EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

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What is EMDR?

EMDR is a treatment approach that helps those who have been exposed to trauma reprocess memories while making new connection and ultimately reducing the distress associated with the trauma. It is helpful for those who experience any of the following: chronic illness, pain, sleep disorders, trauma, PTSD, anxiety, bipolar, addiction, depression, dissociative disorder, eating disorder and grief.

How does EMDR work?

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain access and process traumatic memories and beliefs. Eye movements include slow and rhythmic tapping, listening to soft tones, squeezing a ball, watching a line of lights, or holding tappers that buzz in each hand. 

What is Bilateral Stimulation (BLS)?

Bilateral Stimulation is a key component of EMDR. During EMDR, an individual uses BLS while attending to distressing memories, such as a traumatic memory or uncomfortable body sensation. The primary forms of BLS include eye movements (EMs), tappers (buzzers or manually) and/or audio BLS is thought to facilitate the processing of distressing psychological experiences by reducing emotional overactivation.

Calm State for Relaxation

Find yourself in a quiet place either lying down or sitting in a comfortable chair. Close your eyes while taking deep breaths in and out through your nose. Allow your breath to be smooth and relaxed. Notice how you feel. Think of a place where you felt at peace. Access all the details to make it feel as you are there. What is the temperature, what do you hear, what do you feel? What colors do you see? Bring to mind all the positive feelings associated with this place.

Next, cross your hands and bring your arms towards your shoulders. Left hand will touch your upper right arm and right hand touching your left upper arm. Begin tapping the palm of your hands and fingers on your upper arms alternating, right left, right left. Tap each side 10 times.

Notice how you feel and what sensations come to your body.

8 Phases of EMDR

  1. History and Treatment Planning. Discuss history and develop a treatment plan with focus on the traumatic events. Assess the ‘s client’s resources.
  2. Preparation & Resourcing. Explain the EMDR therapy process setting expectations. Establish a rapport, address concerns and answer questions. Prepare clients with techniques to cope with emotional disturbance that may arise.
  3. Activation & Assessment. Identify the event to reprocess including images, feelings, beliefs, and sensations. Establish initial measures as baselines before reprocessing: SUDS – Subjective Units of Distress and VOC – Validity of Cognition.
  4. Desensitization. Begin eye movements, taps, or other dual attention BLS (bilateral stimulation) while client thinks about the traumatic event. Focus on decreasing client's SUD until it reduces to zero (or 1 if appropriate) allowing new thoughts, images, feelings, and sensations to emerge.
  5. Adoption/Installation. Strengthen a positive belief that the client wants to associate with the target event until it feels completely true.
  6. Body Scan. The client is asked to hold in mind both the target event and the positive belief while scanning the body from head to toe. Process any lingering disturbance from the body with 7 dual attention BLS.
  7. Closure. Assist client to a calm state in the present moment whether the reprocessing is complete or not. Reprocessing of an event is complete when the client feels neutral about it. (SUD=0), the positive belief feels completely true (VOC =7), and the body is completely clear of disturbance.
  8. Reevaluation. At the beginning of each new session, therapist and client discuss recently processed memories to ensure that distress is still low and positive cognition is strong. Future targets and directions for continued treatment are determined.

EMDR therapy is not complete until attention has been brought to the past memories contributing to the problem, the disturbing present situations, and what skills the client may need for the future.

If you would like a list of Behavioral Healthcare Options providers who specialize in EMDR, please call 1-800-280-3782.

If you or a loved one has a mental health or substance use crisis, Call or text 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If you have an immediate, life-threatening emergency, call 911.

For more information or to schedule a visit with an EAP counselor:

Visit bhoptions.eapintake.com or call 1-800-280-3782, TTY 711.

You have the right to receive help and information in your language at no cost. To request an interpreter, call the toll-free member number on your plan ID card or plan documents.