EMDR Therapy: How It Works and Why the Research Supports It
I first learned about EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, when I was in graduate school. I was skeptical and unsure of its effectiveness. The idea that moving your eyes back and forth could help process trauma sounded almost too simple, even strange. Like many new therapists, I assumed meaningful change had to come from long, insight-heavy conversations. But over time, and as the research grew, I witnessed clients experience real relief. My perspective shifted. What once seemed unconventional now feels like one of the most powerful tools for helping people heal.
EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that helps people heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. While traditional talk therapy focuses on insight and reflection, EMDR helps the brain process what was once overwhelming—so you can move forward with a greater sense of calm and self-understanding.
During EMDR, your therapist guides you to recall a memory while using gentle, side-to-side movements (through eye movements, tapping, or tones). This bilateral stimulation helps the brain reprocess the memory, shifting it from a “raw” emotional experience to something that feels integrated and resolved. Think of it as the brain’s way of completing unfinished emotional work.
The research on EMDR is extensive and compelling. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense notes that “EMDR has the strongest recommendation for being an effective treatment in most clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of PTSD.” Similarly, the American Psychological Association and World Health Organization include EMDR among their recommended treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder. These endorsements come from decades of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses showing significant reductions in PTSD symptoms—and in many studies, EMDR performs just as well as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapies.
EMDR therapy follows an eight-phase structure that begins with stabilization and preparation, then gradually addresses specific memories. The process helps clients replace negative beliefs (“I’m powerless”) with adaptive, grounded ones (“I did the best I could,” “I’m safe now”). Over time, many people report feeling lighter, more centered, and less reactive to triggers that once felt unmanageable.
Dr. Kaity Brock uses this approach to support clients working through trauma, anxiety, grief, and chronic stress. EMDR isn’t about erasing what happened. It’s about changing how your mind and body hold the memory.
If you’ve been carrying the weight of the past, you don’t have to do it alone.
Schedule a confidential consultation to explore whether EMDR could help you find relief and restore balance.
We currently accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Aetna insurance plans and provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement.
