What Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?
By Aphrodite Papageorgiou, Clinical Psychologist and EMDR Practitioner
If you have been looking into therapy for trauma, PTSD, anxiety or other distressing experiences, you may have come across EMDR therapy and wondered what it actually involves.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a structured psychological therapy commonly used to help people process traumatic or distressing experiences, as well as address current concerns, triggers and fears.
I’m Aphrodite Papageorgiou, a clinical psychologist and EMDR practitioner based at Strive Health Hub, 251 Jasper Road, McKinnon. I work with adults and have a particular interest in trauma and PTSD.
If you are considering EMDR therapy, understanding what it is, how it works and what happens during treatment can make the process feel a little less unfamiliar.
What is EMDR therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy approach designed to help people process experiences, thoughts and patterns that continue to cause emotional distress.
After a difficult or traumatic experience, memories can remain connected with intense emotions, physical sensations, thoughts or beliefs. Although you know the experience happened in the past, reminders can sometimes trigger strong reactions in the present.
EMDR can also be used to work with present concerns, such as anxiety, triggers or fears, as well as future-focused concerns, including anticipated situations that may create distress.
EMDR therapy aims to help these experiences become more effectively processed so they may feel less distressing and have less influence over how you respond in the present or approach situations in the future.
EMDR is more than simply moving your eyes from side to side. It is a structured therapeutic process involving assessment, preparation, identifying experiences or concerns to work on, reprocessing and reviewing progress.
How does EMDR therapy work?
During the reprocessing stages of EMDR, you may be asked to briefly focus on aspects of a distressing memory, current trigger, fear or concern while engaging in bilateral stimulation.
Bilateral stimulation involves alternating stimulation between the left and right sides of the body. One of the most recognised forms involves following movement from side to side with your eyes. Other forms may also be used depending on the person and therapeutic approach.
During this process, you may notice different thoughts, emotions, memories or physical sensations arise.
The aim is not to erase memories or pretend that difficult experiences did not happen. Instead, EMDR seeks to support the processing of experiences and concerns so they may become less emotionally overwhelming and have less influence over your current responses.
What can EMDR therapy help with?
EMDR is particularly well known for its use in the treatment of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but its application is not limited to past traumatic experiences.
Depending on the individual and their circumstances, EMDR may also be used to address concerns involving:
trauma and PTSD
anxiety, triggers and fears
future-focused fears or anticipated situations
confidence and self-esteem
performance anxiety
addictions
people pleasing
perfectionism
disordered eating
body image concerns
other unhelpful patterns that may be affecting wellbeing or everyday life
People can respond to traumatic or distressing experiences in different ways. This may include:
intrusive memories or nightmares
anxiety or distress
avoiding reminders of what happened
feeling constantly alert or on edge
strong emotional or physical reactions to reminders
past experiences continuing to affect relationships, confidence or everyday life
Not every concern relates to an obvious trauma. Sometimes people seek support because of a current trigger, fear or pattern that continues to affect how they feel, behave or respond. EMDR can also involve working with how someone would like to approach future situations differently.
Whether EMDR is appropriate depends on the individual, their experiences, current concerns and a psychological assessment.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?
This is a common concern for people considering EMDR therapy.
EMDR can involve identifying and working with distressing memories or experiences, but it does not necessarily require you to provide a lengthy, detailed verbal account of everything that happened.
Before beginning reprocessing, time is spent understanding your experiences, discussing your goals and preparing for the work.
There should also be space to ask questions and discuss any concerns you have about the process before moving forward.
What happens during an EMDR session?
EMDR does not usually mean immediately beginning eye movements during your first appointment. It follows a structured process, and the early stages are important.
1. Understanding your experiences
We begin by discussing what has brought you to therapy, what you have been experiencing and what you would like support with. This helps me understand your needs and whether EMDR may be appropriate for you.
2. Preparation
Before beginning reprocessing, we prepare for the process. This can include discussing how EMDR works, what you might experience and strategies for managing emotional distress during and between sessions.
3. Identifying what to work on
Together, we identify memories, experiences, triggers, fears, thoughts, emotions or beliefs that may be connected with the difficulties you are experiencing. This may involve looking at past experiences, present concerns or future situations.
4. Reprocessing
When appropriate, you may be asked to bring aspects of a memory, trigger or concern to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation. You may notice changes in thoughts, emotions, images or physical sensations as processing occurs.
There is no single response that everyone is expected to have.
5. Reviewing progress
We review the work over time, including what has changed, what remains distressing and what may need further attention.
The number of sessions required varies depending on the individual, their history, current circumstances and therapeutic goals.
Will EMDR make me forget what happened?
No. EMDR is not designed to erase memories.
You can still remember what happened. When working with distressing memories, the aim is for the experience to become more effectively processed so that recalling it may no longer produce the same intensity of emotional or physical reaction.
For some people, this can mean being able to remember an experience while feeling more aware that it happened in the past, rather than experiencing the same level of distress in the present.
Is EMDR only for severe trauma or PTSD?
No. While EMDR is widely recognised for its use with trauma and PTSD, it is not limited to severe trauma or experiences from the past.
EMDR may also be considered when working with present anxiety, triggers and fears, future concerns, confidence and self-esteem, performance anxiety, addictions or patterns such as people pleasing and perfectionism.
You do not need to decide whether an experience or concern is “serious enough” before seeking psychological support. What matters is how it is affecting you and what you would like to change.
Whether EMDR is suitable can then be considered as part of an individual assessment.
How long does EMDR therapy take?
There is no set number of EMDR sessions that applies to everyone.
The length of therapy can depend on the concerns being addressed, how long difficulties have been present, your current circumstances and your individual response to treatment.
For this reason, it is difficult to predict exactly how many EMDR sessions someone will need before understanding their individual situation.
EMDR can also be offered in an intensive format. EMDR intensives involve longer or more concentrated periods of therapy compared with standard weekly sessions. Whether this format is appropriate will depend on your individual needs and can be discussed during an initial appointment.
Is EMDR therapy right for me?
EMDR can be an effective therapeutic approach for some people, but no single form of therapy is right for everyone.
You also do not need to know whether EMDR is the right approach before contacting a psychologist.
You might simply know that something from your past is still affecting you, that you are struggling with something in the present, or that fears and concerns are affecting how you approach the future.
An initial appointment provides an opportunity to discuss what you are experiencing and consider whether EMDR or another therapeutic approach may be appropriate.
EMDR therapy in McKinnon
I provide psychological therapy for adults from Strive Health Hub at 251 Jasper Road, McKinnon, and welcome in-person clients from across Melbourne. I also offer telehealth appointments Australia-wide.
I have more than 18 years of experience across public, private and forensic mental health settings and am trained in EMDR therapy.
If you are looking for an EMDR psychologist in McKinnon or Melbourne, an initial appointment provides an opportunity to discuss what you have been experiencing, what you would like help with and whether EMDR may be appropriate for you.
To ask about availability, fees or arranging your first appointment, please contact me directly:
Phone: 0411 487 321
Email: hello@aphroditeppsychology.com.au
Your first message can be simple: “Hello Aphrodite, I’m interested in making an appointment. Could you please let me know your availability and fees?”
This article provides general information and is not a substitute for individual psychological assessment, diagnosis or treatment. Aphrodite P. Psychology does not provide an emergency or crisis service. If someone is in immediate danger, call 000. For 24-hour crisis support in Australia, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.