reminiscent of popular ideas of ‘hypnosis’, it is important to note that you are not hypnotised during EMDR. You will be engaging consciously with the present moment during the process. 

Before you and your therapist begin processing any memories with bilateral stimulation, however, you will work together to identify the experiences and negative core beliefs that will be most helpful to target, and – most importantly – you will work together to ensure you have the resources and skills required to process emotional experiences in a way that is safe and effective. For this reason, early on in your EMDR therapy you will likely practise relaxing breathing techniques and meditation exercises which you will then be able to draw on and practise as needed.

The duration of EMDR therapy will vary from person to person depending on the kinds of experience/s you will process and other individual factors; however, EMDR has been shown to generally be a more time-effective therapy approach than traditional talk-based psychotherapy for addressing trauma.