EMDR Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy that helps the mind process difficult or stuck memories, so they stop having such a strong grip on how you feel and react today.

Most of the time, when something difficult happens to us, the mind processes it naturally over time — the memory settles, and while we don’t forget it, it no longer feels raw or overwhelming. Sometimes, though, a memory doesn’t get processed properly. It stays “stuck,” and can keep resurfacing as flashbacks, anxiety, low mood, or a strong physical or emotional reaction to things that remind you of it, even years later.

EMDR works directly with these stuck memories. Rather than asking you to talk through every detail of what happened, it uses a method called bilateral stimulation — usually guided eye movements, though taps or tones can be used instead — while you briefly bring the memory to mind. This helps the brain do what it would naturally do with a properly processed memory: file it away as something that happened in the past, rather than something that still feels like it’s happening now.

EMDR in Practice

Sessions follow a clear, 8 phased protocol, and a good amount of time at the start is spent making sure you feel prepared, safe, and resourced before any processing of difficult material begins.

You won’t be asked to describe the memory in detail, relive it, or talk about it at length. You stay present and in control throughout, and we go at a pace that feels manageable. Many people are surprised by how little they need to say out loud for the process to work.

The Eight Phases of EMDR

EMDR follows an established eight-phase structure. It can sound clinical written out like this, but in practice it simply means the work is paced, predictable, and never rushed.

Phase 1 — History and treatment planning: We talk through your history and what’s brought you to therapy, and identify which memories or experiences seem to be at the root of what you’re struggling with now.

Phase 2 — Preparation: I’ll explain how EMDR works in more detail, answer any questions, and we’ll build up some calming techniques and “resources” you can draw on, so you feel equipped before we begin processing anything difficult.

Phase 3 — Assessment: We choose a specific memory to work on and identify the image, belief, emotion, and physical sensation connected to it, along with a more helpful belief you’d like to work towards.

Phase 4 — Desensitisation: This is the core of the work. While briefly holding the memory in mind, you follow a guided form of bilateral stimulation. We pause regularly to check in, and this continues until the memory feels noticeably less distressing.

Phase 5 — Installation: We strengthen the more helpful belief identified in phase three, so it feels true and connected to the memory, rather than just something you know intellectually.

Phase 6 — Body scan: We check whether any tension or physical sensation remains when you bring the memory to mind, and process this further if needed.

Phase 7 — Closure: Every session ends in a stable, contained way, regardless of whether processing is complete, using calming techniques if needed so you leave feeling settled.

Phase 8 — Reevaluation: At the start of the next session, we check how things have settled since we last met, and decide together what to focus on next.

What EMDR Is Proven to Help With

EMDR has a strong and well established evidence base for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is recommended by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an effective treatment for PTSD in adults, and is used widely across the NHS and by trauma specialists internationally.

Beyond PTSD specifically, a growing body of research also supports its use for:

• Single-incident trauma and distressing memories that don’t meet the full criteria for PTSD

• Anxiety and panic

• Phobias

• Depression, particularly where low mood is connected to past experiences

• Grief and complicated loss

• Low self-esteem and negative self-beliefs rooted in earlier experiences

This list is by no means exhaustive and there is a constantly growing body of evidence of EMDR’s effectiveness across many mental health difficulties.

As with any therapy, EMDR does not work identically for everyone, and we’ll talk together about whether it seems like the right fit for what you are seeking help with, or whether talking therapy would suit you better.

If you would like to find out more about whether EMDR could help, why not book an initial consultation where we can talk it through together?