What Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?
A quick EMDR explainer for newbies.
Psychologist Hannah
8/27/20266 min read
What Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?
If you have been searching "EMDR therapy Gold Coast" or "trauma therapy near me," you have probably come across the term EMDR without much explanation of what actually happens in a session. It sounds unusual on paper, a therapist moving their fingers side to side while you think about something difficult, so it makes sense to want a clear picture of what it is and why it works before you book anything.
This guide explains what EMDR is, what a session actually looks like, and what the research says, in plain language. Mindaras Psychology Clinic is based in Helensvale and provides EMDR therapy to children, adolescents and adults across the Northern Gold Coast, including Coomera, Oxenford, Pacific Pines, Hope Island, Upper Coomera, Ormeau and Nerang.
What EMDR Stands For, and Where It Came From
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It was developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in 1987, initially as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, and has since grown into a comprehensive therapy approach used for a much broader range of difficulties, from anxiety and depression to phobias and grief (Amann, 2012). It is now recommended in several international clinical practice guidelines as a frontline treatment for PTSD (Rey et al., 2025).
The Idea Behind EMDR: The Adaptive Information Processing Model
EMDR is built around a specific theory of how the brain handles memory, known as the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model. The idea is that the brain has a natural capacity to process difficult experiences and file them away appropriately, similar to how a minor injury naturally heals. Sometimes, particularly with an overwhelming or frightening experience, this natural processing gets interrupted, and the memory becomes "stuck," stored with the original images, emotions, and physical sensations still attached (EMDR International Association, 2021).
When something in daily life resembles that memory, even loosely, it can trigger those same feelings and sensations as if the original event were happening again. This is why a smell, a sound, or a particular tone of voice can suddenly bring back an intense reaction that seems out of proportion to what is happening in the present. The AIP model holds that EMDR helps the brain complete the processing that got stuck, allowing the memory to be stored in a way that feels like the past rather than the present (EMDR International Association, 2021).
What Actually Happens in a Session
EMDR follows a structured eight-phase process, developed by Shapiro and used by EMDR-trained clinicians internationally (EMDR International Association, 2021). It is worth knowing what these involve, since it explains why EMDR does not simply start with the eye movements many people picture.
History taking and treatment planning. Your therapist gets to know your history, current difficulties, and goals, and identifies which memories or issues are contributing to what you are experiencing now.
Preparation. Before any reprocessing begins, your therapist explains the process clearly and works with you to build coping tools, so you feel resourced and safe throughout treatment.
Assessment. A specific memory is identified as a target, along with the image, negative belief, emotion, and physical sensation connected to it, as well as the more adaptive belief you would like to hold instead.
Desensitization. This is the phase most people picture. You briefly hold the memory in mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation, commonly guided eye movements, though tapping or alternating tones can also be used, until the distress connected to the memory reduces.
Installation. Your therapist helps strengthen the connection to the more adaptive, positive belief you identified earlier.
Body scan. You check whether any residual tension or physical sensation remains connected to the memory, and this is addressed if present.
Closure. Each session ends with a return to a calm, stable state, regardless of whether processing of a particular memory is complete.
Reevaluation. At the start of the next session, your therapist checks how things have settled since the previous session and what needs attention next.
Processing a single, well-defined memory can sometimes be completed within just a few sessions, while more complex or longer-standing trauma understandably takes longer (Cleveland Clinic, 2025).
What Does the Research Actually Say?
It is worth engaging honestly with the evidence here, rather than overselling it. EMDR has been extensively studied, and the overall picture is genuinely positive, though not without ongoing scientific debate about exactly why it works.
The evidence base is substantial. A large individual participant data meta-analysis examined EMDR's effectiveness in reducing PTSD symptoms, achieving treatment response, and reducing dropout among adults with PTSD compared to other psychological treatments across multiple randomised controlled trials (Wibisono et al., 2024). A separate systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials published since the UK's NICE 2018 guidelines found that among sixteen RCTs providing clinical outcome data, EMDR showed strong effectiveness for adult PTSD, and one modelling study identified EMDR as the most cost-effective intervention when compared against ten other approaches, including trauma-focused CBT (Sutton et al., 2025).
It compares well with other established therapies. A broader review of meta-analyses on psychological interventions for adult PTSD concluded there is evidence supporting the long-term efficacy of both trauma-focused CBT and EMDR (Cuijpers et al., 2025).
It shows promise beyond PTSD. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials examining EMDR for major depressive disorder found EMDR outperformed no intervention in reducing depressive symptoms, and outperformed CBT in reducing symptoms and improving remission rates, particularly among individuals with a trauma history, although the authors noted these findings should be interpreted with some caution given small sample sizes (Wu et al., 2021).
There is genuine, ongoing scientific debate. Some researchers have questioned exactly how EMDR works, including whether its effect comes primarily from the bilateral eye movements themselves or from other well-established cognitive-behavioural elements embedded in the protocol (as discussed in Rey et al., 2025). This is a legitimate area of active research. What is clear across the evidence base, regardless of exactly which mechanism is doing the work, is that structured EMDR treatment produces measurable, meaningful reductions in trauma symptoms for many people.
Who EMDR Can Help
While EMDR was developed for PTSD, it is now used clinically for a wide range of presentations connected to difficult past experiences, including single-incident trauma, complex or repeated trauma, phobias, anxiety, depression, and grief. It is suitable for children, adolescents and adults, with age-appropriate adaptations used for younger clients.
What This Looks Like at Mindaras
Our team brings genuine experience delivering EMDR to children, adolescents and adults across the Northern Gold Coast. We take the preparation phase seriously, meaning you or your child will never be rushed into processing a difficult memory before feeling resourced and ready. Sessions are paced around your individual needs, not a fixed script, and we are always happy to answer questions about the process before you commit to anything.
Alongside EMDR, Mindaras offers a full range of psychological services for children, adolescents, adults and families, including anxiety and mood support, ADHD and ASD assessments, and parenting support, all grounded in evidence-based practice.
Ready to Find Out If EMDR Is Right for You or Your Child?
If you have been carrying something that still feels too present, even though it happened a while ago, EMDR may be worth exploring. Get in touch with Mindaras Psychology Clinic through our Contact page to ask questions or book an initial appointment. While you are there, take a look through the full range of services we offer the Northern Gold Coast community. Healing is not about forgetting what happened. It is about finally being able to file it away as the past.
References
Amann, B. L. (2012). EMDR and adaptive information processing: Psychotherapy as a stimulation of the self-reparative psychological processes [Abstract]. L'Encéphale. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22622272/
Cleveland Clinic. (2025). EMDR therapy: What it is, procedure & effectiveness. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22641-emdr-therapy
Cuijpers, P., Miguel, C., Ciharova, M., Ebert, D., Harrer, M., & Karyotaki, E. (2025). Psychological interventions for adult posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review of published meta-analyses. Journal of Anxiety Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2025.103016
EMDR International Association. (2021). The eight phases of EMDR therapy. https://www.emdria.org/blog/the-eight-phases-of-emdr-therapy/
Rey, D., Bouaziz, N., & Diallo, B. (2025). Effects of EMDR vs. waiting list for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychiatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.08.010
Sutton, A., Carroll, C., Simpson, E., Forsyth, J., Rayner, A., Ren, S., Franklin, M., & Wood, E. (2025). Clinical and cost-effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for treatment and prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.70005
Wu, J., Ge, T., Zhang, L., & Zheng, X. (2021). The effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing toward adults with major depressive disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8377362/
This article is for general information only and does not replace individual clinical advice. If you have concerns about your mental health or your child's mental health, please book a consultation with a registered psychologist.