EMDR

Question 1

What is EMDR?

Answer 1

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing

Therapy used to help people recover from distressing events and the problems they have caused, like flashbacks, upsetting thoughts or images, depression or anxiety.

Used to tx PTSD, able to use in children

Question 2

How does EMDR work?

Answer 2

When a person is involved in a traumatic event, they may feel overwhelmed and their brain may be unable to fully process what is going on. The memory of the event seems to become “stuck” so that it remains very intense and vivid. The person can re-experience what they saw, heard and smelt and the full force of the distress they felt whenever the memory comes to mind.

EMDR aims to help the brain “unstick” and reprocess the memory properly so that it is no longer so intense. It also helps to desensitise the person to the emotional impact of the memory, so that they can think about the event without experiencing such strong feelings.

Question 3

How does EMDR work cont…

Answer 3

Person recalls traumatic event whilst moving their eyes from side-to-side, hear a sound in each ear alternately, or feel a tap on each hand alternately. These side-to-side sensations seem to effectively stimulate the “stuck” processing system in the brain so that it can reprocess the information more like an ordinary memory, reducing its intensity.

The effect may be similar to what occurs naturally during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, when your eyes move rapidly from side to side as the brain processes the events of the day. Some research suggests that EMDR is effective because concentrating on another task whilst processing a distressing memory gives the brain more work to do. When the brain is not giving its full attention to processing the memory, it starts to become less vivid. This allows the person to distance themselves from it and begin to remember the event in a more helpful and manageable way.

Should always be delivered by trained therapists.

Question 4

How effective is EMDR?

Answer 4

When a person’s mental health problems have their roots in a distressing life event, EMDR can be very effective very quickly. Studies have shown that EMDR can significantly decrease PTSD symptoms in just two or three sessions, and that the effect is long lasting.

People who have experienced several traumatic events, neglect or poor treatment as children usually need more sessions than this.

Question 5

ChatGPT explanation

Answer 5

“EMDR is a type of therapy that helps your brain process difficult or traumatic experiences so they stop feeling so overwhelming.”

“When something stressful or traumatic happens, sometimes the brain doesn’t process the memory normally. It’s almost like the memory gets ‘stuck’—so even long after the event, reminders can bring back the same intense feelings, images, or body reactions.”

“EMDR helps ‘unstick’ these memories. During EMDR, we focus on parts of the memory while using a type of side-to-side stimulation—usually with eye movements, tapping, or sounds. This stimulation helps the brain process the memory in a healthier way, similar to what your brain naturally does during REM sleep.”

“The goal isn’t to erase the memory—it’s to take away the distress connected to it. After EMDR, people often say the memory feels more distant, less emotional, and easier to think about without getting overwhelmed.