EMDR for Children on the Gold Coast: How Mindaras in Helensvale Helps Kids Heal
Psychologist Hannah
8/14/20267 min read
Searching for "child psychologist near me" or "EMDR therapy for kids Gold Coast"? You've found the right place.
If your child has been through something frightening, overwhelming, or hard to make sense of — a car accident, a hospital stay, bullying, the loss of a loved one, or ongoing anxiety that won't budge no matter how much you talk it through — you've probably already tried everything you know how to try. At Mindaras Psychology Clinic in Helensvale, we work with families across the Northern Gold Coast (Helensvale, Coomera, Oxenford, Pacific Pines, Hope Island, Ormeau, and surrounds) using one of the most researched and effective therapies available for children: EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).
This post explains what EMDR is, what the research says, and ten specific things it can help children with — so you can decide, with real information in hand, whether it might be right for your child.
What Is EMDR, in Plain English?
EMDR was developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in 1987 and has since become one of the most widely studied therapies for trauma and distressing memories, combining exposure, imagination, cognitive, and psychoanalytical techniques to treat psychological trauma, emotional shock, grief, phobias, anxiety, and depression (Raissouni et al., 2023).
In simple terms: our brains usually process difficult experiences and file them away as "the past." Sometimes, especially after something scary or overwhelming, a memory gets "stuck" — it keeps showing up as if it's happening right now, triggering big emotions, meltdowns, avoidance, nightmares, or physical symptoms. EMDR uses gentle bilateral stimulation (like side-to-side eye movements, tapping, or sounds) while a child briefly focuses on the memory, helping the brain finish processing it so it can settle into the past where it belongs.
For younger children who can't yet describe their memories in words, therapists (often working closely with parents) can use a narrative approach, where the story of what happened is told aloud while bilateral stimulation is applied — an adaptation specifically designed for infants and young children who are unable to retrieve and describe a memory in the standard way (Struik, 2024).
What Does the Research Actually Say?
Parents deserve real evidence, not just marketing — so here's a plain-English summary of where the science currently stands.
It works for childhood PTSD. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found a large treatment effect for EMDR delivered three months or more after a trauma, compared with waitlist or usual care, across children and adolescents including refugees and victims of violence (Sutton et al., 2025).
It reduces more than just trauma symptoms. An earlier meta-analysis of seven randomised controlled trials found EMDR produced a medium, significant post-treatment effect and significantly reduced symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety in children (Rodenburg et al., 2009).
It holds up against other established therapies. A 2017 meta-analysis found children receiving EMDR benefited from the intervention, with results suggesting a small but significant advantage over CBT (Moreno-Alcázar et al., 2017), and the 2025 Sutton et al. review found trials comparing EMDR with trauma-focused CBT showed no significant difference between the two — meaning EMDR performs on par with the current gold-standard therapy.
It's safe and well tolerated, even in very young children. A 2025 multiple-baseline study of children aged 1.5–8 found a brief EMDR intervention was feasible and effective at reducing PTSD diagnoses, symptom severity, and behavioural and emotional problems — and also reduced parenting stress — with no dropouts and no harmful effects reported (de Roos et al., 2025).
It helps beyond single-incident trauma. A systematic review of complex childhood trauma (such as abuse) found EMDR was associated with reductions in PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety, both immediately after treatment and at follow-up, compared with alternative therapies and control conditions (Chen et al., 2018).
You don't need a formal diagnosis to benefit. EMDR is evidence-based for children with PTSD, but is also used clinically for any presentation where memories of past events create present-day symptoms — such as phobias, social anxiety, and depression — and children do not need to meet full PTSD criteria to benefit (Struik, 2024).
10 Things EMDR Can Help Children With
1. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) This is the most heavily researched use of EMDR in children, with systematic review evidence showing a large effect in reducing PTSD symptoms compared with waitlist and usual care (Sutton et al., 2025).
2. Single-incident trauma (accidents, injuries, medical procedures, witnessing something frightening) EMDR was originally designed around exactly this kind of "stuck" memory, and remains strongly evidenced for it (Rodenburg et al., 2009).
3. Complex and repeated trauma (abuse, neglect, chronic instability) A systematic review of children and adults who experienced complex childhood trauma found EMDR reduced PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms compared with alternative therapies and control treatments, and noted that children abused earlier who receive treatment sooner tend to have better recovery outcomes, with delayed treatment linked to a higher risk of developing severe mental health difficulties later (Chen et al., 2018).
4. Anxiety symptoms linked to a difficult experience A meta-analysis found EMDR produced meaningful reductions in comorbid anxiety symptoms associated with traumatic events (Moreno-Alcázar et al., 2017).
5. Depressive symptoms following trauma Meta-analytic research has found significant reductions in depressive symptoms alongside PTSD symptoms (Rodenburg et al., 2009) — helpful for children whose low mood traces back to a specific event or period.
6. Phobias Clinically, EMDR is used for phobias where a past event or fantasy continues to drive present-day fear (Struik, 2024) — for example, a fear of dogs after being bitten, or fear of water after a scare at the pool.
7. Social anxiety Alongside phobias, social anxiety is another presentation where EMDR is applied clinically, targeting the memories underpinning present-day distress (Struik, 2024).
8. Grief and loss EMDR was designed to treat psychological trauma, emotional shock, and grief (Raissouni et al., 2023), making it a valuable option for children struggling with the death of a family member, friend, or pet.
9. Behavioural and emotional dysregulation in young children In children as young as 18 months, EMDR has shown reductions in behavioural and emotional problems alongside PTSD symptoms (de Roos et al., 2025) — useful when big feelings and meltdowns are rooted in earlier frightening experiences rather than simply "bad behaviour."
10. Trauma sitting alongside neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD Emerging case-study evidence suggests EMDR may be a promising addition to treatment for children with ADHD who also have a history of adverse childhood experiences, since unresolved trauma can exacerbate core ADHD symptoms (Guidetti et al., 2023) — an important consideration for neurodivergent kids who haven't responded fully to other supports.
A note on nuance: research in this space is still growing, and not every study reaches the same conclusions — some comparisons with other trauma-focused therapies have been mixed. What the current evidence consistently shows is that EMDR is safe, well tolerated by children and families, and effective for a wide and growing range of presentations.
Why Families Across the Northern Gold Coast Choose Mindaras
At Mindaras, we understand that bringing your child to see a psychologist can feel like a big step. We're a boutique clinic conveniently based in Helensvale, easily accessible for families from Coomera, Upper Coomera, Pacific Pines, Oxenford, Hope Island, Runaway Bay, Nerang, and the wider Northern Gold Coast. Our approach blends rigorously evidence-based therapies — including EMDR — with a warm, individually tailored, multi-cultural lens, because every child and every family's story is different.
We know childhood struggles rarely show up in isolation. That's why alongside EMDR, Mindaras offers a full range of psychological services for children, adolescents, and the parents and educators supporting them — from anxiety and behavioural support through to comprehensive cognitive, ADHD, and ASD assessments.
Ready to Help Your Child Feel Like Themselves Again?
You don't have to keep googling and guessing. If your child is stuck in a pattern of fear, big emotions, or a memory that just won't let go, a conversation with our team is a great place to start.
Get in touch via our Contact page to book a consultation, or explore the full range of services Mindaras offers Northern Gold Coast families on our website. Your child's peace of mind might be closer than you think.
References
Chen, R., Gillespie, A., Zhao, Y., Xi, Y., Ren, Y., & McLean, L. (2018). The efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in children and adults who have experienced complex childhood trauma: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 534. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00534
de Roos, C., Offermans, J., Bouwmeester, S., Lindauer, R., & Scheper, F. (2025). Preliminary efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for children aged 1.5–8 years with PTSD: A multiple baseline experimental design (N = 19). European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 16(1), Article 2447654. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2024.2447654
Guidetti, C., Brogna, P., Chieffo, D. P. R., Turrini, I., Arcangeli, V., Rausa, A., Bianchetti, M., Rolleri, E., Santomassimo, C., Di Cesare, G., Ducci, G., Romeo, D. M., & Brogna, C. (2023). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) as a possible evidence-based rehabilitation treatment option for a patient with ADHD and history of adverse childhood experiences: A case report study. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 13(2), Article 200. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13020200
Moreno-Alcázar, A., Treen, D., Valiente-Gómez, A., Sio-Eroles, A., Pérez, V., Amann, B. L., & Radua, J. (2017). Efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in children and adolescent with post-traumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, Article 1750. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01750
Raissouni, M., Benhammou, S., & Belbachir, S. (2023). The place of EMDR in children: A review of the literature. European Psychiatry, 66(Suppl. 1), S734. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.1541
Rodenburg, R., Benjamin, A., de Roos, C., Meijer, A. M., & Stams, G. J. (2009). Efficacy of EMDR in children: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(7), 599–606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.06.008
Struik, A. (2024). EMDR with children: An overview of research and clinical practice. Journal of the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists, 34(1), 49–58. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10939142
Sutton, A., Carroll, C., Simpson, E., Forsyth, J., Rayner, A., Ren, S., Franklin, M., & Wood, E. (2025). Clinical and cost-effectiveness of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing for post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 32(6), Article e70186. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.70186
This article is for general information only and does not replace individual clinical advice. If you have concerns about your child's mental health, please book a consultation with a registered psychologist.