EMDR therapy

What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy that helps the brain process difficult or overwhelming experiences.

When something has felt too much to cope with at the time, the memory can stay “stuck” in the nervous system, continuing to affect how you feel, think, and react, even though the experience itself is in the past.

EMDR supports your mind and body to process these experiences so they feel less intrusive, less activating, and less immediate or overwhelming.

What can EMDR help with?

EMDR can be helpful for experiences such as:

• trauma or post‑traumatic stress

• distressing memories or flashbacks

• depression, anxiety, panic, or phobias

• grief or loss

• low self‑worth or long‑held beliefs about yourself

• stress, overwhelm, or emotional reactivity

It can be used for both single‑event trauma and longer‑term, more complex experiences.

How does EMDR work?

When something traumatic happens, the brain doesn’t always process it the way it would a normal memory. Reminders such as situations, sounds, sensations, or images can trigger the same emotional and physical reaction as the original experience.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, tapping, or tones) for short periods while holding the memory in mind. This helps the brain process what it couldn’t at the time, so the memory carries less emotional charge and feels more like something that happened then, rather than something happening now.

What we may focus on in EMDR

Together we begin by building safety and steadiness so your system feels supported during processing. We explore what feels stuck or intrusive and work with those memories at a pace that feels manageable. Throughout the process we pay attention to your nervous system, supporting it during and after sessions, and strengthening new, more helpful beliefs about yourself.

What may shift after EMDR

You may notice the memory feeling less intense or overwhelming, your body reacting less strongly, and more space to stay present rather than pulled back into the past. EMDR can help the emotional and physical intensity of the memory soften, making it feel less intrusive and easier to live with.