What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s a gentle, research-backed approach to therapy that helps people heal from distressing memories, trauma, anxiety, and other emotional challenges.

Instead of talking in detail about the upsetting experience over and over, EMDR helps your brain process what happened so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming anymore. It’s kind of like helping your brain file things away in the right place, so they don’t keep popping up when you don’t want them to.

During EMDR sessions, you’ll focus on a specific memory or feeling while your therapist guides you through back-and-forth movements—like watching their fingers move side to side, hearing sounds in alternating ears, or feeling gentle taps. This is called bilateral stimulation, and it helps both sides of your brain work together to process and release stuck emotions.

The memory doesn't disappear, but it often starts to feel more distant and less intense—like something that happened in the past, rather than something you're still reliving.

Many people find EMDR to be a powerful and effective way to feel more grounded, calmer, and in control.