EMDR Therapy

EMDR Therapy: What It Is and How It Works

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — EMDR — is an evidence-based psychotherapy designed to help people process and recover from traumatic experiences. Since it was developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro, EMDR has grown into one of the most studied and widely recommended treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma, and a range of other mental health conditions.

At AM Health Care, licensed therapists trained in EMDR work with clients in our partial hospitalization program and intensive outpatient program across our Los Angeles-area campuses. EMDR is one of several evidence-based modalities we use within a broader plan of mental health treatment — not a standalone cure, but a powerful tool in a comprehensive approach to healing.

What Is EMDR?

EMDR is a structured eight-phase therapy that helps people reprocess distressing memories in a way that reduces their emotional charge. Unlike traditional talk therapies that ask you to analyze or re-narrate a traumatic event at length, EMDR focuses on the way memories are stored in the brain — and on gently shifting how your nervous system responds to them.

The defining feature of EMDR is bilateral stimulation: a rhythmic, left-right sensory input — most commonly eye movements following a therapist’s hand, though sound tones or taps can also be used — applied while you hold a distressing memory in mind. This dual focus (traumatic content + external sensory input) appears to change how the memory is processed and stored, making it feel less overwhelming over time.

The World Health Organization (WHO), the American Psychiatric Association (APA), and the Department of Veterans Affairs all recommend EMDR as a first-line treatment for PTSD.

How Does EMDR Work?

EMDR is grounded in the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model. The AIP model proposes that trauma disrupts the brain’s natural ability to process and file away experiences. When a traumatic memory gets “stuck,” the brain keeps responding to reminders of it as though the threat is still present — triggering anxiety, flashbacks, avoidance, and physical stress reactions.

Bilateral stimulation during EMDR appears to engage the brain’s natural processing systems, allowing stuck memories to move through and integrate more fully. Researchers have observed changes in how the brain encodes traumatic memories following EMDR treatment, including shifts in activity in areas associated with emotional regulation and autobiographical memory.

In simpler terms: the memory doesn’t disappear, but it stops feeling as immediate or threatening. What was once a raw wound becomes more like a scar — present, but no longer inflamed.

The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy

EMDR follows a standardized eight-phase protocol. Here is what each phase involves:

• Phase 1 — History and Treatment Planning: Your therapist gathers a thorough personal history and identifies the specific memories or experiences to target in treatment.
• Phase 2 — Preparation: You learn coping and stabilization techniques to manage distress between sessions. This phase builds the foundation for safe trauma processing.
• Phase 3 — Assessment: Together with your therapist, you identify the specific aspects of a target memory — the image, the negative belief it produces (e.g., “I am powerless”), and the physical sensations it triggers.
• Phase 4 — Desensitization: While holding the targeted memory in mind, you follow bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tones, or taps). Your therapist guides you through sets of stimulation, checking in between each set.
• Phase 5 — Installation: The goal shifts to strengthening a positive belief in connection with the memory (e.g., “I handled it and I survived”).
• Phase 6 — Body Scan: You check whether any physical tension or discomfort remains connected to the memory and process it if so.
• Phase 7 — Closure: Your therapist helps you return to equilibrium at the end of each session, regardless of whether processing is complete.
• Phase 8 — Reevaluation: At the start of subsequent sessions, your therapist checks how you have integrated the previous session’s work before continuing.

What Can EMDR Treat?

EMDR was originally developed for PTSD, and the research base there is strongest. But clinicians have since adapted EMDR protocols to address a broader range of experiences, including:

• Trauma from childhood adverse experiences (ACEs), abuse, neglect, or accidents
• Combat-related PTSD and moral injury
• Anxiety disorders and phobias
• Depression, particularly when linked to specific life experiences
• Grief and complicated loss
• Disordered eating patterns rooted in trauma
• Substance use disorders with underlying trauma

Trauma and substance use are closely linked. Research consistently shows that a significant proportion of people entering addiction treatment have experienced trauma — and that unresolved trauma is one of the key drivers of relapse. EMDR can be a valuable part of a dual-diagnosis treatment plan when the underlying traumatic material is addressed safely within a stable treatment structure.

EMDR vs. Other Trauma Therapies

EMDR is often compared to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and the two approaches complement each other in many treatment plans. Some key differences:

• Focus: CBT emphasizes identifying and restructuring distorted thoughts. EMDR focuses on the way memories are stored and processed neurologically.
• Verbal processing: CBT involves a great deal of talking about and analyzing difficult experiences. EMDR requires less detailed verbal narration of the traumatic event, which some people find less re-traumatizing.
• Timeline: For PTSD specifically, EMDR is often effective in fewer sessions than traditional CBT, though individual response varies considerably.

Neither approach is universally “better” — the right fit depends on the individual, the nature of the trauma, and what feels manageable. At AM Health Care, our clinical team conducts a thorough assessment to recommend the modalities most suited to each person’s situation.

What to Expect in an EMDR Session

EMDR sessions typically last 60 to 90 minutes. You remain in the room with your therapist throughout — this is not a hypnotic state, and you are fully aware and in control at all times. Many people describe the experience as tiring but manageable. Between sets of bilateral stimulation, your therapist will ask brief check-in questions (“What comes up for you now?”) rather than prompting lengthy narration.

It is common for new memories, emotions, or physical sensations to surface between sessions as your brain continues processing. Your therapist will prepare you for this and teach you stabilization techniques to use if distress arises outside of sessions.

EMDR is not appropriate for everyone at every stage of treatment. For people who are actively in crisis, have significant dissociation, or have not yet developed adequate coping skills, a stabilization-first approach may be recommended before trauma processing begins. This is one reason EMDR works best within a structured treatment program where support is readily available.

EMDR at AM Health Care

Our therapists are trained in EMDR and integrate it within our broader treatment programs. EMDR at AM Health Care is offered within the context of our PHP and IOP tracks — not as an isolated service. This structure means your EMDR work is coordinated with your overall treatment plan, medication management if applicable, and the rest of your care team.

If you are considering EMDR as part of a mental health or dual-diagnosis treatment program, our clinical team can speak with you about whether it is a good fit. To learn more about our programs, call our admissions line or use the form below.