What is EMDR therapy?

The idea behind EMDR therapy

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy, commonly known as EMDR, is an evidence-based therapy method used to treat PTSD and other types of trauma. During ordinary, everyday experiences, your brain stores memories easily and links them up with your other thoughts and experiences. But when something overwhelming or distressing happens, that memory may not get processed in the usual way. It can end up stored in a raw, unfinished form, still carrying the images, feelings and physical sensations from the initial experience.

The idea behind EMDR is that a memory like this stays stuck rather than settling into the past where it belongs. That's why a trauma memory can feel like it's happening now rather than something that happened years ago. It's why a smell, a sound or an offhand comment can bring the whole experience rushing back.

EMDR aims to help the brain finish that processing. The memory doesn't disappear, but it tends to lose its intensity. After therapy, most people describe their overwhelming experience as something that happened to them, rather than something still happening to them.

What actually happens during this type of therapy?

You'll be asked to bring a specific memory to mind, along with the thoughts, feelings and physical sensations that come with it. While you hold that thought, you'll follow a repeated left-to-right movement with your eyes, usually by tracking my hand or a light. Some therapists use gentle taps or alternating sounds instead.

You do this in short sets, pausing between each one to notice what's come up. You aren't asked to give a detailed account of what happened, and you don't have to relive the experience completely. Over the course of just one session, the memory usually starts to feel less intense and comes to mind less sharply.

EMDR is a structured therapy, and it's usually described as eight phases. These usually flow into each other:

1. History and planning
   We talk through your background and work out which memories to focus on.
2. Preparation
   I'll explain how EMDR works and teach you grounding techniques to steady yourself during and between sessions.
3. Assessment
   We identify a specific memory to work on, along with the belief attached to it and how it feels in your body.
4. Desensitisation
   This is the part most people know as EMDR, holding the memory in mind while following the eye movements until it loses it's intensity.
5. Installation
   We strengthen a more helpful belief to sit alongside the memory.
6. Body scan
   We check for any tension the memory is still holding in your body.
7. Closure
   Every session ends with you feeling settled, whether or not the memory is fully processed.
8. Re-evaluation
   We begin the next session by reviewing how things have shifted.

Exactly why the eye movements actually help is still being studied. The leading explanation is that following a movement while holding a difficult memory in mind takes up more of your working memory than is available, which reduces how vivid the memory feels and lets the brain store it differently. Whatever the reason, the positive effects are evidence-based and well recorded.
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A few things are worth clearing up though, because there are some common misconceptions:

• EMDR isn't hypnosis. You're awake, aware and in complete control the whole time. You can also stop at any point.
• EMDR isn't a way of erasing memories. You'll still remember what happened. What changes is how strongly it affects you to remember the memory now.
• EMDR isn't a quick fix that skips the hard parts. It can work faster than some approaches for single-incident trauma, but complex or repeated trauma usually takes longer, and the preparation phase matters just as much as the desensitisation phase.

Who EMDR helps

EMDR has the strongest evidence base for post-traumatic stress disorder. In an article published by Bond University, psychologist Dr Peta Stapleton writes that a review of 26 clinical trials found EMDR significantly reduced symptoms of PTSD, along with depression, anxiety and distress, in people living with PTSD. It's also been helpful for children.

It's a very well-recognised and evidence-based treatment. The World Health Organization and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies both recommend EMDR for adults and children with PTSD, and it's endorsed by the Australian Psychological Society.

Beyond PTSD, EMDR is also used for a broader range of difficulties where distressing experiences are part of the picture, including anxiety, phobias, and the aftermath of accidents, assaults, medical events or loss. The evidence is strongest for trauma, so if you're considering it for something else, let's talk through it together first.

It's also worth saying that trauma isn't only the obvious, dramatic kind. Plenty of the people I've helped wouldn't have used the word "trauma" for their own experiences until someone else did. Long-running difficult circumstances, childhood experiences that were never named as harmful, or things that felt survivable at the time can all leave a mark worth working through.

EMDR isn't right for everyone or for every situation. If you're in the middle of a crisis, or there's a lot going on at once, we might do other work first to make sure you have enough stability to process your experiences safely.

Starting EMDR therapy in Perth with me

If you're looking for EMDR therapy in Perth, not every psychologist is trained in it, so it's a fair thing to ask about directly when you're deciding who to see.

I'm a registered psychologist trained in EMDR, and I use it where it's a good fit, alongside other approaches. We never rush into anything, and always start with conversation about what's brought you in. I take the time to make sure you feel steady and prepared, and we'll decide together whether EMDR is the right direction for you.

If you've been carrying something for a while, or you've struggled to find someone who felt like the right fit, you're welcome here. Reaching out doesn't commit you to anything. It's just a first conversation, and we'll go from there at your pace.

If you have any questions about whether EMDR might suit your situation, get in touch and I'm happy to talk it through.