Blog: EMDR

ЕMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

EMDR is a therapeutic approach created to treat PTSD and support people who have experienced violence, now applied to most types of psychological difficulties:

PTSD

and complex PTSD, including trauma related to violence;
Single-event trauma:

accidents, injuries, bereavement, and other traumatic losses;
Persistent psychological difficulties:

anxiety, fears, phobias, depression, avoidance; low self-esteem and negative self-perception;
Borderline personality disorder;
Addictions;
Psychosomatic issues;
Other

In 2013, the WHO included included EMDR in its guidelines for treating PTSD in both adults and children, recognizing it internationally as a safe and effective approach.

A distinctive feature is
how quickly it can work:

EMDR can be effective as a short-term treatment, with 3–5 sessions sometimes enough to address a single traumatic event — for example, getting over a fear of driving after an accident.
It can also be used as longer-term therapy for ongoing conditions such as depression or anxiety. Noticeable changes may emerge within the first 10 sessions, making it, on average, a faster process than CBT or psychoanalysis.

What EMDR looks like in practice

When something distressing happens, the experience can sometimes become “stuck” in the brain — preserved along with the images, sounds, thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations connected to it.

EMDR helps the brain reprocess this experience so that the past no longer feels as distressing. A similar process may take place during REM sleep, when we dream.

In EMDR, the client focuses on the traumatic memory and the associations linked to it while their attention is also engaged by bilateral stimulation: for example, following the therapist’s hand movements with their eyes or responding to sounds or taps. The stimulation is delivered in short sets of about 30–60 seconds.

Over time, the traumatic memory becomes less emotionally charged, and the event itself can be remembered in a more neutral and manageable way.
Exactly how EMDR works is still not fully understood, but research has demonstrated its effectiveness.

EMDR can be used on its own or alongside talk therapy. It can be especially useful when you understand something rationally but your feelings don’t change, or when you feel emotionally overwhelmed and your stress levels are high.

EMDR is still relatively unfamiliar to the general public, especially compared with cognitive behavioral therapy and psychoanalysis. Among mental health professionals, however, its use is growing rapidly. Organizations such as EMDRIA and EMDR Europe certify thousands of new practitioners every year.

EMDR is not meant to replace other approaches. It can be integrated with them, giving therapists additional tools and expanding what therapy can address. In some cases, it is considered a first-choice approach, particularly when working with PTSD, trauma, and chronic psychological difficulties.

Additionally

Research on EMDR has been ongoing for more than 30 years. Follow-up studies make it possible to evaluate its long-term effects and the stability of therapeutic outcomes in PTSD and other conditions.
Below are a few examples. A comprehensive list of studies is available on the EMDR Institute website

Watts et al. (2013) conducted a meta-analysis of several thousand PTSD patients, comparing EMDR with CBT and other therapies. The findings showed that EMDR is as effective as CBT, while often leading to improvement more quickly. Psychiatrist.com
Högberg et al. (2007) studied public transport employees (n = 67) with chronic PTSD following workplace trauma. After six EMDR sessions, 67% of participants reached remission, compared to 11% in the control group. PubMed
Rodenburg et al. (2009) analyzed data from 209 children with PTSD and found that EMDR was effective compared with control groups and alternative treatments. The effect size for reducing post-traumatic symptoms was moderate (d = 0.56), indicating a clinically meaningful impact. PubMed

Follow-up studies:

van der Kolk et al. (2007): This study compared EMDR with fluoxetine (Prozac) for PTSD. Six months after treatment, EMDR showed greater reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms, indicating more durable outcomes over time. PubMed
Ironson et al. (2002): In a study of 74 participants, EMDR was compared with prolonged exposure therapy. 70% of participants showed significant improvement after just three sessions, with effects maintained at follow-up. PubMed
Jarero et al. (2018): A study of 108 women with cancer-related PTSD found that EMDR reduced symptoms at a 90-day follow-up. Frontiers
Altmeyer et al. (2022): Among 49 patients with severe depression treated in an inpatient setting, 74% remained in remission one year after EMDR, suggesting strong long-term effects and improved quality of life. Oxford Academic
Arabia, Manca, Solomon (2011): In a group of 42 individuals who had experienced cardiac events, EMDR led to significant improvements in PTSD, depression, and anxiety compared with exposure therapy, with effects lasting over time. ResearchGate
Baas et al. (2017): In a small sample of pregnant women with traumatic birth experiences (n = 16), 1–4 EMDR sessions were associated with reduced PTSD symptoms and fear of childbirth, as well as improved emotional stability and sense of control. PubMed

What follow-up studies show:

EMDR can lead to lasting reductions in PTSD symptoms, with improvements still present 6–12 months after treatment. Some studies have found that 77–90% of patients continued to show no significant PTSD symptoms one year later.
EMDR has also demonstrated positive outcomes for anxiety disorders, panic attacks, depression, and phobias.
EMDR may be as effective as, or in some cases more effective than, CBT for reducing PTSD symptoms. It may also achieve results in fewer sessions, with improvements maintained over time.
Studies in children and adolescents have shown similar levels of effectiveness.

While the long-term evidence for EMDR is promising, more research is needed to determine how well these results generalize across different types of trauma and individual patient characteristics.

ЕMDR

EMDR is a therapeutic approach created to treat PTSD and support people who have experienced violence

I’ve been diagnosed — when will I recover?

And what does “recovery” actually mean?

How long therapy takes and when to expect first results

Yes, there are some general guidelines

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