Discover How EMDR Unlocks Better Mental Health
- Brainz Magazine
- Mar 25
- 5 min read
Written by Daniela D Sota, Registered Psychotherapist
Daniela Sota is a psychotherapist in Toronto, Canada. She has been working in mental health for 20 years and primarily uses EMDR as a therapeutic modality.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has rapidly gained traction as an effective psychotherapeutic modality. Initially developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), EMDR is now recognized for its broad applicability in addressing anxiety, depression, grief, performance enhancement, and self-esteem issues. With increasing celebrity endorsements (Prince Harry, Adele, Tina Turner, Sandra Bullock, Russel Brand, Evan Rachel Wood, etc.) and a growing body of research, EMDR has captured the attention of people looking for innovative, neuroscience-backed treatment methods.
Might it be right for you?
A brief history of EMDR
Developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR was initially designed to help individuals process traumatic memories. Shapiro discovered that certain types of eye movements could reduce the intensity of distressing thoughts. Newer research suggests that it is not the eye movements per se that reduce the emotional intensity of memories and thoughts, but it is taxing the working memory with more than one activity that reduces the intensity. Over the decades, rigorous scientific research has validated its efficacy, making it a standard treatment for trauma recognized by organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The neurobiology of trauma and EMDR
Trauma is stored in the brain differently than other memories. When someone experiences a distressing event, their brain’s ability to process information can become disrupted, causing unprocessed memories to remain "stuck." This can lead to heightened emotional reactivity, flashbacks, and distressing physiological responses. We're often replaying and reliving past experiences in our everyday lives in ways big and small.
EMDR helps by engaging working memory, which is responsible for temporarily holding and manipulating information. Newer research suggests that the dual focus of EMDR, thinking about a traumatic memory while engaging in a distracting task, overloads working memory, making the distressing memory less vivid and emotionally charged. This mechanism allows for adaptive memory integration, reducing emotional distress over time.
What does EMDR look like?
EMDR is a structured, trauma-focused therapy that helps you process painful memories without needing to talk about every detail. Here is what happens throughout therapy:
History taking and treatment planning: EMDR starts like any other health relationship, with the therapist learning about you, your past, present, and goals for the future.
Preparation: The next step is to discuss different ways to manage uncomfortable emotions that will emerge as you repeatedly replay memories inside your head. The strategies activate the calming side of the nervous system to counteract the opposite side, which activates a "fight or flight" response in the face of a perceived threat.
Revisiting memories: You recall a distressing memory, quietly replaying a short portion of it over and over in your head. This distressing memory still causes negative emotions, like feeling unworthy or isolated, even decades later.
Guided movements: As you replay the memory, you follow a set pattern, such as watching the therapist's moving fingers, tapping your shoulders or knees, or holding alternating vibrating devices.
Desensitization: This dual focus (memory plus the physical task) helps overload your brain’s working memory, reducing the intensity and emotional charge of the memory. Eventually, there is no emotion associated with the memory of the event.
Rewiring the brain: With repetition, the distress fades, and your brain forms new, healthier associations with the memory, replacing old, negative beliefs.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, which relies on verbal processing, EMDR works directly with how memories are stored in the brain, leading to faster and often more profound results.
Outcomes: What the research says
Numerous studies show that EMDR can significantly reduce PTSD symptoms in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy can. It is sometimes referred to as "talk therapy on steroids." Its effectiveness extends to anxiety, depression, phobias, and even chronic pain. One key advantage is that it doesn’t require clients to extensively discuss traumatic details, making it particularly useful for individuals who struggle with verbal expression or are overwhelmed by their past experiences. After EMDR, many clients often report feeling a great sense of relief or lightness.
How EMDR differs from traditional talk therapy
Traditional therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focus on changing thought patterns through dialogue and reflection. While effective, these approaches require significant conscious effort and often take longer to rewire deeply ingrained emotional responses. EMDR works directly with how memories are stored in the brain, often leading to faster and more profound results.
EMDR:
Does not require a detailed discussion of traumatic events.
Works at the neurobiological level to change how memories are stored.
Produces faster results for trauma-related symptoms.
It can be effective even when clients struggle to articulate their experiences.
Debunking common myths about EMDR
Despite its proven effectiveness, misconceptions about EMDR persist. Here are a few common myths:
Myth: EMDR is only for PTSD.
Reality: EMDR is used for a wide range of psychological issues, including anxiety, depression, performance enhancement, and grief.
Myth: EMDR is just hypnosis.
Reality: EMDR does not involve suggestion or altered states of consciousness. It is an evidence-based therapy grounded in neuroscience.
Myth: The effects of EMDR are temporary.
Reality: Research indicates that EMDR leads to long-term neurological changes, helping individuals process trauma permanently.
Myth: EMDR is pseudoscience.
Reality: EMDR is endorsed by the APA, WHO, and Department of Veterans Affairs as a scientifically validated treatment.
Myth: EMDR therapy erases memories.
Reality: EMDR does not erase memories. EMDR helps the brain integrate new information about the traumatic memory. This can include the knowledge that the person is safe now, they survived the event, and it wasn't their fault. This process allows individuals to move forward with a healthier perspective on past traumatic experiences.
Myth: EMDR works by helping you remember the past in full detail or recover forgotten memories of a traumatic event.
Reality: EMDR focuses on helping the brain process existing memories and store them in your brain in a more adaptive way. It can't unearth forgotten details or create entirely new ones.
Conclusion: Why you should consider EMDR
EMDR continues to gain mainstream recognition as research uncovers more about its neurobiological mechanisms. Its ability to rapidly process distressing memories and integrate positive cognitions makes it a game-changer in the field of psychotherapy, offering hope and healing for those struggling with addressing deep-seated trauma or support to high-performing clients in achieving excellence or an evidence-based process for clients seeking emotional flexibility to better manage everyday stressors.
EMDR is more than just a therapy; it’s a transformative tool that leverages the brain’s natural ability to heal. By helping individuals process and integrate traumatic memories in a less emotionally charged way, EMDR provides a path toward resilience, emotional balance, and lasting change.
Would you like to reclaim your well-being and rewrite your life story? Contact me to explore the next steps together.
Read more from Daniela D Sota
Daniela D Sota, Registered Psychotherapist
Daniela Sota is a passionate advocate for mental health, championing the idea that mental health IS health. With over 20 years of experience, she works with clients to bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to be, whether struggling, stuck, or thriving. Daniela’s extensive training in various psychotherapeutic modalities led her to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a neuroscience-based psychotherapeutic modality that has transformed her approach. She uses EMDR to help clients overcome many diverse issues, including trauma, anxiety, negative self-talk, relationship issues, and repetitive patterns, as well as to enhance performance in business, arts, and sports.
