EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a well-researched approach for addressing trauma. It's backed by a lot of scientific studies, more than any other non-medical method for treating trauma. Essentially, EMDR helps people quickly deal with past traumatic experiences. It works by aiding the brain and body in understanding that the traumatic event is over, and it helps lessen the intensity of the negative thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations tied to that event.

During therapy, it's common for buried memories to resurface, especially if they're connected to the main memory being addressed. Traumatic memories might not always reflect exactly what happened. Our memories can get muddled and altered over time, like a game of telephone. Sometimes, the intensity of a memory can make it feel unquestionably real, but without external confirmation, it's challenging to determine its accuracy.

EMDR can resolve a single traumatic event in just a few sessions, but for more complex or long-standing traumas, therapy might last for several years, with EMDR usually towards the end. When it's time for EMDR, sessions can be back-to-back or spaced out as needed. It's crucial to allow time between sessions for your mind and body to absorb and adjust to the changes. Rushing through EMDR can make it less effective and lead to continued symptoms.

EMDR therapy has multiple phases. First, eye movements are used to determine which memory to target first. Then the clinician will ask the client to hold different aspects of that event or thought in mind and to use their eyes to track the clinician’s hand across their field of vision. As this happens, internal associations arise and the client begins to process the memory and associated feelings.

In successful EMDR therapy, the meaning of painful events is transformed on an emotional level. For instance, a client can shift from feeling shame for a situation to believing that they are strong for surviving that situation. Unlike talk therapy, the insights clients gain in EMDR therapy result not so much from clinician interpretation, but from the client’s own accelerated intellectual and emotional processes. The net effect is that clients begin to feel empowered by the experiences that once debased them.