The 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy

How EMDR Helps Heal Trauma and Restore Safety in the Body and Mind

I promise, true EMDR therapists aren't just waving our hands in your face and *TA-DA* expecting you to magically forget the pain from your past. It has a rhythm that has proven itself after over 40 years of research. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is a powerful, evidence-based approach to healing trauma. As a therapist working from a trauma-informed and somatic (body-focused) perspective, I believe it’s important for clients to understand not just what EMDR is, but how it works and why it can be so effective in reducing or even eliminating trauma responses.

The 8 Phases: A structured path across the landscape of trauma.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is a structured therapy developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It helps people process and integrate traumatic memories by using bilateral (attention shifting from left to right) stimulation—often in the form of guided eye movements, taps, or sounds. This process helps the brain reprocess stuck or distressing memories and so that they no longer trigger intense emotional or physical responses.

The 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy

• 1. History-Taking: Together, we review your history, identify targets for EMDR (traumatic memories or current triggers), and assess your readiness for the process. This phase is collaborative and paced with your sense of safety in mind.

• 2. Preparation: In this phase, we build trust, establish coping resources, and learn about how trauma impacts the body. You’ll learn grounding and relaxation techniques to use during and outside of the session. This is what you may hear therapists call Positive Resourcing.

• 3. Assessment: We identify the specific memory to work on, including the image, negative beliefs, emotions, and body sensations associated with it. This helps us track your progress and understand how your body holds trauma. Sometimes, because intense events may not be stored as images, memory can also be mysterious emotional or physical responses to stimuli or “triggers”.

• 4. Desensitization: Using bilateral stimulation, we work to reduce the emotional charge and physical distress linked to memory. The focus is on how the body feels and responds, as well as shifts in emotions and thoughts. We may be in Phase 4 for several sessions or even longer depending on the intensity of the stored memory and how deeply it was integrated into your identity.

• 5. Installation: Here, we strengthen positive beliefs and sensations, helping you internalize new, adaptive ways of feeling and thinking about yourself and your past.

• 6. Body Scan: From a somatic perspective, this phase is vital. We check for any lingering tension, discomfort, or sensations related to the memory, ensuring the body feels at ease and safe.

• 7. Closure: Whether the memory is fully processed or not, we use grounding skills to ensure you leave each session feeling stable and supported.

• 8. Reevaluation: At the start of each new session, we review your progress and any changes in how you feel physically and emotionally, adjusting as needed.

  
  

How Does EMDR Work? What Does the Research Say?

Research consistently shows that EMDR is effective in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other trauma-related struggles. Studies have found that EMDR can help people process traumatic memories more quickly and with less distress than talk therapy alone. Bilateral stimulation is thought to help the brain integrate and “digest” traumatic memories, moving them from being stuck in the body and mind to being stored as less distressing or neutral facts of the past.

EMDR can assist in creating new neural pathways that reinforce resilience, strength, wisdom, and a positive identity. From a trauma-informed and somatic lens, EMDR helps reconnect you to your sense of safety. By attending to the sensations in your body and honoring your nervous system’s responses, EMDR supports healing that is holistic and deeply respectful of your lived experience. You do not have to deny the past or present struggles, only develop a deep knowing that you can create a safe and authentic daily life for yourself, even in small, yet meaningful ways.

Healing Is Possible

Please hear me: reducing the distress from your past does not mean you are letting the people and social systems that harmed you off the hook. It does let you off the hook from reliving the harm they have caused. It frees you, not them.

If you’re considering EMDR, know that the process is collaborative and paced according to your needs. Healing from trauma takes time, but with the right support and tools, your body and mind can learn to feel safe and connected again.

If you have questions about EMDR or want to know if it might be right for you, please reach out. Your healing journey is valid, and support is available.

Seeking support for your unique mind? I provide neurodivergent-affirming counseling via telehealth for adults in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Oregon. Start Your Journey.