How EMDR Therapy Works: A Guide to Healing from Trauma

If you’ve been researching trauma therapy, you may have come across EMDR therapy in Dublin, CA or heard about its growing popularity across the EMDR therapy Bay Area. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based approach designed to help individuals process traumatic memories and reduce emotional distress. But how does EMDR therapy work? Let’s break it down.

Understanding EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy is a structured, eight-phase approach that helps individuals process distressing memories and negative beliefs. Unlike traditional talk therapy—where someone may find themselves re-experiencing painful memories—EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, to help the brain reprocess traumatic experiences in a healthier way.

During EMDR, clients focus on their traumatic memory while engaging in eye movements or tapping, which allows them to stay grounded in both the present (the "here") and the past (the "there"). This process helps create a healthy distance from trauma, allowing the brain to reprocess and integrate the experience with a new perspective.

The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy

1. History Taking & Treatment Planning

The therapist gathers information about the client’s history and determines which memories or experiences will be the focus of EMDR therapy.

2. Preparation

The therapist explains EMDR, builds trust, and teaches coping skills to help the client manage any distress that may arise during or between sessions.

3. Assessment

The client identifies a specific traumatic memory to target and explores associated thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations.

4. Desensitization

Bilateral stimulation (eye movements or tapping) is used to help the brain reprocess the memory, reducing emotional intensity and allowing the mind to integrate the experience more adaptively.

5. Installation

The therapist helps the client strengthen positive beliefs to replace negative ones associated with the traumatic memory.

6. Body Scan

The client focuses on any lingering physical sensations linked to the memory to ensure that residual distress is fully processed.

7. Closure

Each session ends with techniques to ensure the client feels safe and stable, even if reprocessing is not yet complete.

8. Reevaluation

In subsequent sessions, the therapist checks in on progress and determines if further EMDR work is needed.

What Does EMDR Feel Like?

EMDR therapy for trauma is very different from traditional talk therapy. Instead of talking at length about a painful memory, the focus is on reprocessing it in short, guided bursts. An EMDR therapy session will begin with a check-in, then devote the majority of the time to the reprocessing process.

Here’s what happens:
✔ The therapist guides you through short bursts of recalling a memory while using bilateral stimulation.
✔ You take a breath, then observe how the memory shifts.
✔ This process continues until the distress linked to the memory is significantly reduced or gone.

Many clients describe EMDR reprocessing as feeling like watching a landscape pass by from a moving train—images, thoughts, and sensations appear and then fade quickly. After a session, it’s common to feel tired for a few days as the brain continues to process. Your therapist will help you create a self-care plan following EMDR sessions.

When a traumatic memory is successfully reprocessed through EMDR therapy in Dublin, CA, you’ll be able to recall the experience without emotional overwhelm. Many describe it as feeling like the memory has transformed into a distant movie rather than something that emotionally hijacks them.

Is EMDR Right for You?

EMDR therapy in the Bay Area is highly effective for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other trauma-related issues. If past experiences continue to impact your well-being, EMDR therapy may be a powerful tool for healing. Many individuals report significant improvement in just a few sessions.

Start Your Healing Journey Today

If you're interested in EMDR therapy in Dublin, CA, or virtual EMDR therapy anywhere in California (yes, EMDR therapy is safe and effective over telehealth!), we’re here to help.

📞 Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about how EMDR can help you move forward with confidence and peace.