More About Rehabs with Eye Movement Therapy (EMDR)
More About EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy is a research-supported treatment that helps you process trauma without reliving it in detail. Browse EMDR treatment centers below to find the right fit for you.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy, short for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, is a structured form of psychotherapy that helps you process distressing memories. EMDR treatment centers often use this approach for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related trauma symptoms.1
During a session, a trained EMDR therapist guides you through bilateral stimulation, usually side-to-side eye movements, taps, or tones, while you briefly focus on a traumatic memory and perform a body scan to identify associated sensations that have caused significant emotional distress in your life.1
The goal isn't to erase the memory, but instead, EMDR aims to reduce the emotional charge and negative beliefs connected to it, providing a sense of closure and instilling a more positive belief so the memory feels more like a settled part of your past.
Multiple randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews have examined EMDR therapy's effectiveness, with organizations like the World Health Organization generally supporting it as a research-backed option for trauma treatment.2 Researchers are still studying exactly how bilateral stimulation and rapid eye movement contribute to symptom relief, though the overall approach has a growing evidence base.3
Evidence-Based Treatment
Research on EMDR therapy often focuses on its use for PTSD and other trauma-related conditions.2 Treatment guidelines from both the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association note EMDR as a suggested option for PTSD, alongside cognitive therapy and other trauma-focused approaches.1 Some researchers have reanalyzed portions of this evidence using different statistical measures and found stronger effect sizes than earlier reviews reported, suggesting EMDR's benefits may still be underrepresented in some guidelines.4
Who EMDR May Help
As research has grown, so has access to EMDR. Many people have found that this type of therapy helps resolve flashbacks and troublesome emotions surrounding traumatic events and experiences. EMDR can be helpful to many, including those struggling with phobias, but can be especially helpful to people:
- With post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) linked to one or more specific events, such as an accident, an assault, combat experience, or long-term abuse.
- Attempting to process grief, loss, or other trauma that continues to affect their daily lives.
- With anxiety or depression connected to past traumatic experiences.
- In addiction treatment whose substance use is tied to unresolved trauma, since trauma and substance use disorders commonly occur together.5
- With co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders who benefit from treating both at the same time.5
- Who want an alternative to talk therapy that doesn't require reliving the traumatic event in detail.
Keep in mind that EMDR may not be the right treatment for you at the moment if you're in an active crisis or an unsafe living situation. It is typically recommend by therapists to stabilize first prior to beginning EMDR.
What to Expect
If you are considering EMDR to help treat trauma of your own, it can be comforting knowing what to expect. While no two therapists conduct EMDR sessions exactly the same, most therapists utilize the following steps:
- Intake and assessment: Your therapist gathers your history and identifies specific memories to target, then builds a treatment plan around your goals.
- Preparation: Before processing trauma, you'll learn grounding and coping skills to help manage emotions that come up during and between sessions.
- Reprocessing sessions: Each session follows a structured, multi-phase approach, using guided eye movements, taps, or tones while you focus on the target memory.3
- Reevaluation: Your therapist checks your progress at the start of each new session and adjusts the plan as needed.
- Typical course: Most people complete EMDR in about six to twelve sessions, though this varies depending on the number and complexity of memories addressed.1
- What sessions feel like: It's common to feel tired, emotionally sensitive, or notice vivid dreams for a day or two afterward, since your brain continues to process during that time.
Related Treatment Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Often paired with EMDR, this therapy (also known as CBT) helps you identify and change the thought patterns that trauma reinforces.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Builds emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills that complement EMDR's trauma processing.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Adds present-moment awareness practices that can support EMDR's memory reprocessing work.
Somatic Experiencing: A body-based trauma therapy that pairs naturally with EMDR by addressing how trauma is stored physically.
Cost and Insurance
The cost of EMDR therapy in rehab varies depending on factors such as the treatment center, level of care, and length of your program. Federal parity law requires most health plans to cover mental health and substance use treatment, including therapy like EMDR, no less generously than they cover medical and surgical care.6 Coverage details, such as prior authorization requirements, still vary by plan, so it's worth confirming your specific benefits before starting treatment.
Ready to Explore EMDR Therapy?
If trauma or distressing memories are affecting your mental health or recovery, EMDR may help you process the past and move forward. Browse treatment centers that offer EMDR therapy, compare programs, and connect with a provider that fits your needs.
Learn More
- Trauma-Informed Care in Rehab
- What Is Evidence-Based Treatment?
- What Happens in Residential Rehab for Trauma?
Sources
1. American Psychological Association. (2025, June 26). What is EMDR therapy and why is it used to treat PTSD?
2. Valiente-Gómez, A., Moreno-Alcázar, A., Treen, D., Cedrón, C., Colom, F., Pérez, V., & Amann, B. L. (2017). EMDR beyond PTSD: A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, Article 1668.
3. Landin-Romero, R., Moreno-Alcázar, A., Pagani, M., & Amann, B. L. (2018). How does eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy work? A systematic review on suggested mechanisms of action. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 1395.
4. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2025). Trauma and stress. National Institutes of Health.
5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). Know your rights: Parity for mental health and substance use disorder benefits.
6. Dominguez, S. K., & Lee, C. W. (2017). Errors in the 2017 APA Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of PTSD: What the data actually says. Frontiers in Psychology.