This information handout provides a succinct overview of EMDR, a therapeutic approach effective for treating PTSD and other conditions involving intrusive and distressing memories.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach which uses bilateral stimulation to help people to process distressing memories. While the evidence base for EMDR most strongly supports its use with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it has also been successfully applied to a variety of other conditions where disturbing memories are integral.
This information handout outlines key principles of EMDR, and is designed to give clients a clear introduction to this approach.
EMDR is an effective and evidence-based treatment for PTSD, but many clients enter therapy without a clear idea of what it will involve.
Where unprocessed traumatic memories contribute to flashbacks, hyperarousal, or avoidance.
When repeated or prolonged trauma has led to emotional dysregulation, negative self-concept, and relational difficulties.
For clients experiencing unwanted recollections that disrupt daily functioning, regardless of diagnostic category.
Use as a psychoeducational tool to introduce EMDR principles to clients.
Initiate discussions on its potential benefits tailored to specific client needs.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is based on the premise that psychological distress can arise from unprocessed or maladaptively stored memories of adverse experiences. According to the adaptive information processing (AIP) model (Shapiro, 2001), traumatic or disturbing events may overwhelm the brain’s natural information processing system, leaving memories 'frozen' in their original emotional, somatic, and sensory form.
EMDR facilitates reprocessing of these memories through the use of bilateral stimulation — typically eye movements, taps, or alternating sounds — while the client attends to traumatic material. Research suggests that this bilateral stimulation activates working memory and may enhance cognitive flexibility, enabling the integration of traumatic memories into a more adaptive narrative (van den Hout & Engelhard, 2012; Lee & Cuijpers, 2013).
Numerous randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses support EMDR’s efficacy, particularly for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Bisson et al., 2013; Lewis et al., 2020), with additional research indicating benefits for related conditions such as complex PTSD (CPTSD), anxiety disorders, and depression where trauma plays a contributory role (Valiente-Gómez et al., 2017; Dominguez & Lee, 2017).
This resource enhances outcomes by equipping therapists and clients with a clear understanding of EMDR, encouraging informed treatment decisions. It supports: