What is EMDR therapy, and who can it help?

The notion of moving your eyes back and forth repeatedly during a psychotherapy session may seem a bit odd. But eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is recognized as an established, proven method for healing from trauma by major global and national health organizations, including the World Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association, and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

EMDR was developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro, whose first study of the technique included people with persistent traumatic memories of childhood sexual abuse, physical and sexual assaults, emotional abuse, and experiences from the Vietnam War. Subsequent research confirmed EMDR as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a potentially debilitating condition marked by recurring, frightening episodes during which a person relives a traumatic event.

Moving beyond trauma

EMDR also shows promise for other mental health conditions, including improving symptoms for people with personality disorders, according to a 2025 study. “It makes sense, given that traumatic experiences during childhood are linked to a higher risk of personality disorders,” says Elizabeth Ressler-Craig, a clinical supervisor at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital. A 2021 review of 90 studies on using EMDR therapy for conditions other than PTSD noted benefits in people with a variety of challenges, including addiction, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and pain. “In my experience, EMDR works well as an adjunct to psychotherapy by helping people move past a pivotal negative event that might not qualify as trauma but is still disrupting their daily life,” says Ressler-Craig.

What does EMDR therapy involve?

Guided by a trained, licensed mental health professional, EMDR sessions usually last 60 to 90 minutes. You typically meet with the therapist once or twice a week for a total of six to 12 sessions. The initial sessions are similar to traditional psychotherapy — talking about current problems you want to address and identifying links to past experiences. The unique aspect of EMDR therapy is the concept that distressing memories are improperly processed and stored in the brain. The repetitive eye movements are part of the desensitization phase that facilitates the reprocessing of the trauma.

Ressler-Craig has her patients track her fingers with their eyes, but some therapists use a horizontal bar with LED lights that sweep back and forth. Other techniques involve using sound (tones in headphones) or touch (tapping a shoulder or knee with the opposite hand). In theory, this two-sided stimulation activates both hemispheres of the brain, enabling thoughts and feelings to travel along the same pathways to reprocess the disturbing memory. In fact, rapid eye movements during sleep — a normal part of the sleep cycle known as REM sleep — are crucial for learning and memory (although the eye movements during EMDR are not rapid).

From negative to positive

During the desensitization phase of the therapy, you hold an image of the distressing memory in your mind, but you don’t need to describe it in detail to the therapist, says Ressler-Craig. The therapist asks you about a negative belief you identify with the memory and the emotions you’re experiencing. “People say things like 'I deserved what happened to me’ or 'There’s something wrong with me’ and describe all sorts of emotions — shame, self-disgust, rage, and sadness,” she says.

Next, the therapist shifts the discussion, asking what positive beliefs the person would like to have going forward. For example, people want to believe they are not defective, that there was no reason they were targeted, and that they can now feel in control, Ressler-Craig explains. During a “body scan” phase of the therapy, the person observes their physical reaction while thinking about the memory. Any lingering tension or other unpleasant sensations can also be addressed. EMDR taps into the connections between memories, emotions, and body sensations.

“I see my role as being like a Sherpa — it’s your journey, but I’m right there to guide and support you,” says Resseler-Craig.

Finding a EMDR therapist

To find a certified EMDR therapist, you can search at the websites of the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) or Psychology Today. The cost of EMDR therapy is usually no different from what any licensed mental health provider would charge for therapy, which varies depending on your location and whether the therapist accepts insurance.

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