Untangling the Past: How EMDR Helps Heal PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has a way of freezing memories in time. While the world moves on, those who suffer often feel trapped in the emotional echo of past events—hypervigilant, overwhelmed, disconnected. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) offers a path toward relief—not by erasing memories, but by transforming the way they’re held in the body and mind.

What Is EMDR, Exactly?

Developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy designed to treat trauma and distress rooted in the past. Unlike traditional talk therapies that often rely on verbal processing, EMDR works by activating the brain’s innate capacity to heal. Think of it less as flushing trauma away, and more as helping the nervous system finally digest what was once too overwhelming to process.

How It Works: The Science of Bilateral Stimulation

At the heart of EMDR lies bilateral stimulation (BLS): rhythmic, side-to-side eye movements, tapping, or auditory cues. These motions mirror the brain activity seen during REM sleep, a phase when our minds naturally sort through emotions and memories. In an EMDR session, the individual focuses on a traumatic memory while engaging in BLS. This dual attention—tracking the memory and the movement—helps rewire the brain’s emotional response.

Research suggests EMDR may reduce activity in the amygdala (the fear center), improve connectivity between brain hemispheres, and support memory reconsolidation. What was once fragmented and emotionally charged becomes integrated—no longer triggering the same distress.

The Power of Safe Witnessing

Beyond protocols and pathways, the heart of EMDR is a witnessing presence. Healing happens in connection—with a therapist who stays grounded while the client reclaims parts of themselves once lost to trauma. It’s a reminder: recovery isn’t about forgetting, but about reshaping the meaning of what was, so the future can unfold with more ease, less fear, and deeper self-trust.

Don’t worry if EMDR is not for you, most EMDR therapists specialise in trauma and can utilise different therapeutic approaches which better suit your own healing journey.