What Is EMDR Therapy —and Could It Help You?

By Karie Rohrlach · EMDR Therapist & Psychotherapist, Zanti Consulting · Adelaide & Online

If you've been carrying something heavy for a long time — a memory that keeps surfacing, a response that feels bigger than the situation warrants, a sense of being stuck no matter ho

w much you understand about yourself — EMDR therapy might be worth knowing about.

It's one of the most well-researched trauma therapies we have. And in my experience working with clients, it's also one of the most quietly transformative. Not because it's dramatic or confronting, but because it works with the way the brain actually heals — rather than asking people to think their way out of something their nervous system has stored at a much deeper level.

What Does EMDR Stand For?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It's a structured psychotherapy developed by Dr Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, originally for PTSD. It has since been researched extensively across a wide range of presentations — and the evidence base is substantial.

The core idea is this: when something disturbing happens, the brain's natural processing system can become overwhelmed. Instead of the memory moving through and integrating the way ordinary experiences do, it gets stored in a raw, unprocessed state — still carrying the original sensations, emotions, images, and beliefs as though the event is happening now. That's why trauma responses can feel so vivid and present even years later.

Trauma isn't just what happened to you. It's what your nervous system did with it — and what it's been carrying ever since.

EMDR works by gently activating that stuck material while simultaneously engaging bilateral stimulation — typically eye movements, but also tapping or auditory tones — which helps the brain resume its natural processing. The memory doesn't disappear. But it shifts. It loses its charge. It moves from something happening now to something that happened then.

What Does the Research Show?

The Evidence

Multiple controlled studies have found that 84–90% of single-incident trauma survivors no longer met criteria for PTSD after just three 90-minute EMDR sessions.

A study funded by Kaiser Permanente found that 100% of single-trauma participants and 77% of multiple-trauma participants were free of PTSD diagnosis after six 50-minute sessions.

In a separate study with combat veterans, 77% no longer met PTSD criteria after 12 sessions.

EMDR is now recognised as an effective trauma treatment by the World Health Organisation, the American Psychiatric Association, and Australia's own clinical guidelines.

More than 100,000 clinicians worldwide use EMDR. The research spans decades and continues to grow — including in areas beyond trauma, such as anxiety, depression, grief, phobias, and chronic pain.

What Can EMDR Help With?

EMDR was built for trauma — but its reach is broader than people often realise. I use it with clients working through:

• PTSD and complex PTSD

• Childhood and developmental trauma

• Anxiety and panic responses rooted in past experience

• Grief and loss

• Low self-worth and deeply held negative beliefs about yourself

• Relational trauma and the aftermath of difficult relationships

• Single-incident traumas — accidents, assaults, medical events

• Patterns that keep repeating no matter how much insight you have

  
  

That last one is worth pausing on. A lot of my clients come in with good insight — they understand why they respond the way they do, they've done the reading, they've done the talking. But something isn't shifting. EMDR often works well precisely because insight alone isn't always enough. The material is held at a neurological level, not just a cognitive one.

What Happens in an EMDR Session?

EMDR therapy follows an eight-phase structure. It's not rushed — before any processing begins, we spend time making sure you have the resourcing and stability to work with difficult material safely.

1. History and AssessmentWe map your history, identify what needs attention, and assess your readiness for EMDR processing.

2. PreparationWe build resourcing — tools and techniques to help you stay regulated during and between sessions. Nothing is rushed here.

3. Assessment of Target MemoryWe identify the specific memory or experience to work with — including the images, beliefs, emotions, and body sensations connected to it.

4. DesensitisationThis is the active processing phase, where bilateral stimulation is used while you hold the target material in mind. The aim is to reduce the emotional charge and allow the memory to process.

5. InstallationWe strengthen a positive belief to replace the negative one that has been held alongside the memory.

6. Body ScanWe check for any remaining tension or distress held in the body in relation to the memory.

7. ClosureEach session ends with stabilisation, regardless of where we are in the processing — you leave grounded, not flooded.

8. Re-evaluationAt the start of the next session, we check in on what's shifted and what still needs attention before continuing.

One thing clients often notice is that EMDR doesn't require you to talk through every detail of what happened. You're not reliving the experience out loud — you're holding it in mind while the processing does the work. Many people find this a relief, particularly when the material is hard to put into words.

What EMDR Feels Like

People's experiences vary, but something I hear often is a sense of the memory becoming quieter. More distant. It's still there — the facts of it remain — but the grip loosens. The charge shifts. One client described it as the memory "going from a scream to a whisper."

What I appreciate most about EMDR is that the insights that emerge come from you — not from me interpreting your experience and feeding it back. The process activates your own healing intelligence. The therapist's role is to hold the space, guide the protocol, and stay attuned to how you're moving through it.

As the research puts it: clients often conclude EMDR feeling empowered by the very experiences that once debased them. Their wounds have not just closed — they have transformed.

Is EMDR Right for You?

EMDR isn't the only tool I use — and it isn't right for every person or every presentation. For some clients, we spend time building stability and relational safety before any trauma processing begins. For others, an integrative approach that weaves EMDR with Schema Therapy or other body-based work is more appropriate.

What I can say is this: if you've been carrying something for a long time, and talking about it hasn't been enough to shift it, EMDR is worth exploring. The body holds what the mind alone can't always release.

Common Questions About EMDR

What does EMDR stand for?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It's a structured psychotherapy that helps the brain process and integrate distressing memories that have become stuck — particularly useful for trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and patterns rooted in past experience.

Does EMDR really work — is there evidence?

Yes — EMDR has one of the strongest evidence bases of any trauma therapy. It is recognised by the World Health Organisation, the American Psychiatric Association, and Australian clinical guidelines as an effective treatment for PTSD and trauma. Research consistently shows significant improvement in fewer sessions than many other therapies.

Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail during EMDR?

No — and this is one of the things many people find most valuable about EMDR. You hold the memory in mind during the processing, but you don't need to narrate it in detail. The processing happens at a neurological level, not through verbal recounting. Some clients find this a significant relief.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends on the person and what's being addressed. Some single-incident traumas resolve in as few as three to six sessions. Complex or developmental trauma typically takes longer. We always work at your pace, and we check in regularly about how things are shifting.

Is EMDR available online?

Yes. EMDR has been adapted successfully for online delivery, and research supports its effectiveness via telehealth. At Zanti, EMDR is available both in person in Adelaide and online across Australia.

Where can I access EMDR therapy in Adelaide?

Zanti Counselling & Psychotherapy offers EMDR therapy in Adelaide at 71 Angus Street, Adelaide CBD SA 5000, and online nationally. Book via the website or call 0408 405 149.

Grounded support for people who feel deeply

If you're wondering whether EMDR might be the right next step for you, I'm happy to have that conversation. A free 15-minute consultation is available — no pressure, no obligation.

Book a Consultation

Adelaide · Online across Australia  |  0408 405 149