The brain often struggles to properly process traumatic memories. When memories are not processed correctly, they can hold on to elements (such as emotions, beliefs, physical sensations, and thoughts) they experienced during the traumatic event. When the unprocessed memory is “triggered,” the individual may reexperience these elements leading to significant psychological stress and impairment. 

Clinicians believe that PTSD and other distressing symptoms of anxiety disorders result when memories of past disturbing experiences are not processed by the brain correctly.

EMDR helps the brain heal itself by safely processing traumatic memories Trauma is overwhelming and our brains cannot always process the experience properly. This can lead to distressing feelings, chronic stress, low self-esteem, nightmares, trouble sleeping, physical illness, phobias, addictions, obsessions, and many manifestations of anxiety. 

EMDR enables the brain to heal itself by helping the patient properly process the traumatic event, separating the experience from the memory. The mind is now able to leave the past behind and is no longer “triggered” by the memory, resulting in a quick and significant reduction in stress and anxiety.

EMDR is known as an adaptive information processing model. It helps the brain process the experiences that were too overwhelming to process at the time they occurred. Practitioners believe EMDR does this by doing two things simultaneously:

Exposure:

In a safe and structured setting, the EMDR therapist encourages the patient to briefly recall a disturbing memory.

Bilateral Stimulation

While thinking of this memory, the therapist exposes the patient to a physical stimulus that activates both the left and right sides of the brain. This is known as bilateral stimulation. By integrating the whole brain, bilateral stimulation is shown to enhance the brain’s ability to reprocess memories with “complete information processing, new learning, elimination of emotional distress, and development of cognitive insights.”

There are many ways to simultaneously activate both hemispheres of the brain. The traditional method is to use eye movement, causing the patient to move their eyes back and forth, similar to the rapid eye movement associated with REM sleep. However, eye movement is not the only way to create a bilateral stimulus. Some EMDR therapists use little taps on the left and right wrist. 

Treatment sessions typically last between 50-90 minutes. Throughout each treatment session, your therapist slowly helps you heal your mind from trauma, the way the body heals its own wounds. Processing a specific memory with EMDR typically takes 1-3 sessions.