Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR therapy, is an integrated part of treatment for certain patients at FHE Health. This structured form of psychotherapy is primarily used to address trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. It may also be incorporated into treatment for anxiety and co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
EMDR helps people process traumatic memories that continue to cause emotional or physical distress. Rather than erasing the event, treatment aims to reduce the intensity of the thoughts, beliefs, emotions and bodily reactions connected to it.
Trauma is deeply personal. Many people associate it with experiences such as violence, accidents, military service or the death of someone close to them. However, trauma can also follow physical or sexual abuse, divorce, housing instability, job loss, a serious illness or another experience that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope.
At FHE Health, EMDR may be used within a broader treatment plan to help patients address these underlying experiences and develop healthier ways of responding.
How EMDR Therapy Works
EMDR is based on the idea that some distressing experiences are not fully processed and stored like ordinary memories. As a result, reminders can trigger intense thoughts, emotions or physical sensations that make the event feel immediate rather than safely located in the past.
During EMDR, the patient briefly focuses on a traumatic memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation. This involves paying attention to a movement or sensation that alternates between the left and right sides. A therapist may guide the patient’s eyes from side to side or use alternating tones or taps.
Researchers continue to examine precisely how bilateral stimulation contributes to EMDR. The therapy may support memory processing while helping the patient remain aware of the present. Over time, the memory can become less emotionally disruptive, and healthier beliefs can replace those shaped by the traumatic experience.
The Eight Phases of EMDR Treatment
EMDR follows a structured eight-phase process. Although the phases are presented in order, treatment is individualized, and patients may move between them as their needs change.
Phase 1: History and Treatment Planning
The therapist learns about the patient’s history, current symptoms, previous treatment and goals. Together, they identify memories, present-day triggers and future situations that may become treatment targets.
Phase 2: Preparation
The therapist explains how EMDR works and teaches strategies for managing emotional distress. These may include breathing exercises, grounding, imagery, mindfulness or other techniques that help the patient return their attention to the present.
Phase 3: Assessment
The therapist and patient select a specific memory to address. They identify an image that represents the experience, a negative belief connected to it, and a more adaptive belief the patient would prefer to hold.
Phase 4: Desensitization
The patient focuses briefly on the selected memory while participating in sets of bilateral stimulation. After each set, the therapist asks what the patient notices.
Phase 5: Installation
Once distress has decreased, attention shifts toward strengthening the healthier belief identified earlier. For example, a belief shaped by trauma, such as “I feel powerless,” might gradually be replaced with “I survived, and I have choices now.”
Phase 6: Body Scan
Traumatic stress can be experienced physically as tension, shaking, chest tightness, nausea or other sensations. During the body scan, the patient notices whether any physical distress remains while thinking about the memory and positive belief.
Phase 7: Closure
The therapist helps the patient return to a settled emotional state before the session ends. If processing is incomplete, grounding or relaxation strategies may be used.
Phase 8: Reevaluation
At the beginning of a later session, the therapist reviews the patient’s response to previous work. They assess whether distress has remained lower, whether the positive belief still feels credible and whether another aspect of the memory needs attention.
What Can EMDR Treat?
EMDR is most strongly associated with the treatment of PTSD. The US Department of Veterans Affairs identifies EMDR as one of the most recommended trauma-focused treatments for PTSD. The World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association also include it in their treatment guidance.
PTSD symptoms that may be addressed through EMDR include:
- Intrusive memories or nightmares
- Avoidance of reminders
- Hypervigilance or feeling constantly on guard
- Emotional numbness
- Negative beliefs about oneself
- Anxiety and panic
- Intense physical reactions to reminders
- Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
Clinicians may also incorporate EMDR into treatment for grief, anxiety, phobias, depression and other trauma-related concerns. However, the strength of evidence varies by condition. A clinical assessment is necessary to determine whether EMDR is appropriate for a particular person.
EMDR and Substance Use Disorders
Trauma and addiction can reinforce one another. A person may use alcohol or drugs to numb intrusive memories, reduce anxiety or sleep. Substance use can then create additional consequences and traumatic experiences, making both conditions harder to manage.
EMDR may help patients process memories and reduce emotional triggers that contribute to substance use. However, it does not replace detoxification, addiction counseling, relapse-prevention planning or other appropriate services.
Timing matters. A patient may first need medical stabilization and practical coping skills before beginning trauma processing. At FHE Health, EMDR is considered within the context of the person’s full mental health and addiction treatment plan.
What to Expect During an EMDR Session
An EMDR session generally lasts around 50 to 90 minutes, although appointment length and treatment schedules vary. Early sessions may focus mainly on assessment, preparation and emotional regulation rather than directly processing trauma.
The patient doesn’t usually need to provide a detailed verbal account of everything that happened. However, they must bring aspects of the memory to mind, so difficult emotions can emerge. Some patients feel tired or more aware of dreams and memories after a session. The therapist should explain what to expect, help the patient develop grounding strategies and adjust the pace when necessary.
The VA describes a typical course as roughly three months of weekly sessions. The total length of treatment depends on the person’s history and goals. Someone addressing a single event may require fewer sessions than a patient who has experienced repeated or prolonged trauma. EMDR should not be promoted as a guaranteed quick solution.
EMDR vs. Other Therapies
EMDR differs from traditional talk therapy because it does not rely primarily on discussing an experience in detail or challenging each thought through conversation. It combines focused attention on the memory with bilateral stimulation and structured reprocessing.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, helps patients examine how thoughts influence emotions and behavior. Trauma-focused CBT, cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure are also evidence-based PTSD treatments.
No single approach is automatically best for everyone. Treatment selection should consider the patient’s diagnosis, symptoms, preferences, previous response to therapy and ability to participate safely.
EMDR may be used alongside individual therapy, group therapy, medication management, addiction treatment and other services. It is not necessarily a replacement for these approaches.
How Effective Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is one of the most extensively studied psychotherapies for PTSD. The VA reports that numerous studies support its effectiveness and notes that it holds a strong recommendation in several clinical practice guidelines.
Research also suggests that EMDR may offer benefits beyond PTSD. A 2024 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that EMDR produced a significant reduction in depressive symptoms, with a large overall effect size of 0.75. The researchers also found that treatment effects tended to be greater among people with more severe depression.
An effect size of 0.75 doesn’t mean that 75% of patients recover. It measures the magnitude of the difference in outcomes between treatment groups. EMDR remains most firmly established as a treatment for PTSD, and more research is needed to clarify its role in treating depression and other conditions.
Current guidance avoids promising that a set percentage of patients will recover within a fixed number of sessions. Results depend on factors such as the type and duration of trauma, co-occurring conditions, treatment engagement and the clinician’s training.
Some patients experience meaningful improvement within a relatively brief course of treatment. Others require longer-term support, particularly when trauma has been repeated or is accompanied by addiction, depression, anxiety or other complex concerns.
The goals of EMDR may include reducing PTSD symptoms, lowering the distress caused by memories and helping patients function more effectively in daily life.
EMDR at FHE Health in Deerfield Beach
FHE Health provides EMDR therapy as part of individualized behavioral health care at our campus in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Our Broward County location serves patients from Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Boca Raton and communities across South Florida, as well as people who travel from other areas for treatment.
EMDR may be incorporated into addiction treatment, co-occurring disorders care or mental health programming when clinically appropriate. Available levels of care may include residential and outpatient services, depending on the patient’s symptoms, stability and treatment needs.
Before recommending EMDR, our clinical team reviews the patient’s trauma history, substance use, mental health diagnoses, and current safety and recovery goals. This helps determine whether EMDR is suitable and when it should begin.
Treatment may also include psychiatric care, medication management, individual and group therapy, relapse-prevention work and support for other aspects of recovery. EMDR is most useful when it fits cohesively within the person’s overall care plan.
