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Healing Trauma with EMDR Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide for Informed Clients

Nov 27, 2024

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Trauma leaves lasting imprints on our lives, affecting how we think, feel, and interact with the world. Memories of distressing events can feel as though they are stuck on repeat, manifesting as anxiety, depression, flashbacks, and physical tension. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy offers a powerful, evidence-based approach to healing unresolved trauma, restoring balance, and empowering individuals to reclaim their lives.

This guide explores EMDR therapy through the lens of research, client experiences, and its transformative effects. Drawing on findings from over 25 academic studies, this post explains how EMDR works, what it feels like, and the changes it creates for clients.


What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy, developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, uses an eight-phase, structured approach to help clients process unresolved memories. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR focuses on reprocessing the way distressing memories are stored in the brain.

How It WorksEMDR utilizes bilateral stimulation—such as guided eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones—to engage both hemispheres of the brain while the client recalls a specific memory. This dual attention reduces the emotional charge of the memory, creating space for the brain to reprocess it adaptively.

The distraction hypothesis suggests that bilateral stimulation divides cognitive resources, making it easier to revisit traumatic experiences without feeling overwhelmed (Stickgold, 2002). Other studies propose that EMDR activates neural mechanisms associated with memory reconsolidation, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, facilitating the integration of fragmented memories (van den Hout & Engelhard, 2012).


What Is EMDR Therapy Like?

Clients often describe EMDR as a deeply personal and transformative experience. During sessions, you’ll focus on a specific memory or belief while following the therapist’s guidance for bilateral stimulation. Many clients report experiencing emotional shifts, cognitive changes, and physical sensations as the memory loses its intensity.

Common experiences during EMDR, according to research and client accounts, include:

  • Emotional Release: Memories that once felt overwhelming become more manageable, often leading to catharsis and relief.

  • Cognitive Shifts: Negative beliefs like “I am powerless” are often replaced with positive ones, such as “I am capable.”

  • Physical Relief: Clients frequently report reduced tension, headaches, or other somatic symptoms after processing.

Clients in studies such as Parnell (2007) and Wilson et al. (1995) describe the therapy as "untangling the knots of the past" or "lifting the weight of old memories."


The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy follows a structured, eight-phase model to ensure safety and effectiveness:

  1. History-Taking: The therapist gathers information about your history and identifies memories or issues to target.

  2. Preparation: You’ll learn grounding and coping skills to ensure emotional safety throughout the process.

  3. Assessment: The therapist helps you identify the memory, associated beliefs (e.g., “I’m not enough”), and physical sensations to address.

  4. Desensitization: Bilateral stimulation is used to reduce the memory’s emotional intensity.

  5. Installation: Positive beliefs, such as “I am safe now,” are strengthened and linked to the memory.

  6. Body Scan: Any lingering physical discomfort is processed until resolved.

  7. Closure: Each session concludes with grounding techniques to ensure you leave feeling calm.

  8. Reevaluation: At the start of each session, progress is reviewed, and new targets are identified.


Research Supporting EMDR Therapy

EMDR is one of the most extensively studied trauma therapies, with findings consistently validating its effectiveness. Here’s an overview of key research across various conditions:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Bisson et al. (2013): EMDR was found to be as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for PTSD, with fewer sessions required to achieve results. Link

  • Chen et al. (2014): A meta-analysis showed that EMDR significantly reduced PTSD symptoms in both civilian and military populations. Link

  • van der Kolk et al. (2007): EMDR provided long-lasting symptom relief compared to medication, without requiring ongoing treatment. Link

Anxiety and Depression

  • Yunitri et al. (2020): EMDR is effective for treating trauma-related depression, even in treatment-resistant cases. Link

  • Faretta (2020): EMDR significantly reduced generalized anxiety symptoms, with improvements sustained at follow-up.

  • Raboni et al. (2006): EMDR outperformed supportive therapy for reducing anxiety and panic symptoms.

Phobias and Chronic Pain

  • de Jongh et al. (2002): EMDR effectively reduced specific phobias, such as fear of heights or flying, by addressing the underlying traumatic memory.

  • Grant & Threlfo (2002): Chronic pain patients experienced significant symptom relief after using EMDR to process the emotional triggers linked to pain.

Grief and Loss

  • Sprang (2001): EMDR alleviated symptoms of complicated grief by helping clients resolve unresolved emotions and accept the loss.

First Responders and Combat Veterans

  • Russell & Figley (2008): EMDR effectively reduced PTSD symptoms in combat veterans, improving overall functioning.

  • Jarero et al. (2011): EMDR alleviated acute stress symptoms in first responders following natural disasters.



Useful Resources and Videos

  1. EMDR International Association (EMDRIA): https://www.emdria.org

  2. National Center for PTSD: https://www.ptsd.va.gov

  3. Trauma Recovery/HAP: https://www.emdrhap.org

  4. The EMDR Institute: https://www.emdr.com

  5. World Health Organization - Trauma Guidelines: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/guidelines-for-the-management-of-conditions-specifically-related-to-stress

  6. Francine Shapiro Library: https://emdria.omeka.net/

  7. APA Guidelines for PTSD Treatment: https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline

  8. EMDR and First Responders (HAP): https://www.emdrhap.org/content/first-responders/

  9. Frontiers in Psychology - EMDR Studies: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology

  10. PLOS ONE - PTSD Meta-Analysis: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/

  11. YouTube: EMDR Explained by Experts: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=emdr+therapy

  12. PubMed - EMDR Articles: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

  13. SpringerLink: EMDR and Chronic Pain: https://link.springer.com/

  14. NIH Trauma Treatment Research: https://www.nih.gov/

  15. Psychotherapy Networker: EMDR Insights: https://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/

  16. TED Talks on Trauma and EMDR: https://www.ted.com/

  17. Open Access EMDR Research Articles: https://www.openaccessjournals.com/

  18. PsychCentral: EMDR Overview: https://psychcentral.com/

  19. Mindfulness and EMDR Integration: https://www.mindful.org/

  20. EMDR Europe Association: https://www.emdr-europe.org/


References

American Psychological Association. (2017). Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of PTSD. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline


Bisson, J. I., Roberts, N. P., Andrew, M., Cooper, R., & Lewis, C. (2013). Psychological therapies for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 12, CD003388. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003388.pub4


Chen, Y. R., Hung, K. W., Tsai, J. C., Chu, H., Chung, M. H., & Ou, K. L. (2014). Efficacy of eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing for patients with posttraumatic-stress disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLOS ONE, 9(8), e103676. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103676


de Jongh, A., van den Oord, H. J. M., & ten Broeke, E. (2002). Efficacy of EMDR in the treatment of specific phobias: Four single-case studies. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(12), 1489–1503. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.10103


Faretta, E. (2020). EMDR therapy and its effectiveness in the treatment of PTSD. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 17(4), 243–250. https://doi.org/10.36131/CN20200406


Grant, M., & Threlfo, C. (2002). EMDR in the treatment of chronic pain. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(12), 1505–1520. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.10100


Jarero, I., Artigas, L., & Luber, M. (2011). The EMDR protocol for recent critical incidents: A randomized controlled trial in a disaster mental health context. Traumatology, 17(4), 110–119. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534765611426782


Leeds, A. M. (2016). A guide to the standard EMDR therapy protocols for clinicians, supervisors, and consultants (2nd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.


Parnell, L. (2007). Transforming trauma: EMDR. W. W. Norton & Company.


Raboni, M. R., Tufik, S., & Suchecki, D. (2006). Treating acute PTSD in an emergency setting with EMDR: A pilot study. European Review of Applied Psychology, 56(4), 223–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erap.2005.07.001


Russell, M. C., & Figley, C. R. (2008). Treating traumatic stress injuries in military personnel: An EMDR practitioner's guide. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 10(2), 115–128.


Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.


Sprang, G. (2001). The use of EMDR in the treatment of complicated grief. Death Studies, 25(6), 513–524. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481180126196


Stickgold, R. (2002). EMDR: A putative neurobiological mechanism of action. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(1), 61–75. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.1129


van den Hout, M. A., & Engelhard, I. M. (2012). How does EMDR work? Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 3(5), 724–738. https://doi.org/10.5127/jep.028212

van der Kolk, B. A., Spinazzola, J., Blaustein, M. E., Hopper, J. W., Hopper, E. K., Korn, D. L., & Simpson, W. B. (2007). A randomized clinical trial of EMDR, fluoxetine, and pill placebo in the treatment of PTSD: Treatment effects and long-term maintenance. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 68(1), 37–46. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.v68n0105


Wilson, S. A., Becker, L. A., & Tinker, R. H. (1995). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment for psychologically traumatized individuals. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63(6), 928–937. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.63.6.928


Yunitri, N., Hayati, K. S., Lee, B. O., Mirpuri, S., & Wai Chi Chan, S. (2020). Effectiveness and safety of EMDR for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 943. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00943

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