EMDR Therapy Explained
Eye-movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly effective, research-based trauma therapy. It works by releasing from your brain and body. Permanently.
What can EMDR help with?
How does EMDR work?
How can you tell if EMDR is working?
EMDR FAQ's
EMDR is a bizarre and wondrous treatment. Anybody who first hears about it thinks this is pretty hokey and strange.
— Bessel van der Kolk
Powerful memory processing
Trauma memories are stored differently in our brains to normal memories. That's why they cause us problems. You don't get flashbacks and nightmares about eating your Weetbix for breakfast, do you? Because that memory is not stored abnormally. Read more on what trauma is here.In the EMDR world, we use a filing cabinet analogy.
Memories stored healthily are in the filing cabinet of our minds — alphabetised, colour-coded, our brains like to keep things tidy! Trauma memories don't make it into the filing cabinet. They're strewn on the floor, which is why they bleed into our thinking, feeling and behaviour in the ways they do (these experiences are what we call trauma symptoms).
Working memory taxation
EMDR uses working memory taxation to achieve memory processing. A lot of research has been done in this area, and it appears that when we think of a traumatic experience while simultaneously completing a difficult task (hint hint, fast eye-movements), the memory processes into a normal memory. This means the memory will literally change right before your eyes. Some of the main things we look for to confirm processing effects include:
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Visual and perceptual changes (the memory appears blurrier, looks further away, or the details are no longer clear)
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The memory becomes significantly less upsetting to think about
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You feel better about yourself and the experience
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Intrusion symptoms (e.g., nightmares, flashbacks) will stop
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The memory will no longer impact your present thinking, feeling or behaviour
Completely evidence-backed
EMDR therapy has the highest level of scientific evidence available. It is recognised as a Level One treatment for PTSD, is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and approved by the Australian Government as a recommended PTSD treatment. EMDR has become one of the most well-researched approaches for trauma healing and is trusted globally for its effectiveness in helping people recover from trauma.
Sounds pretty good, right?
Let's get started
Or, read on for more information about how EMDR works and get the FAQ's.
EMDR therapy does not erase memories. It transforms them.
— Francine Shapiro
EMDR can help you with more than just PTSD
EMDR is best known for it's PTSD treatment abilities. The evidence is loud and clear: EMDR is a gold-standard treatment for trauma and PTSD.
EMDR for Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression aren’t just “chemical imbalances.” Often, they’re your brain stuck replaying old threat and survival patterns from the past (generally childhood). EMDR helps reset that loop — calming anxiety, lifting depression, and shutting down the outdated alarms your nervous system won’t stop ringing.
EMDR for Birth Trauma
I'm a mum, and honestly, I think labour is traumatic even when nothing technically goes wrong. Sadly, traumatic births are very common.
EMDR can help you put the past in the past. With little ones, this can improve your mental health and help you connect better with your baby.
EMDR for Complex Trauma
Complex trauma programs your brain and nervous system over time, leaving you stuck in problems like people-pleasing, self-criticism and emotional chaos. EMDR helps untangle those deep roots so your symptoms stop running the show. No faff here. It’s evidence-based trauma therapy that works.
EMDR for Personality Disorders
There is some really exciting research emerging in the field of trauma therapy and personality disorders. Personality disorders have traditionally been viewed as very difficult to treat, but recent research shows significant improvement in only fIve sessions of EMDR (yes, FIVE!!! — see the study here). This brings newfound hope, particularly to people who struggle with borderline personality disorder (BPD).
How do I know if I have trauma?
Great question — luckily I have a whole page on this topic.
Read here: How do I know if I'm traumatised?
The past affects the present even without our being aware of it
— Francine Shapiro
How Does EMDR Work?
Watch this short video from the EMDR Association of Australia about how EMDR works.
Frequently Asked EMDR Questions
Will EMDR erase my memory?
No, it won't. I often joke with my clients that if I had the power to erase the memories people didn't want, I'd be living in a mansion on Sydney harbour. Yes, I think I'm hilarious. But in all seriousness, no therapy or person has the power to erase any of your memories short of performing a lobotomy on you. The memory will still be there — it is a fact of your history. The change will be in how it feels to think about it now, and how the memory impacts you now.
How will I be able to tell if EMDR is working?
This is such a fabulous and common question, I wrote a whole blog post on it: How can you tell if EMDR is working?
My experience isn't a typical trauma. Does EMDR only work for major trauma events like war and natural disasters?
It’s important to understand that trauma doesn’t always stem from major events; any distressing experience that deeply affects you can cause trauma, so EMDR can still be helpful. For instance, a betrayal in a past relationship may lead to intense fears of infidelity in future relationships. This is an example of trauma—the pain of the past resurfacing in the present. EMDR therapy isn't just for typical 'trauma' and PTSD — it can help with anxiety, depression and more.
Does EMDR change memories permanently?
Many people mistakenly believe that PTSD and trauma symptoms are permanent conditions that they just have to live with. This is not true — research shows EMDR therapy legitimately treats trauma and trauma-related problems. Effective EMDR means the problem is gone for good and the memory is changed permanently.
I can't change what happened. How will this help?
The past is the past — unfortunately, we can't change the facts. What we can change, however, is how these memories affect you and live in your body and mind now. Many clients report feeling “lighter” after EMDR, as if a weight has been lifted. EMDR allows you to leave the past where it belongs — in the past — so you can move forward.
Will I have to process every single trauma memory?
No, you probably won't. And thank goodness, because for our complex trauma folks, if you did, you'd be in therapy for the next twenty years. This means that once we process some major memories (I call them "load-bearing memories"), other closely related memories will generally process too. We call this a 'generalisation' effect.
Well executed EMDR is efficient — that's what I'm all about.
EMDR seems really weird. Are you sure it's legit?
The proof is in the pudding. With EMDR, you’re choosing a well-researched, effective method for addressing trauma, PTSD, and difficult memories or emotions. EMDR therapy has helped countless individuals reclaim their lives from the grip of trauma, allowing for a brighter, more empowered future.