.What is EMDR Therapy? EMDR Therapy is often a treatment selected for those suffering from minor to medium levels of depression. When choosing a psychotherapist as your chosen therapy specialist in helping you with your challenge, it is likely you have many questions. Questions about what to expect and have some apprehension if using an EMDR therapist is new to you. We at Seek a Therapy want to help answer your questions and concerns surrounding EMDR. We hope it helps you to select the right Psychotherapist for you and on this page, we have included some of the most common questions lots of people may have before treatment.
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an interactive psychotherapy technique used to relieve psychological stress. It is an effective treatment for trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
EMDR involves eight phases. The first phase you and your therapist will first discuss your history. This way, they will be able to understand more clearly where you are in the treatment process. This phase does involve talking about your experience, and possible trauma. Doing this helps identify potential traumatic memories to treat specifically.
The next phase involves preparation for the therapy. The therapist will help you learn several different ways to deal with any emotional or psychological distress you are feeling. These can be things like stress management, mindfulness and deep breathing amongst others.
EMDR Assessment Phase
After the initial discussion and learning several strategies, your therapist will assess how you react to each memory. They may ask what physical sensations you feel when you focus on a specific event.
Between the last four phases, your therapist will begin using EDMR therapy techniques to treat your targeted memories. During this time, you will be asked to focus on what you remember. Whilst focusing on the memory the therapist will get you to do specific eye movements. This can be distressful but with the therapist present, they can bring you back to the present moment.
Over time, continued EMDR therapy will help the feelings associated with the memory begin to fade.
In the last phase of therapy, your therapist will ask you to evaluate how you feel after the therapy and the therapist will do the same.
An EMDR therapist gives you a safe, confidential place to be able to discuss the feelings that you have about a range of issues. From family, your perception of other people and anything relating to your particular situation.
What to Expect From EMDR
An EMDR specialist is a mental health professional who is trained to listen to a person’s problem, and in particular, those who have PTSD. Saying this, there is evidence to support that it helps anxiety and depression as well.
EMDR does tend to give you a heightened sense of your thoughts and doesn’t end after your first session. Your therapist will make you aware of any side effects that can happen and how many sessions they believe you will likely need. Often it is the case that you will need several therapies before noticing a great difference in your wellbeing.
EMDR therapists work with varying types of people, with varying backgrounds, cultures, beliefs and problems. No therapist will be judging you, they’ve heard everything and are there to help you as much as possible.
Depending upon the practitioner you choose, it is known that some therapists teach skills to help tolerate painful emotions, improve your behaviour and if necessary, manage relationships more effectively. It is sometimes the case that after some time with a psychologists strategies you will be encouraged ( with the support of your therapist) to also develop your own solutions.
Every single time you work with a professionally accredited EMDR specialist they will treat your sessions as confidential. This means, if you want to share information that may cause you embarrassment or discomfort it, will never leave the therapy room. You can rest assured your problem is only between you and your therapist.
How Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Works
How Much Does A Typical EMDR Therapy Session Cost?
If you are based in the UK you can ask your GP for help with EMDR on the NHS but mostly for those suffering PTSD and often, there is a wait. If this is the case then you can go private ( and we have several EMDR therapists registered in our directory in the UK, USA, Europe and Asia). Costs range from £30/$50 per session and sometimes can go up to £150/$200. It can occasionally be more depending upon the therapist’s experience, speciality and location.
How Do I Know Which EMDR Therapist To Choose?
Your GP will often have several accredited therapists that they can point you in the direction of. But, even if they do, and you feel that the therapist isn’t right for you, then it is completely fine to find a new specialist.
One of the most important parts of any therapy is the relationship between yourself and your therapist. It is important to be able to trust and open up about all your thoughts and feelings in order to be able to work on them.
When you find the right EMDR specialist for you, over time, you will be able to challenge and potentially change your thoughts, beliefs and perceptions.
How Long Will It Take To Help?
You will meet your therapist regularly, usually once a week, for several months, or sometimes even years. Individual sessions last about 50 minutes, but group sessions are often a bit longer.
In the beginning, you are likely to see your therapist more often. Later, as you learn to manage your problems and avoid triggers, you might go to psychotherapy appointments less often.
What If I Don’t Feel EMDR Works For Me?
First of all, don’t worry!
If you think EMDR is the right therapy but you have the wrong therapist that’s ok. You have every right to seek a second opinion and you will not offend your therapist. They just want you to find the help you deserve to feel better. If, on the other hand, you don’t feel EMDR is working effectively then do not be disheartened. There are many, many different types of therapy to improve your wellbeing and EMDR is only one. Use our therapy directory to find a different therapy, you may find hypnotherapy works better or possibly some counselling. The key is not to think this is your only option.
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Please note: This information should not replace professional medical advice, it is purely for informational purposes. At all times when you are in crisis please first seek help from your GP or another medical professional. Thank you