EMDR Therapy: What It Is, Side Effects, and What to Expect

EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that can reduce the mental and emotional intensity of trauma, and help release somatic trauma held in the body.

Unlike other types of evidence-based therapies (e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), EMDR doesn't focus on talking about trauma. Instead, it uses 8 phases that integrate bilateral stimulation and somatic experiencing. It tends to work faster than traditional therapy.

EMDR therapy was created by psychologist Francine Shapiro in 1987, after she observed that her own guided eye movements helped lower distress around her negative emotions. She tried the technique with patients and found that a single session was sufficient to desensitize traumatic subjects.

Years later, she turned the discovery into structured treatment, combining bilateral stimulation of the brain with memory recall to create EMDR therapy.

EMDR therapy is primarily used to treat trauma and PTSD, but is also effective for anxiety, depression, and substance use.

EMDR was originally designed for PTSD and has more than a 70% rate of effectiveness.

For anxiety, EMDR can help reduce symptoms such as panic attacks and phobias. It can also make triggers and intense fears easier to process, whether related to trauma or not. Many people report that EMDR has contributed to quicker recovery than traditional therapies alone.

EMDR for depression is typically applied to people experiencing prolonged grief disorder. It can assist in alleviating the distress and trauma associated with a person's death.

The link between trauma and addiction is undeniable. 75% of people who have a substance use disorder (SUD) have had a traumatic event in their lives. For people who seek treatment for an addiction disorder, that number increases to 95%. People with substance abuse may seek EMDR to help target and reduce the intensity of traumatic memories and emotional triggers that can drive addiction.

Side effects are rarely reported after EMDR therapy. If they are, they are often mild and short-term. They include:

• Vivid dreams
• Fatigue
• Heightened emotional shifts (irritability, anxiety, sadness)
• Dissociation

Some studies show that people experience adverse cognitive effects after EMDR, where the memory of the traumatic events becomes less vivid.

EMDR therapy takes place over 8 phases per session. On average, 6-12 sessions are used to treat single-event trauma. Sessions can take months to a year for complex trauma.

• Phase 1: The therapist asks you questions about physical and mental health, your current needs, symptoms, and previous therapeutic treatments you've had.
• Phase 2: You ask questions, clarify information, and, with your therapist, set goals for the treatment. The therapist will explain how you'll move forward and how EMDR can support your unique needs.
• Phase 3: Known as the ‘assessment phase,' you work with the therapist to identify the traumatic memory or event to address — domestic abuse, sexual assault, or witnessing a traumatic scene are examples. You also identify a positive belief or memory at this point, to use during phase 5. The therapist will start to ask questions to safely activate your memories of the traumatic experience, and ask you to rate your emotional and physical sensations in terms of disturbance from 1 to 10.
• Phase 4: Reprocessing starts here. The first of three stages of reprocessing is called desensitization and involves you making quick, guided eye movements, tapping sounds, and vibrations to enter the brain into a state where it's easier to process trauma, emotions, and painful memories. Your therapist will lead you to slowly be desensitized from the discomfort of the memory, repeating guidance until your disturbance rating reaches 1 or 0.
• Phase 5: The second stage of reprocessing is called installation. At this point, you focus on the positive memory you thought of in phase 3, and your therapist helps you integrate it into your memory network. You continue bilateral stimulation to strengthen the new memory.
• Phase 6: The final stage of reprocessing is a body scan to check for physical sensations that arise from trauma. The brain can often overlook trauma, but the body holds and manifests it.
• Phase 7: As sessions end, your therapist spends time helping you calm racing thoughts and feel grounded. This time lowers the risk of side effects or residual distress from the treatment.
• Phase 8: Your therapist evaluates results and how you feel about the treatment. They'll restate these points at the beginning of sessions and make adjustments where needed to support your progress.

At Hopewell Health Solutions, we believe that everyone can heal. We integrate EMDR therapy as part of our trauma-informed treatment programs.

Our team of licensed experts carries out EMDR, prioritizing your comfort and progress, and considering co-occurring disorders that you may have. We provide personalized care for each person, and we offer mindfulness practices that nurture your physical and mental well-being.

We have centers across Connecticut in Glastonbury, West Hartford, East Hampton, and Westbrook. We've helped many people transform their lives, and we're proud to say that we've been a guiding hand along the way.

There's always hope to heal. Contact us today.