What Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work? A Complete Guide

By: Maria Inoa

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is one of the most well-researched, effective, and widely trusted approaches for helping individuals heal from trauma and other distressing life experiences. Although EMDR has grown significantly in popularity, many people still wonder what it is, how it works, and what actually happens during an EMDR Therapy session.

This guide will break down everything you need to know about EMDR therapy—how it works, the science behind it, what to expect during treatment, and how it helps your brain reprocess painful memories in a healthier way.

Whether you’re considering EMDR for yourself or supporting someone who is, this article will help you better understand this powerful therapeutic approach.

EMDR can help heal from past distressing experiences by reprocessing traumatic memories.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy is a structured, eight-phase therapeutic approach designed to help individuals reprocess traumatic or distressing memories so they no longer cause overwhelming emotional responses.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require you to describe your trauma in detail. Instead, it uses bilateral stimulation—typically side-to-side eye movements, but also tapping or auditory tones—to help your brain process unresolved memories.

EMDR has been shown to help with:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Childhood trauma (view our Trauma Therapy page)

• Anxiety and panic (view our Anxiety Therapy page)

• Phobias

• Relationship trauma

• Chronic stress

• Dissociation (mild-to-moderate)

• Negative self-beliefs

• Some chronic pain conditions
  

While EMDR is often associated with trauma, its applications are much broader. The goal is to help the brain integrate past experiences in a healthier, more adaptive way so they no longer trigger intense emotional or physical reactions.

EMDR Therapy works by guiding you to recall distressing memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation.

How EMDR Works: The Science Behind It

EMDR therapy is grounded in the idea that the brain has a natural ability to heal—similar to how the body heals physical wounds. When a traumatic event occurs, the overwhelming nature of the experience can prevent the brain from fully processing the memory. Instead, the memory becomes “stuck,” along with the emotions, physical sensations, and negative beliefs associated with it.

This is why certain triggers—smells, sounds, people, situations—can suddenly bring up intense anxiety, fear, shame, or physical discomfort.

EMDR Therapy works using bilateral stimulation through eye movement, alternating tapping, and revisiting past traumatic events

Bilateral stimulation (BLS) helps the brain continue the processing that never fully completed. This happens through:

• Eye movements

• Alternating tapping

• Left-to-right audio tones

Research suggests that bilateral stimulation mimics how the brain processes memories during REM sleep, helping information move toward a more peaceful and neutral emotional state.

During EMDR therapy, clients often report that a previously overwhelming memory begins to feel more distant, less emotional, and less distressing. The memory does not disappear—but the emotional charge associated with it is reduced significantly.

The 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy

EMDR is a highly structured process. Below is a simplified overview of the eight phases and what to expect during treatment.

1. History Taking

Your EMDR therapist will take a thorough history to understand your background, concerns, and goals for therapy. This helps determine where your unprocessed traumatic memories may still be affecting your present-day life.

2. Preparation

This phase focuses on emotional readiness and stabilization. You will learn grounding techniques, breathing exercises, and coping strategies so that you feel safe and supported before working through difficult memories.

3. Assessment

Here, you and your therapist identify the specific memory you’ll work on first. You’ll explore:

• the image or moment that feels most distressing

• the negative belief connected to it (“I’m not safe,” “I’m not enough”)

• the body sensations associated with the memory

Your therapist will help you choose a healthier positive belief you want to move toward.

4. Desensitization

This is where bilateral stimulation begins. As you focus on the memory, your therapist will guide you through eye movements, tapping, or tones. You are not reliving the trauma—your brain is simply reprocessing it in smaller, manageable pieces.

Many clients notice the memory becoming less intense, less vivid, or emotionally neutral.

5. Installation

Once the emotional charge decreases, your therapist helps strengthen the new positive belief you want to adopt (“I am safe now,” “I am worthy,” “I did the best I could”). This helps your brain form healthier new patterns.

6. Body Scan

Because trauma often lives in the body, the therapist checks for any remaining physical tension or discomfort. If anything still feels activated, additional bilateral stimulation helps resolve it.

7. Closure

Each EMDR session ends with grounding and stabilization so you feel calm and ready to return to your day. Even if processing isn’t complete, your therapist ensures you leave regulated and supported.

8. Reevaluation

At your next session, your therapist checks on your progress, any new insights, and whether additional memories or triggers need attention.

What EMDR Therapy Feels Like

While everyone’s experience is unique, many people report:

• Feeling lighter or calmer

• Feeling tired or emotionally drained after sessions

• A shift in how they view themselves

• Reduced anxiety and fewer intrusive thoughts

• Less intense reactions to triggers

EMDR is deep work, and emotional responses are normal. A well-trained EMDR therapist will guide you through the process with care and pacing tailored to your needs.

Who Can Benefit From EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is helpful for a wide range of people, including those struggling with:

• Past or recent trauma

• Complex trauma or childhood trauma

• Anxiety disorders

• Panic attacks

• Depression connected to past experiences

• Grief and loss (view our Grief Counseling page)

• Low self-worth

• Performance anxiety

• Unresolved relationship wounds
  
  
  

Many clients choose EMDR after realizing that traditional talk therapy isn’t fully addressing the root of their emotional distress.

Why EMDR Therapy Works

The power of EMDR lies in helping the brain complete what it couldn’t complete during moments of overwhelm. Once a traumatic memory has been reprocessed:

• the emotional charge decreases

• the negative self-beliefs shift

• your body no longer responds as if the trauma is still happening

• triggers lose their power

Clients frequently describe a sense of emotional freedom they haven’t felt in years.

What to Expect When Starting EMDR Therapy

If you're considering EMDR therapy, here’s what your first steps will typically look like:

A free consultation

Most EMDR therapists offer a brief phone consultation to help you understand the process and determine whether EMDR is a good fit.

An initial assessment

You’ll share your history, symptoms, and goals. This helps your therapist create a personalized treatment plan.

Skill-building before reprocessing

Before any trauma work begins, your therapist will ensure you have the emotional tools and grounding skills to feel safe.

Gradual, structured progress

EMDR moves at a pace that respects your emotional readiness. Healing is not rushed—it is guided, steady, and supportive.

Conclusion

EMDR therapy is a transformative approach that helps people heal emotional wounds that have been stored—sometimes for years. Through structured phases and bilateral stimulation, EMDR allows your brain to process distressing memories more adaptively so you can move forward with greater peace and clarity.

If you’ve struggled with trauma, anxiety, or emotional patterns that feel “stuck,” EMDR may be the breakthrough you’ve been searching for.

If you would like to explore whether EMDR therapy is right for you, I encourage you to reach out for a consultation. Healing is possible, and you do not have to do it alone.

Maria Inoa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and offers traditional therapy as well as trauma therapy in Florida.

Maria has nearly two decades of experience supporting women through life’s most challenging emotional and psychological struggles. With 18+ years in the mental health field, Maria brings deep expertise and compassionate care to traditional therapy as well as advanced trauma-informed modalities.

She is certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy and trained in Ego State Therapy—also known as parts work or inner child healing. Maria’s holistic approach integrates evidence-based techniques with warmth and empathy, creating a safe, supportive environment where clients feel genuinely heard, understood, and empowered.

Maria helps women navigate issues including trauma, anxiety, pregnancy and postpartum challenges, relationship patterns, attachment concerns, and emotional regulation. Her work is rooted in practical tools and brain-based insights that foster healing, resilience, and lasting change.

Maria earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Florida State University and maintains her clinical social work license in Florida (SW9922).