As a Clinical Psychologist, I often work with clients who have experienced trauma, and one of the most effective therapy approach I use is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR is a structured therapy that helps people process and heal from distressing memories. But how does it work, and why do eye movements play such a important role? Let’s break it down in simple terms.
The Neurobiology of Trauma
Understanding the neurobiology of trauma helps explain why people with PTSD, anxiety, and trauma-related challenges experience certain symptoms.
When a person encounters a perceived threat, their brain’s limbic system – the part of the brain that lights up and becomes activated in response to danger – triggers the body’s stress response, initiating fight, flight or freeze. This is the brain’s way of keeping us safe in moments of danger, but when trauma is involved, this response can become overactive, leading to lasting psychological and physiological effects.
The Brain’s Response to Trauma
To understand why trauma has such a profound impact, it helps to look at how different parts of the brain respond during and after a distressing event:
- Amygdala Activation – The amygdala, the brain’s emotional center, detects danger and signals the release of stress hormones. When a traumatic event occurs, the amygdala becomes hyperactive, triggering intense fear and alertness. This heightened state causes the brain to stay on high alert, making it difficult to distinguish between past and present threats.
- Hormonal Release – The brain releases adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), prompting the body to produce cortisol and adrenaline to prepare for fight, flight, or freeze. In chronic trauma, prolonged exposure to stress hormones can result in heightened reactivity and difficulty regulating emotions.
- Hippocampus Dysfunction – The hippocampus, responsible for encoding and organising memories, is suppressed by cortisol, preventing the proper processing of traumatic experiences. As a result, traumatic memories are not stored as past events but remain “stuck” in the brain, often surfacing as flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, or nightmares.
Because of this disruption in memory processing, individuals with PTSD and trauma-related symptoms often feel as thought the distressing event is still happening, even when they are safe. This explains why certain triggers, such as sounds, smells, or environments, can evoke an intense emotional and physiological response, despite there being not actual danger.
How Does EMDR Work?
Dr. Shapiro discovered that certain types of bilateral stimulation, like moving the eyes back and forth, can help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. During an EMDR session, a therapist guides you in recalling a distressing memory while simultaneously moving your eyes back-and-forth following a therapist’s finger or a light bar. This process helps “unlock” the memory and allows the brain to reprocess it in a less distressing way.
The Neurobiological Effects of EMDR
Research suggests that eye movements in EMDR mimic the natural processes of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, which is when the brain usually processes emotions and consolidates memories. Here’s how EMDR is thought to work:
- Regulating the Amygdala – EMDR reduces hyperactivity in the amygdala, lowering the brain’s alarm response. Over time, the amygdala’s overactivation lessens, allowing traumatic memories to lose their intensity and emotional charge.
- Keeping the Hippocampus Online – The resourcing phase helps regulate cortisol levels, allowing the hippocampus to function properly and encode trauma as a past event rather than a present danger. This transformation enables the brain to move the traumatic memory from an active, distressing state to an integrated, non-threatening one.
- Enhancing Brain Connectivity – Studies show that EMDR strengthens communication between different parts of the brain, allowing for more balanced emotional responses and reduced PTSD symptoms.
Scientific Evidence Supporting EMDR
EMDR is one of the most researched trauma therapies. Studies have shown that EMDR can be as effective as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and sometimes works even faster. EMDR has been used successfully with:
- Trauma / PTSD
- Recent traumatic events
- Anxiety Disorders
- Panic Attacks
- Social Anxiety
- Phobias
- Depression
Common Misconceptions About EMDR
Despite its effectiveness, EMDR is sometimes misunderstood. Let’s clear up a few myths:
- “EMDR erases memories.”
False – It doesn’t erase memories; it simply changes how they are stored and experienced.
- “EMDR is hypnosis.”
False – Clients remain fully awake and in control during sessions.
- “Only people with PTSD benefit from EMDR.”
False – EMDR helps with a range of emotional difficulties beyond PTSD.
What to Expect in an EMDR Session
If you’re considering EMDR, here’s what sessions might look like:
- Your therapist will start by understanding your background and experiences to ensure EMDR is a good fit.
- You’ll learn grounding and relaxation techniques to help you feel safe and emotionally stable throughout the process.
- Together, you’ll identify a distressing memory and the negative beliefs linked to it.
- While focusing on the memory, you’ll follow a visual stimulus, such as a moving hand or light.
- The distressing memory may become less intense, and new insights may emerge.
- Before ending the session, your therapist will check in to make sure you feel stable and grounded.
- Over time, the memory will feel more distant and less triggering.
- In future session, you’ll review progress and work through any remaining concerns.
This structured approach allows your brain to process trauma in a way that feels safe and manageable, helping distressing memories lose their emotional charge.
Final Thoughts
EMDR is a powerful, science-backed therapy that helps people heal from trauma in a natural and structured way. By using eye movements and other bilateral stimulation, EMDR allows the brain to reprocess painful experiences, making them less distressing over time.
If you’re struggling with trauma, PTSD, or distressing memories, EMDR might be a valuable tool to explore. Always consult with a trained EMDR therapist to determine if it’s the right approach for you.
