EMDR Information

What Is EMDR Therapy? A Simple, Clear Guide

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It was developed in 1987 by psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro and has become one of the most researched and effective treatments for trauma.

In the simplest terms:
EMDR helps the brain heal from traumatic or distressing experiences so they stop feeling so overwhelming.

How EMDR Helps You Heal

EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model, which recognises that:

  • The brain normally knows how to process and heal from difficult events.

  • Trauma disrupts that healing process.

  • EMDR helps “unblock” the brain so healing can begin again.

Why Trauma Gets “Stuck”

During overwhelming or frightening events, the brain can become overloaded. When that happens:

  • The experience doesn’t fully process

  • The memory gets stored in the emotional part of the brain (the limbic system)

  • It stays “frozen” in its original form — including the emotions, beliefs, and body sensations.

Because the memory isn’t fully processed, new experiences can trigger the same fear, shame, panic, or physical reactions, even years later.

This is why trauma can feel like it’s still happening, not something that happened in the past.

How EMDR Works

EMDR helps the brain process stuck memories using something called bilateral stimulation. We will go over several ways to use bilateral stimulation for online sessions at That Gay Therapist, which can include:

  • Following a moving sphere with your eyes

  • Listening to alternating tones

  • Tapping on your shoulders or thighs

This process mimics the way the brain naturally processes information during REM sleep, when your eyes move back and forth.

How EMDR Is Different From Talk Therapy

Talk therapy works mainly with thoughts and behaviors; EMDR works with the entire nervous system.

Talk Therapy (Traditional)

  • Works mostly in the thinking part of the brain (neocortex)

  • Useful for understanding patterns, processing emotions, and building skills

  • Sometimes limited when trauma is stored in the body

EMDR

  • Works across the whole brain and body

  • Helps release where trauma is actually stored

  • Doesn’t require telling the whole story or going into detail

  • Creates deeper, longer-lasting changes

Many clients say EMDR brings relief faster or in ways talk therapy alone hasn’t.

What EMDR Can Help With

EMDR is best known for treating PTSD, but research shows it’s effective for many concerns, including:

  • Trauma (single event & complex trauma)

  • Anxiety & panic

  • Depression

  • Childhood trauma

  • Shame & negative self-beliefs

  • Religious trauma & spiritual abuse

  • Internalised & externalised homophobia or transphobia

  • Identity-based trauma

  • Fear, phobias, or avoidance

  • Traumatic memories you remember and ones you don’t

What If I Can’t Remember the Trauma?

That’s okay — EMDR can still help.
We can work with:

  • Body sensations

  • Emotions

  • Themes

  • Present-day triggers

  • Feelings with “no clear memory”

There are multiple ways to safely and effectively approach the work in a way that works for you.

Final Thoughts

EMDR is one of the most researched and effective treatments for trauma — and it’s accessible, collaborative, and tailored to your pace.

You don’t have to relive everything.
You don’t have to push yourself too fast.
You don’t have to heal alone.