EMDR Therapy

If you're struggling after a traumatic or distressing experience, EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), is a powerful and evidence-based approach to help process trauma, reduce distress and help reclaim your life without difficult memories impacting your wellbeing.

EMDR is a psychological therapy developed to help people recover from traumatic and distressing experiences. Rather than focusing on talking in detail about the event, EMDR works by helping your brain process traumatic memories that may have become "stuck" in the nervous system. It’s recommended by the WHO, and NICE guidelines for treating trauma and PTSD, and there is a large evidence-base for a variety of distress related problems.

Below are examples of some of the difficulties EMDR can support with:

Assault, threat, or witnessing violence
Accidents, such as car collisions or sudden injuries
Medical trauma, including frightening procedures or feeling powerless during treatment
Traumatic birth (e.g. emergency interventions, feeling powerless, not heard or respected) and trauma symptoms in partners present during birth
Postpartum complications and anxiety or panic about future pregnancies
Bereavement
Sexual abuse
Emotional abuse e.g. neglect, coercive behaviour and bullying
Relationship breakdown
Psychosexual difficulties
Substance misuse

How EMDR Works

In EMDR, we identify the memory or experience that’s causing ongoing distress, often something that feels “in the past” but still affects your mood, body, or thoughts in the present. We then use bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements or tapping) to help the brain process the memory in a new way. You stay in control throughout, and we go at your pace.

Why EMDR?

Many people find that even long after a difficult experience, certain images, sounds, or reminders trigger panic, sadness, or anger, sometimes without warning. You might be experiencing:

Feelings of failure, sadness, guilt, or shame
Worries about the future
Flashbacks or intrusive thoughts
Nightmares and poor sleep
Hypervigilance or anxiety
Avoidance of hospitals or medical settings, or anything related to where the trauma occurred
For parents, you might be having difficulties bonding with your baby

EMDR doesn’t erase the memory, but it can take the emotional charge out of it. You’ll still remember what happened, but it will no longer feel overwhelming or unsafe.

Treatment Options

Weekly EMDR:

Initial assessment session to explore whether EMDR is the right fit for you
A gentle phased approach that includes preparation and grounding before any trauma processing begins.
90-minute EMDR processing sessions- longer sessions are often recommended to give space for the brain to fully engage with and resolve traumatic material without rushing.

Online or in-person appointments available, depending on your preference and location. See fees here.

Evidence Behind the Therapy

"High-quality studies and meta-analyses confirm EMDR's strong efficacy for PTSD, with some studies showing most single-trauma victims no longer meeting PTSD criteria after 3-6 sessions (Kaiser Permanente study)."

"In a recent meta-analysis, EMDR has been found to reduce cravings in those with substance misuse and alcohol dependence (Martínez-Fernández, 2024)."

"Research evidence demonstrates that pregnant clients who receive EMDR therapy experience decreased distress and PTSD symptoms, decreased fears of childbirth, less intrusive thoughts, and overall increases in confidence about their upcoming delivery." (Baas, et al., 2022; Baas, van Pampus, Braam, Stramrood, & de Jongh, 2020; Sandstrom, et al., 2008; Stramrood, van der Velde, Weijmar Schultz, & van Pampus, 2011; Stramrood, et al., 2012; Zolghadr, Khoshnazar, MoradiBaglooei, & Alimoradi, 2019).

"After treatment, none of the women met the criteria for diagnosis of [birth] PTSD after on average 5 weekly sessions of EMDR therapy." (Kranenberg et al., 2022)