EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a powerful therapy that helps people heal from traumatic experiences. While researchers are still studying exactly how it works, we currently understand that EMDR likely helps through several important processes working together.
The Core Concept: Dual Attention
During EMDR, you’ll focus on two things at once:
- The back-and-forth movement
(usually following the therapist’s hand with your eyes)
- Your memory or troubling thought
This “dual attention” helps you stay grounded in the present moment while working through past experiences. Think of it as keeping one foot in the present and one foot in the past.
Six Ways EMDR Helps Your Brain Heal
- Activates Your Body’s Natural Calming System
When you follow the back-and-forth movements, your body naturally responds by activating its built-in relaxation system. This helps you stay calm while processing difficult memories, making the experience more manageable. - Works Like Your Brain During Sleep
Just as your brain organises daily memories while you sleep, EMDR helps reorganise traumatic memories. Picture a skilled librarian (your brain) finally getting the chance to properly file away and connect these difficult memories with more helpful information. - Reduces the Memory’s Emotional Intensity
Similar to what happens during deep sleep, EMDR appears to turn down the emotional intensity of memories. This means that while you’ll still remember what happened, the memory becomes less overwhelming and easier to think about. - Helps Your Brain Make Better Connections
Trauma can disrupt your brain’s natural ability to connect new information with existing knowledge and experiences. EMDR helps rebuild these connections, allowing you to process the experience in a more complete and healthy way. - Creates Healthy Distance
The dual attention in EMDR helps you observe memories without being overwhelmed by them. This is similar to mindfulness – you can acknowledge what happened while staying grounded in the present moment. - Gives Your Mind a Helpful Distraction
The back-and-forth movements give your working memory a task to focus on. This naturally reduces the intensity of the traumatic memory, making it less vivid and emotionally charged while you process it.
Ongoing Research
Scientists continue to study EMDR to better understand how it helps people heal. Current evidence suggests that these different processes work together to help your brain process traumatic memories in a new, healthier way.
Based on: Murray, G. (2018). Therapy, Vol 1, No 1, p17-22 ‘How Does EMDR work?’. European Journal of EMDR