EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

What is EMDR Therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of psychotherapy developed to help individuals heal from traumatic experiences and distressing memories. It is an evidence-based treatment that has been shown to reduce the emotional charge of traumatic memories, helping people move past trauma and improve emotional well-being.

Think of your brain as a room with a large filing cabinet. All of our memories and experiences are stored in individual files and are categorized based on what that memory is about. Whenever we experience something new in our life, our brain takes that memory and adds a new file, updates an existing file, or removes a file when not true anymore. (A certain animated movie with characters based on emotions comes to mind…) Negative or traumatic experiences gain more attention by the brain and instead of filing the memory normally, it gets plastered on the filing room wall, which isolates and brings the memory to the forefront of the brain and affects how we perceive all the other files.

At its core, EMDR helps refile the memory and improve the brain’s processing of traumatic events, facilitating healing by allowing memories to be stored in a healthier way. Though it originally gained recognition for its effectiveness with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), EMDR has since been used to treat a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and even phobias.

Why Is EMDR Effective?

EMDR is unique because it focuses not only on the cognitive aspects of trauma but also on the emotional and physical reactions associated with distressing memories. Research shows that the bilateral stimulation used in EMDR helps the brain process and store memories in a way that reduces their emotional intensity. Essentially, the brain’s natural healing mechanisms are activated, allowing individuals to re-frame their trauma and alleviate symptoms.

Studies have found EMDR to be highly effective for people with PTSD, often providing faster and more long-lasting results than traditional talk therapies. Because EMDR does not require in-depth verbal processing of traumatic events, many clients find it less daunting than other forms of therapy.

How Does EMDR Work?

The therapy uses a unique approach that involves a structured eight-phase process. One of the key components of EMDR is bilateral stimulation (typically through guided eye movements), which helps activate the brain’s natural healing processes. During an EMDR session, you’ll focus on a distressing memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation—most commonly, the therapist will ask you to follow their fingers as they move back and forth in front of you with your eyes. This stimulation is believed to help integrate and process the memory in a more adaptive way.

Here’s a breakdown of the phases:

History-taking and Treatment Planning: The therapist gathers information about your past and identifies specific memories to target for healing.
Preparation: You learn techniques to manage distress and anxiety during the therapy. This phase builds a trusting relationship with the therapist.
Assessment: The therapist helps you focus on specific memories, including the image, negative beliefs, emotions, and physical sensations tied to the trauma.
Desensitization: This is the phase where bilateral stimulation (like eye movements) takes place. You’ll focus on the memory while the therapist guides you through this process, which helps reduce the emotional charge of the memory.
Installation: Here, positive beliefs are introduced. The goal is to replace the negative beliefs with healthier, more adaptive ones.
Body Scan: You’ll identify any residual physical tension related to the trauma and work through it.
Closure: The session ends with techniques to bring you back to a calm, grounded state, even if the memory hasn’t been fully processed.
Reevaluation: At the beginning of each subsequent session, the therapist assesses the progress and ensures that healing is continuing.

Who Can Benefit from EMDR?

EMDR has been shown to help people dealing with a variety of challenges, including:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Anxiety and panic disorders
Depression
Phobias and fears
Grief and loss
Addiction
Chronic pain

Whether it’s from a single traumatic incident or ongoing stress, EMDR can help individuals of all ages process difficult experiences and regain emotional balance.

EMDR Tools

Tools for EMDR: Rose offers various tools for EMDR and bilateral stimulation. Clients can choose what works best for them. The use of fingers for bilateral stimulation (alternating left and right stimulation of the brain) is one of several methods of facilitating the dual attention process in EMDR. Early on, Shapiro used what became the “standard” approach of eye movements for bilateral stimulation, but other forms were developed over time, including using a light bar, auditory tones, tactile stimulation (like tapping or “buzzers”), and the aforementioned finger movements. Also see under “For Children: Tailoring EMDR to Younger Minds” below examples of using a paint brush and balance board.

Rose Stokes has EMDRIA approved training which includes different ways of using EMDR and bilateral stimulation for children, teens, and adults.

How EMDR Therapy Looks Different for Children, Teens, and Adults

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful therapy that helps individuals process and heal from traumatic experiences. While the underlying principles of EMDR are consistent, the way it’s tailored to fit different age groups—children, teens, and adults—varies to meet their unique developmental needs and ways of processing emotions and memories. Here’s how EMDR might look different for each group:

For Children: Tailoring EMDR to Younger Minds

When working with children, the approach to EMDR is often more playful, creative, and engaging. Young children may not yet have the verbal skills to express the depth of their emotional experience, so therapists may use creative tools such as art, play therapy, or storytelling to help children connect with and process their feelings.

Here’s how EMDR might look for children:

Child-Friendly Language: Therapists will use simple, developmentally appropriate language to explain the process, helping children feel safe and comfortable with the therapy. For example, a therapist might describe the memory as a “bad dream” or “scary picture” that needs help in going away.
Creative Expression: Instead of just talking about traumatic memories, a child might draw or use toys to represent the trauma, allowing them to externalize and work through their feelings.
Shorter Sessions: Children typically have shorter attention spans, so EMDR sessions for kids may be shorter and include frequent breaks to maintain focus and comfort.
Parental Involvement: Parents may be involved in the process, either by providing support during or outside of the session, or by being educated about how to reinforce coping strategies at home.
Paintbrush Example: Example of how a paint brush may be used to facilitate Bilateral Stimulation or EMDR when processing with a child. On the image above you will see a paintbrush. A paintbrush can be for bilateral stimulation by tapping on a child’s right hand, and then left hand. It can also be used to guide eye movements in EMDR. This is how it might sound, I may say: “In EMDR therapy, we sometimes use something fun, like a paintbrush, to help your brain process tough memories or feelings. The paintbrush isn’t for painting a picture like you might think—it helps us do something special called ‘bilateral stimulation.’ This just means that we’re helping both sides of your brain work together, which can make it easier for you to feel better about things that have been upsetting or scary.””What happens is, I’ll move the paintbrush back and forth in front of you—kind of like when you wave your hand or a toy in front of your eyes. As you follow it with your eyes, it helps your brain get to work on memories or feelings that might be stuck, helping you make sense of them and feel calmer.” “It’s a little like cleaning up a messy room. The paintbrush helps move things around in your brain, organizing them so they don’t feel so big or scary anymore.”
Balance Board Example: “In therapy, sometimes we use a balance board to help your brain process difficult feelings or memories. The balance board is a fun tool, but it also serves a special purpose. When you stand on it, it makes your body move side to side. This movement is a form of bilateral stimulation—just like the back-and-forth movements of your eyes in other kinds of therapy.”
“The side-to-side motion helps both sides of your brain communicate better with each other, which can help you feel more balanced, calm, and in control. Just like how your body is working to stay steady on the board, your brain is also working to process and organize tough emotions or thoughts in a way that feels safer and less overwhelming.”
“So, when you’re on the balance board, you’re not just having fun with movement—you’re also helping your brain do important work. It can feel like you’re actively ‘shifting’ and ‘processing’ your thoughts and feelings, so they don’t feel as heavy or stuck anymore.”

This explanation emphasizes both the fun and the functional aspect of using a balance board while reinforcing how it supports the therapeutic process. It also connects the physical activity to emotional processing, making the experience feel purposeful. Depending on the child’s or client’s age and understanding, you might adjust the level of detail or the metaphor, but the core idea is to show how the movement helps both the body and brain work together to process and heal.

For Teens: Addressing Emotional Complexity and Identity

Teens often experience trauma in ways that are more complex than children but may still have difficulty verbalizing their emotions. They are at a stage of life where identity and peer relationships play a central role, and trauma can deeply impact their self-esteem and social functioning.

Here’s how EMDR might look for teens:

Building Rapport: Establishing a trusting relationship is especially important with teens. EMDR therapists will take time to create a non-judgmental, collaborative atmosphere where the teen feels respected and heard.
Increased Autonomy: Teens often want a sense of control over their treatment, so therapists may give them more agency in choosing which memories to process or how to engage in the therapy process.
Focused on Self-Image and Social Life: For many teens, trauma can affect how they view themselves or how they interact with peers. EMDR may focus not just on the traumatic memory itself, but on how the trauma has shaped their beliefs about themselves (e.g., “I am unlovable” or “I’m not safe”).
Incorporating Technology: Some therapists use digital tools or apps for tracking progress, journaling, or helping teens express their emotions. This can make the therapy more accessible and relatable to the teen’s lifestyle.
More Verbal Processing: Compared to younger children, teens are more capable of verbalizing their experiences and emotions, so the therapist may incorporate more dialogue, especially in the installation phase (where positive beliefs are reinforced).

For Adults: Deeper Exploration of Trauma and Its Impact

Adults tend to have a more complex and developed understanding of their emotions and the world around them, which allows for a more in-depth exploration of trauma. EMDR for adults often involves a more direct focus on understanding the connection between past experiences and present-day symptoms.

Here’s how EMDR might look for adults:

More Cognitive Focus: Adults are often better able to articulate and understand the connection between their traumatic experiences and current difficulties. EMDR can delve deeply into how these memories have shaped negative beliefs about oneself (e.g., “I am worthless,” “I am broken”) and how these beliefs affect their behaviors and relationships.
Longer Sessions: While the session length can vary based on individual needs, adult sessions are generally longer (typically 50-90 minutes), as adults are able to engage with more complex material.
Exploring Adult Issues: For adults, EMDR can help address trauma related to significant life events—such as childhood abuse, accidents, or major losses—and how these events impact relationships, work life, and overall mental health.
Focus on Coping Strategies: While adults may have developed their own coping mechanisms over the years, EMDR can help reprocess the trauma so that these coping mechanisms are healthier and more adaptive. Adults can also benefit from learning additional self-regulation skills to manage distressing memories outside of therapy.

Commonalities Across All Ages:

Bilateral Stimulation: Regardless of age, bilateral stimulation (usually through eye movements) is a key part of EMDR. It helps activate the brain’s natural healing processes, allowing for the processing and desensitization of traumatic memories.
Trauma-Focused: For all age groups, the goal of EMDR is the same: to reduce the emotional charge of traumatic memories, re-frame negative beliefs, and enable individuals to function more fully and comfortably in daily life.
Holistic Approach: EMDR addresses the emotional, cognitive, and physical aspects of trauma, which is important across all age groups. For example, children may express emotions physically (e.g., through acting out), while adults might experience more cognitive and emotional reactions (e.g., rumination or anxiety).

EMDR for Different Ages Conclusion

EMDR is a versatile and adaptable therapy that can be effective for children, teens, and adults, though the techniques used and the way the therapy is structured can look different depending on the individual’s age and developmental stage. Whether you’re a parent considering EMDR for your child, a teen navigating the emotional challenges of adolescence, or an adult working through deep-seated trauma, EMDR can be a valuable tool for healing and growth. Each stage of life brings unique needs, and EMDR is designed to meet those needs in a way that’s both developmentally appropriate and deeply effective.

If you or your loved one is interested in exploring EMDR, reaching out to a therapist trained in this approach can help you learn how it might be a good fit for your healing journey.

What to Expect During an EMDR Session

During an EMDR session, you’ll typically be asked to sit in a comfortable chair while your therapist guides you through the process. The eye movements may seem unusual at first, but many people find that the process is relatively gentle. After several sessions, many individuals report feeling a reduction in the intensity of their traumatic memories and a greater sense of emotional resilience.

While EMDR can be highly effective, it’s important to understand that healing from trauma is a gradual process. Some memories may require more time to process, and you may experience temporary emotional discomfort as your brain works through them. However, the benefits of EMDR often far outweigh these initial challenges, offering long-term relief and peace of mind.

Final Thoughts

EMDR is a powerful and transformative therapy that can help individuals process past trauma and achieve emotional healing. Whether you’ve experienced a single traumatic event or have endured ongoing stress, EMDR offers a safe and effective way to move forward.

EMDR has helped countless individuals find relief from the emotional burden of trauma—maybe it’s the right path for you, too.

Come in for a consultation with Insightful Healing Therapy to learn more.