EMDR Therapy FAQs
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a structured therapy that helps people process distressing experiences that may still be affecting their emotions, body responses, thoughts and relationships.
Is EMDR evidence-based?
EMDR is widely recognised as an evidence-based therapy for trauma and post-traumatic stress symptoms. It is also used by trained clinicians for a range of distressing experiences and emotional difficulties.
What happens in an EMDR session?
EMDR sessions may include assessment, preparation, grounding, identifying target memories or triggers, bilateral stimulation and review. The process is structured and paced according to clinical readiness.
Do I need to talk about everything that happened?
No. EMDR requires enough information for safe assessment and treatment planning, but you do not necessarily need to describe every detail of a traumatic or distressing experience.
How many sessions will I need?
The number of sessions varies. It depends on your goals, history, complexity, current stability, supports and the type of experiences being processed. Some people seek focused short-term work. Others require longer-term therapy.
Can EMDR make things worse?
EMDR can bring up strong emotions, memories or body sensations. This is why assessment, preparation and pacing are important. EMDR should be delivered by a trained clinician who can help manage distress and determine whether processing is appropriate.
Can EMDR be used for couples?
Yes, EMDR-informed therapy can support couples where trauma, attachment injury, betrayal, emotional reactivity or past experiences are affecting the relationship. Suitability is assessed carefully.
Can EMDR be used with families?
EMDR-informed family therapy may help families understand and shift patterns shaped by trauma, grief, conflict or stress. In some cases, EMDR processing occurs individually as part of a broader family therapy plan.
Is online EMDR effective?
Online EMDR can be appropriate for some clients. Suitability depends on privacy, safety, emotional regulation, clinical complexity and access to support during and after sessions.
Is EMDR suitable for everyone?
No. EMDR may not be suitable at a particular time if there is acute crisis, unmanaged risk, unsafe living conditions, severe dissociation, active violence, coercive control or insufficient emotional stability. In those cases, therapy may focus first on safety, stabilisation and support.