What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based, trauma-informed form of psychotherapy designed to help people work through distressing experiences. It supports the brain’s ability to process difficult memories, making them less emotionally charged and less likely to interfere with daily life. During EMDR, a person briefly recalls a troubling memory while the therapist guides bilateral stimulation—often through side-to-side eye movements and sometimes through alternating taps or sounds.
EMDR is widely recognized for its effectiveness in reducing symptoms related to post-traumatic stress, and it is included in major treatment recommendations for PTSD, including guidance from the World Health Organization.
How EMDR Helps the Brain and Body Recover From Trauma
When someone goes through something overwhelming, the experience can remain “unprocessed,” almost like it’s frozen in time. That can lead to symptoms such as unwanted flashbacks, intense emotions, body-based reactions, nightmares, or becoming easily triggered by reminders of what happened. EMDR helps the nervous system rework those stored memories in a more adaptive way, so they feel more like something that happened in the past—rather than something that is still happening now.
One helpful aspect of EMDR is that it does not require you to describe every detail of the event. The focus is on reducing the emotional and physical distress connected to the memory and reshaping the negative beliefs that may have formed because of it, so the memory can be recalled without feeling overwhelmed.
What Can EMDR Help With?
EMDR is often used to treat trauma and PTSD, and it can also be beneficial for anxiety—especially when anxiety is linked to past experiences, recurring triggers, or difficult memories that still feel emotionally “close,” even if they don’t seem significant on the surface.
Depending on the person and the treatment plan, EMDR may also be used to help with:
- Anxiety symptoms, including specific fears and phobias
- Grief and loss
- Pain or physical stress responses, when trauma or chronic stress may be contributing factors
Because no two people have the same history or symptoms, EMDR is frequently combined with other therapeutic approaches (such as CBT or additional evidence-based methods) to provide well-rounded support.
What Does The EMDR Process Look Like?
EMDR follows an organized, step-by-step method—often described as eight phases. These phases generally include assessing your history and goals, building coping and stabilization skills, identifying target memories, completing the reprocessing work, and then checking progress over time.
In many treatment plans for PTSD, EMDR is provided in weekly sessions—often in the range of 8 to 12 sessions—and sessions commonly last about 60 to 90 minutes.
Throughout the process, the therapist prioritizes safety and pacing. You’ll be supported in staying grounded, and treatment will move forward at a pace that matches your comfort level, readiness, and overall stability.
EMDR at Avedian Counseling Center
At Avedian Counseling Center, we work with a range of concerns—**including anxiety and trauma**—and tailor care to what you’re dealing with and what helps you feel supported.
EMDR is one of the trauma-focused approaches that may be part of treatment, and our trauma counseling services list EMDR among the therapy options used in trauma work.
We also have
Several therapists who are EMDR practitioners, incorporating EMDR-informed care into their clinical work (for example, team members note training and use of EMDR in their approaches).