If you have ever found yourself wondering what is EMDR therapy and why people talk about it in almost hushed, reverent tones — you are not alone. The first time someone described it to me, I remember thinking it sounded a little… odd. Eye movements? To process trauma? It felt more like something from a late-night documentary than a serious, evidence-based treatment. But the more I read, and the more people I spoke to who had actually tried it, the more I understood why EMDR has become one of the most talked-about trauma therapies of the last few decades. The evidence behind it is genuinely solid, and the experiences people describe are unlike almost anything else in the therapy world.
So, What Is EMDR Therapy, Exactly?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It was developed in the late 1980s by American psychologist Dr Francine Shapiro, who noticed — almost by accident — that moving her eyes back and forth while thinking about distressing thoughts seemed to reduce their emotional intensity. That observation became the seed of a full therapeutic model that is now recommended by the World Health Organisation, the NHS, and NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) as an effective treatment for PTSD and trauma.
In a nutshell, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — most commonly guided eye movements, though it can also involve tapping or sounds alternating between ears — while a person holds a traumatic memory in mind. The idea is that this process helps the brain reprocess the memory so it loses its emotional charge. Therapists often describe it as helping the brain do what it was trying to do naturally after a traumatic event, but got stuck doing.
I should be clear here: I am not a therapist or psychologist. I have a BSc in Psychology from the University of Leeds and a postgrad certificate in Mental Health Communication, and I am a certified Mental Health First Aider — but my perspective comes from research, lived experience, and the many conversations I have had over the years. For clinical advice, please do speak to a qualified professional.
How Does an EMDR Session Actually Work?
One of the things I find most fascinating about EMDR is how structured it is. It is not just sitting in a chair while a therapist waves a finger in front of your face. There are eight distinct phases, and a well-trained therapist will move through them carefully:
- History taking — understanding your background, what you have been through, and whether EMDR is appropriate for you.
- Preparation — building a sense of safety and teaching grounding techniques before any trauma work begins.
- Assessment — identifying the specific memory or image to work on, along with the negative belief it has left you holding about yourself.
- Desensitisation — this is where the bilateral stimulation happens, while you hold the target memory in mind.
- Installation — strengthening a positive belief to replace the negative one.
- Body scan, closure, and re-evaluation — checking in with how the body feels, safely closing each session, and reviewing progress over time.
Studies have found that EMDR can produce significant results in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy for trauma — sometimes within eight to twelve sessions, though that varies considerably depending on the person and the complexity of what they have experienced. Research published in the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research consistently supports its effectiveness for PTSD, and the World Health Organization’s 2013 Guidelines for the Management of Conditions Specifically Related to Stress recommend EMDR alongside trauma-focused CBT for adults and children with PTSD – while advising that SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants should not be the first-line treatment for adults.
When You’re Ready to Work Through Trauma Between Sessions: The Workbook Approach
One of the hardest parts of trauma recovery is that the real work happens in the space between therapy appointments — when you’re alone with your nervous system and the memories that won’t quite settle. A structured workbook designed specifically for EMDR principles can provide a map through that territory, especially for people who process things better with their hands and eyes.
What works
- Breaks down EMDR concepts into digestible, step-by-step language rather than expecting you to understand it all in a single session — useful for people who leave therapy feeling confused but don’t want to ask again.
- Provides bilateral stimulation exercises (eye movements, tapping patterns) you can actually practice independently, which some people find grounding even outside a formal therapy context.
- Includes worksheets for tracking what memories or triggers you want to target, which creates accountability and gives your therapist concrete material to work with in the next session.
What doesn’t
- A workbook cannot replace a trained EMDR therapist — the processing and emotional containment that happens in a session with a skilled practitioner is irreplaceable, and attempting deep trauma work alone without professional support can sometimes overwhelm your nervous system.
- Requires genuine self-awareness and honesty about what you’re ready to face, which is harder than it sounds when you’re still in survival mode with unprocessed trauma.
I’m cautious about recommending any trauma workbook as a stand-alone solution, because I’ve seen people use them to avoid the discomfort of real therapy rather than to prepare for it. That said, when someone is actively working with a trained EMDR therapist and wants a between-session tool to deepen their understanding and build capacity, The EMDR Workbook for Trauma and PTSD is one of the most clinically grounded options available.
The EMDR Workbook for Trauma and PTSD
I use the worksheets to track triggers my therapist actually builds treatment around.
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