EMDR therapy
What it is, how it works, and what to expect
What is EMDR?
EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing — is a psychotherapy that helps the brain process experiences from the past that continue to affect you in the present.
EMDR was originally developed to treat PTSD and trauma, it is now used more broadly to help people with anxiety, panic, phobias, low self-worth, grief and relationship difficulties.
The aim of EMDR is not to change what happened, but to change the way those experiences continue to affect you today.
What do we mean by trauma?
When people hear the word “trauma”, they often think of major events such as accidents, assaults or abuse. These experiences can absolutely be traumatic, but trauma is not always about a single dramatic event.
At its heart, trauma is less about the event itself and more about the impact it had on us. An experience may become traumatic when it overwhelms our ability to cope at the time, leaving us feeling helpless, frightened, alone or unable to make sense of what happened.
For some people, this relates to a single event. For others, it may be connected to experiences that built up over time, or to important things that were missing — such as safety, reassurance, emotional support or feeling understood.
You don’t need to have experienced a major trauma to benefit from EMDR.
Why the past can still feel present?
Most of the time, the brain processes experiences naturally. We go through difficult events, but the emotions connected to them tend to become more distant and less intense over time.
Sometimes, though, when something feels very frightening or overwhelming, the brain’s survival system takes over. In fight, flight or freeze, the brain focuses on getting through the experience — not on processing it.
When this happens, experiences can remain emotionally live. Feelings, sensations or reactions in the present get linked to something unresolved in the past — and the brain responds as though that earlier experience is still happening.
This can show up in many ways: anxiety, panic, intrusive memories, emotional overwhelm, strong self-criticism, physical reactions, or responses that feel hard to explain.
The brain isn’t malfunctioning. It’s responding to experiences that haven’t yet been fully processed.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — usually side-to-side eye movements, tapping or audio tones — to support the brain’s natural ability to process experiences.
You stay awake, aware and in control throughout. The work is carefully paced, with space to pause at any point.
Many people are relieved to find that EMDR doesn’t involve talking through painful experiences in depth or repeatedly reliving them. It’s less about analysing what happened and more about helping the brain process it differently — so it no longer affects you in the same way.
Over time, experiences that once felt emotionally overwhelming tend to lose their charge. You can still remember what happened, but the emotional intensity has reduced — you’re no longer pulled back into it or held by it.
People often describe feeling calmer, lighter, or freer as a result. That sense of being less defined by the past can make it easier to move forward, feel more like yourself, and respond to things in new ways.
What can EMDR help with?
EMDR was originally developed for trauma and PTSD, but it is now used more widely for experiences and difficulties that continue to affect emotional wellbeing, relationships and day-to-day life.
People may seek EMDR because of a single overwhelming experience, or because of patterns and emotional difficulties that have built up gradually over time.
EMDR may help with:
- Trauma and PTSD
- Complex trauma
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Phobias and fears
- Low self-worth and self-criticism
- Intrusive memories or flashbacks
- Grief and loss
- Relationship difficulties
- Burnout and emotional overwhelm
- Distressing or overwhelming life experiences
- Patterns that feel difficult to move on from
- Experiences that still feel emotionally close
EMDR is not focused only on diagnoses or symptoms, but on understanding and processing the experiences underneath them. You may also find the FAQs helpful.
Starting EMDR therapy
We begin by taking time to understand what has brought you to therapy and whether EMDR feels like the right approach for you.
Before moving into any trauma processing, we focus on helping you feel emotionally prepared and supported. The pace of the work is guided carefully, and therapy is adapted to your individual needs and experiences.
Some people come to EMDR with a specific memory or experience they would like help processing, while others are struggling with longer-standing patterns that have built up over time.
The length of therapy varies from person to person — see sessions and fees. Some people find a focused piece of work can be relatively short-term, while others benefit from longer-term therapy where difficulties are more longstanding or complex.
Is EMDR right for me?
Book your free 30-minute consultation
A free 30-minute consultation offers an opportunity to talk through what has brought you here, ask any questions you may have, and get a sense of whether EMDR and working with me feels like the right fit for you. There is no pressure to continue afterwards. It is simply a space to explore things further.