Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)

Figures checked September 2026

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing is almost always called EMDR. It’s a structured therapy for memories that still feel raw. Most often these are memories of something traumatic, like an accident, an assault, or a sudden death.

In the main part of the treatment, you bring a painful memory to mind for short stretches while your attention is split. Usually that means following your therapist’s hand as it moves from side to side. Some therapists use a light bar, sounds that switch between your ears, or taps on your hands instead.

The aim is for the memory to become less upsetting. You don’t forget what happened. Many people describe it starting to feel like something that happened then, rather than something that’s still happening.

EMDR was developed in the late 1980s by Francine Shapiro, an American psychologistPsychologist Someone trained to assess mental health problems and treat them with therapy. It takes at least six years of study and supervised practice, and they're registered with Ahpra, the national regulator. Psychologists can't prescribe medication. More in the jargon decoder Close.

How it works — what’s known and what isn’t

EMDR clearly helps many people with trauma. Exactly why it helps is less settled. The eye movements are the part people find hardest to believe, so here’s what’s known about them.

The model’s explanation. EMDR’s founding model holds that a traumatic memory can be stored without being properly processed. That’s why, on this account, it stays vivid and keeps setting off the same fear and body reactions. The model holds that recalling the memory during the side-to-side movement lets the brain finish processing it.

Another explanation. Some researchers think the effect comes from loading up your working memory — the part of your mind that holds things in view for a few seconds. On this view, doing two demanding things at once leaves less room for the memory. Each time it comes back, it’s a little less vivid and less upsetting.

Do the eye movements matter? Researchers still argue about this. Early reviews found they added little beyond the rest of the treatment. A 2013 review found they did add a real, moderate effect (Lee and Cuijpers). Either way, EMDR as a whole does well in trials. If you’re deciding whether to try it, that’s the result that matters most.

What happens in EMDR

EMDR has eight phases:

1. History and planning. Your therapist learns what’s happened, how it’s affecting you now, and which memories to work on.
2. Preparation. You learn what to expect, and practise ways of calming yourself if things get intense. Some people need a few sessions here. Some need many.
3. Assessment. You pick a memory. Then you name the picture that goes with it, the belief about yourself (I’m not safe, it was my fault), the feeling, and where you feel it in your body.
4. Processing. You hold the memory in mind during short sets of eye movements or taps. After each set, you say briefly what came up, and your therapist guides the next set.
5. Installation. You strengthen a more helpful belief, such as it’s over or I did what I could.
6. Body scan. You check for any tension left in your body.
7. Closing. Each session should end with you feeling settled, even if work on the memory isn’t finished.
8. Re-evaluation. Next session, you look at what’s changed before going further.

The first few sessions are mostly preparation. Some people are surprised by how long it is before any memory work starts.

What a session is like

Processing sessions are often longer than a standard hour. Many therapists book 60 to 90 minutes, so there’s time to settle before you leave.

You don’t have to describe the memory in detail out loud. You notice what comes up and say a few words about it. For people who find it very hard to talk about what happened, this is often the reason they choose EMDR.

Processing can be intense while it’s happening. Feelings come up quickly, and other memories sometimes link in unexpectedly. A good therapist watches closely, keeps you grounded in the room, and stops whenever you need a break.

Between sessions, memories or dreams sometimes stay stirred up for a day or two. Your therapist should talk about this with you in advance and give you ways to manage it. There’s usually no homeworkBetween-session tasks (homework) Things some therapists give you to practise between sessions, such as tracking when a mood shifts or trying a different response to a situation. You go through how they went at the next session. More in the jargon decoder Close beyond that.

For a single event, a course often runs somewhere between six and twelve sessions. Where there’s been a lot of trauma, or it started early in life, it usually takes longer.

Who it tends to suit

EMDR was built for trauma, and that’s where its evidence is strongest. It suits difficulties that are tied to particular memories, such as flashbacks or nightmares about what happened.

EMDR can also suit people who don’t want to go over what happened in detail. And it can suit people who’ve talked about it plenty and found the feeling hasn’t changed.

Where more care is needed. EMDR is used for long-running, early trauma too, and therapy usually takes longer. Some therapists want a long period of steadying up first. Others think that delay isn’t needed. Australia’s trauma guidelines treat it as an open question, and the research hasn’t settled it. There’s more on this in complex post-traumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD).

If you often feel detached or unreal, or lose track of time, mention it to a therapist before starting. It doesn’t rule EMDR out, and it may change how the work is done.

If you’re still somewhere you’re not safe, safety comes before memory work. If you’re experiencing family, domestic or sexual violence, 1800RESPECT is on 1800 737 732.

What the evidence says

For PTSD, EMDR is one of the best-supported treatments there is. Australia’s national PTSD guidelines give it their strongest recommendation (Phoenix Australia, 2020–21). They give the same recommendation to several kinds of cognitive behavioural therapyCognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) A structured, practical form of talking therapy. It's built on a simple idea: what you think affects how you feel, and both affect what you do. More in the jargon decoder Close (CBT) that focus on trauma. Those work on the memory by talking about it and gradually facing it. The World Health Organization and the UK’s national guideline recommend EMDR too.

A large 2020 review compared 20 treatments across 90 trials. EMDR and trauma-focused CBTTrauma-focused CBT A family of talking therapies that work directly on the memory of something that happened, using the ideas of CBT. More in the jargon decoder Close did best, with no clear difference between the two (Mavranezouli and colleagues).

For complex PTSD, the evidence is thinner. Complex PTSD is the pattern that tends to follow repeated or early trauma, and Australia’s guidelines don’t yet recommend any treatment specifically for it. A review of trials in people likely to have some features of complex PTSD found EMDR helped their PTSD symptoms (Karatzias and colleagues, 2019). But only four of those trials looked at EMDR, and there was very little data on EMDR and how people with these difficulties see themselves.

Outside trauma, EMDR is being tried for anxiety, phobias, depression and chronic pain. The research there is early. It isn’t yet a first-choice treatment for any of them.

Getting it in Australia

EMDR is usually easier to find in cities than in regional areas.

Who can provide it. In Australia, accredited EMDR training is open to psychologists, psychiatristsPsychiatrist A medical doctor who has specialised in mental health. Psychiatrists can diagnose, prescribe and do therapy, though many spend most of their time on medication and diagnosis rather than weekly sessions. More in the jargon decoder Close, and GPsGP (general practitioner) For most people, where getting help starts. A GP can write a Mental Health Treatment Plan, prescribe medication and refer you on, and some are trained to deliver a small number of structured therapy sessions themselves. More in the jargon decoder Close with mental health training. It’s also open to mental health nurses, social workers and occupational therapists. CounsellorsCounsellor Someone trained to help people talk through and work on difficulties. The title isn't protected in Australia, so it's worth checking a counsellor's training and registration. Medicare doesn't give a rebate for counsellors. More in the jargon decoder Close and psychotherapistsPsychotherapist Someone trained in therapy, often for longer-standing patterns. Like counsellor, the title isn't protected in Australia, and Medicare doesn't give a rebate for psychotherapists. More in the jargon decoder Close can train once they reach the higher levels of their professional registration. Everyone needs at least two years of clinical experience first.

The EMDR Association of Australia runs a directory of trained therapists. Training varies a lot, from a basic course to years of supervised practice. It’s fair to ask a therapist what training they’ve done, and how much of their work is EMDR.

What it costs. How you pay changes what’s available. Paying the full fee, you can see anyone trained in EMDR, including counsellors and psychotherapists, whom MedicareMedicare Australia's public health insurance scheme. For mental health, it gives rebates on sessions with psychologists and some other professionals, usually through a Mental Health Treatment Plan. More in the jargon decoder Close doesn’t cover. Workplace programs, community services and headspaceheadspace A national youth mental health service for anyone aged 12 to 25, with centres around Australia and support online and by phone. It's free or close to it, you don't need a referral or a parent, and you can book it yourself. More in the jargon decoder Close, for people aged 12 to 25, can offer free or low-cost sessions, usually a set number.

EMDR is also one of the approaches Medicare names for registeredRegistered For psychologists, psychiatrists and occupational therapists, registration with Ahpra is required, and using the title without it is an offence. Counsellors and psychotherapists can register with their national associations, which is voluntary. More in the jargon decoder Close psychologists under a Mental Health Treatment Plan. The plan gives you a Medicare rebateRebate The amount Medicare pays back towards a session. It comes back to you after you've paid, so what you pay yourself is the fee minus the rebate. More in the jargon decoder Close on up to ten sessions a calendar year — six on your first referralReferral A letter from a GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician that you need for the Medicare rebate. You can see a psychologist without one if you pay the full fee. More in the jargon decoder Close, then four more after a review with your GP. The rebate is $149.05 a session with a clinical psychologistClinical psychologist A psychologist with an extra endorsement, which usually means two more years of training aimed at more complex problems. More in the jargon decoder Close and $101.55 with a registered psychologist.

A longer processing session gets the same rebate as a standard one, so the gap you pay tends to be bigger. If you book, ask about session length and fees.

TelehealthTelehealth A session by video or phone instead of in person. Medicare gives the same rebate for a session by video as in person. More in the jargon decoder Close. Many therapists offer EMDR by video, using a moving dot on screen or having you tap your own shoulders. It seems to work for many people, though the research on video EMDR is newer than for face-to-face work.

If you’ve served in the Australian Defence Force, or you’re family of someone who has, Open Arms offers free counselling on 1800 011 046, 24 hours a day.

If things are difficult right now, Lifeline is on 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service is on 1300 659 467, and Kids Helpline is on 1800 55 1800 for anyone aged 5 to 25. In an emergency, call 000. Crisis and emergency support has the full list.

Where to go from here

If you’re weighing EMDR up against the talking-based trauma therapies, EMDR vs talking about trauma compares them side by side.

Trauma work asks you to trust someone with a lot, so fit with the therapist matters at least as much as the method. Why who you see matters more than what they do explains why. And if you’re not sure therapy is what you want, what therapy actually is covers the basics, and would I benefit from therapy? helps you work out whether it’s worth a try.