All About EMDR
Written by Margaret Levasseur, LMSW, CCTP.
If you’ve heard of EMDR therapy and are interested in trying it yourself, you may have a lot of questions. You might have seen it in a movie or TV show, or may know someone who has done it. So, let’s talk about EMDR, what it is, and what you can expect from it.
What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy, and it is a comprehensive psychotherapy originally developed for trauma and PTSD. EMDR was developed in 1987 by Francine Shapiro, PhD after she found that she felt less distressed after scanning her eyes back and forth while thinking about something disturbing. Since then, EMDR has become one of the most researched psychotherapies. It is backed by the World Health Organization, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the American Psychiatric Association. EMDR was originally developed for the treatment of trauma and PTSD, but can also be used to treat anxiety, OCD, phobias, performance anxiety, chronic pain, substance abuse, and insomnia.
Trauma is typically treated in a 3-phase treatment approach. The first phase focuses on safety and stabilization, the second phase focuses on processing and remembrance, and the third phase focuses on reconnecting with a meaningful life after trauma. EMDR engages in all of these phases by carefully working on feeling safe and grounded before doing any trauma processing work. Once the trauma is fully processed, EMDR can help individuals find success in future challenges.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR is based on the theory that traumatic or disturbing information is stored in a maladaptive way in the brain. With a non-traumatic memory, we can think of it and still know that we are in the present moment and that the event is over. Traumatic memories are often stored as sensory fragments, so when we think of them or we get triggered, we can feel like they are happening again. EMDR seeks to target past memories so they are less distressing, so when they are recalled, we don’t feel like they are happening again. EMDR is informed by the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which states that present distress is caused by past issues that are unresolved. By resolving the past roots of current problems, people find relief from their present issues and symptoms. EMDR simply helps us access our brain’s natural ability to heal and process trauma.
Bilateral stimulation (BLS) is an important part of EMDR, and basically just means any kind of stimulation that moves left to right. BLS can be done with eye movements, tapping left and right on the body, or listening to a tone that alternates to the left and right. The BLS is believed to help the brain process the distressing information, keep us calm, and keep us in the present moment.
What is it like to do EMDR?
EMDR is not like typical talk therapy where people just talk about what is bothering them. There is a specific protocol that your therapist will guide you through to help determine which memories will be targeted and a specific protocol you will follow when it is time to start processing. Before doing any eye movements, your therapist will make sure that you can tolerate the stress and discomfort that comes up in EMDR, and that you know what to expect. During a typical EMDR processing session, your therapist will ask you to think of a distressing or upsetting memory, and then guide you through the BLS. Your therapist will occasionally ask you what you are noticing during your session, just to see how your processing is going. It is best to think of processing like being on a moving train, just watching the landscape going by. Near the end of your session, your therapist will help you to ground yourself and contain any distressing thoughts, feelings, or body sensations you might have. After EMDR, people often report feeling quite tired, and sometimes people have strange dreams. This just means that your brain is continuing to process outside of your session, which is normal. EMDR can also fit into your weekly therapy sessions of 45-60 minutes, but can also be done in 90-minute sessions.
Can EMDR be done online?
EMDR can be done safely and effectively online. You and your therapist will decide if this is a good fit for you. With any online therapy, you will want to make sure you have a safe, private, and quiet space to have your sessions. The BLS can be done multiple ways. Your therapist can wave their fingers in front of their camera, and you will follow their fingers for the eye movements. They can also tap on their desk or computer to create an auditory BLS. You can also tap on your knees or on your arms or shoulders in a butterfly hug for tactile BLS. There are also various telehealth platforms for EMDR that can provide eye movement and auditory BLS.
Can my current therapist do EMDR with me?
This depends! If your therapist has gone through a basic training, they can do EMDR with you. Only therapists who have been trained in EMDR should do EMDR. Therapists can also become certified in EMDR, which just means they have received more training and supervision beyond basic training. Your therapist does not need to be certified in EMDR to do it with you.
Where can I get more information?
A great place to start is emdria.org, which is the EMDR International Association. They are in charge of certifying trainings for therapists, along with the criteria that therapists must follow to become certified. You can also find a therapist who is certified in EMDR. If you are interested in doing EMDR, both Carryn Lund and Margaret Levasseur are trained in EMDR.