How Medication-Assisted Treatment Works
March 16, 2026
FDA-approved, gold-standard trauma therapy using bilateral eye movements to process traumatic memories. EMDR rapidly reduces emotional intensity of trauma, eliminating PTSD symptoms and allowing integration of traumatic experiences.
Take the first step towards lasting wellness, with Elevated Healing Treatment Centers
EMDR is psychotherapy treatment for trauma developed in 1989 by Francine Shapiro. It uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, alternating sounds, or tapping) combined with trauma memory processing. The bilateral stimulation activates the brain's natural healing mechanism—similar to what occurs during REM sleep. This allows the "frozen" traumatic memory to be reprocessed and integrated, dramatically reducing emotional distress.
How EMDR Works: Traumatic memories get stuck in brain unchanged, constantly triggered by reminders. EMDR "unsticks" the memory through bilateral stimulation, allowing your brain to process it naturally. After processing, the memory remains but loses emotional charge—you remember what happened, but it no longer causes suffering.
EMDR is NOT: Hypnosis, visualization, exposure therapy, or cognitive processing. It's unique mechanism using bilateral stimulation for rapid memory processing.
FDA Approved: EMDR is FDA-approved for PTSD treatment.
Extensively Researched: Thousands of peer-reviewed studies demonstrate effectiveness. More research than most psychotherapies.
Major Organization Support: Recommended by American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, NIMH, Department of Veterans Affairs, International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.
Efficacy Rates: 84-90% of single-trauma PTSD patients no longer have diagnosis after EMDR treatment. Complex trauma takes longer but also shows excellent outcomes.
Comprehensive assessment of trauma history, current symptoms, coping mechanisms, strengths, goals. Therapist understands you before beginning processing work.
Learn grounding and calming techniques. Develop resources and safety skills. EMDR is powerful—preparation ensures you're supported. Practice bilateral stimulation methods (eye movement, sounds, tapping).
Choose specific traumatic memory to process. Identify image, negative belief, emotions, physical sensations, and rating of emotional intensity (0-10 scale).
Focus on trauma memory while therapist guides bilateral eye movements (15-30 second sets). After each set, notice what arises—thoughts, feelings, images, sensations. Continue processing sets until emotional intensity significantly reduces (from 8/10 to 2/10 or lower).
Strengthen positive belief replacing negative one. While focusing on positive belief, continue bilateral stimulation. Strengthen adaptive beliefs about self.
Check whole body for residual tension or distress. Any remaining sensations processed with additional bilateral stimulation.
Return to present moment, ground in safety. Therapist ensures you're stable before session ends. Journal about session to track progress.
Future sessions assess progress, address new memories, consolidate gains, plan closure.
Car accident, assault, injury, sudden loss. Usually requires 8-12 sessions per memory. Often quickest results.
Gold-standard treatment. 84-90% of single-trauma PTSD patients no longer meet diagnosis after EMDR.
Childhood abuse, multiple traumatic events, interpersonal trauma. Takes longer—processing multiple memories over months—but very effective.
VA uses EMDR extensively. Rapidly reduces combat-related PTSD, hypervigilance, nightmares.
Trauma-based phobias resolve quickly with EMDR. Often 3-4 sessions.
Processing underlying trauma rapidly reduces anxiety. Attacks decrease, then resolve.
Bilateral stimulation (eye movements) mimics rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, when brain naturally processes experiences. This activates the brain's innate information processing system. Combined with trauma focus, allows "stuck" trauma memory to be reprocessed and integrated.
Yes. Thorough preparation ensures safety. Grounding techniques taught first. You can stop anytime. Structured process prevents overwhelming retraumatization. Therapist presence provides support throughout. Thousands of sessions demonstrate safety.
You recall memory but don't fully relive it with complete emotion. Bilateral stimulation during processing creates distance from trauma. Most report feeling emotionally distant from memory—observing rather than experiencing it fully.
Varies. Single-incident trauma: typically 8-12 sessions per memory. Complex trauma: longer course, processing multiple memories over months. Most see significant improvement within 12-20 sessions. Initial assessment provides estimate.
Yes, but typically after initial safety stabilization. Recent trauma requires immediate safety assessment and establishment of coping resources first. After stabilization, EMDR often prevents PTSD development by processing trauma early.
EMDR combined with individual therapy, psychiatric medication if needed, and other support produces best outcomes. We integrate EMDR into comprehensive treatment addressing trauma and co-occurring issues (depression, anxiety, substance use).
Most insurance plans cover EMDR as psychotherapy. We verify coverage and explain benefits. Cost never prevents access to treatment. Financial assistance available if needed.
If trauma haunts you, EMDR offers evidence-based path to healing. Rapid, effective processing of traumatic memories restores peace and freedom.
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Schedule EMDR AssessmentLearn more about EMDR therapy:
International EMDR Therapy Association with therapist finder and research.
National Institute of Mental Health PTSD information and treatment research.
American Psychiatric Association on PTSD and EMDR effectiveness.
Veterans Affairs comprehensive trauma and PTSD resources.
International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.
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