EMDR Training FAQ
Answers to common questions about EMDR Therapy and Training
What is EMDR therapy and how does it work?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) activates the brain's natural healing mechanisms by pairing bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping) with the recall of distressing memories. This appears to support adaptive memory integration, reduce emotional reactivity, and improve emotional regulation. Therapists are trained to facilitate this process while ensuring clients remain grounded and safe.
Researchers have proposed several mechanisms to explain how EMDR works:
REM Sleep Simulation: Eye movements during EMDR resemble the bilateral eye movement patterns of REM sleep critical for memory consolidation.
Orienting Response: Bilateral stimulation may activate a calming, attention-shifting response that helps clients stay grounded while accessing distressing material.
Working Memory Taxation: Focusing on a memory while simultaneously engaging in a task (like tracking eye movements) reduces the vividness and emotional intensity of the memory by taxing the brain’s limited working memory capacity.
These mechanisms likely work in combination, allowing clients to process unresolved memories in a way that leads to relief and adaptive resolution.
How is EMDR therapy different from CBT or talk therapy?
During preparation (Phase 2), therapists use tools from other modalities to build client awareness and capacity to manage thoughts, emotions, and body sensations. EMDR is not a replacement for other therapies — it complements and builds upon them.
EMDR doesn't focus on changing thoughts through logic. Instead, it helps the brain resolve unprocessed traumatic experiences that underlie current symptoms. It’s neurobiologically informed, body-based, and allows the brain to lead the healing. In reprocessing phases, the therapist minimizes verbal input to avoid interrupting the client’s process, only intervening when the client becomes stuck. This approach supports deeper and more complete resolution than insight alone.
Who is EMDR therapy for?
While EMDR is best known as a treatment for PTSD, it also has growing evidence for anxiety, depression, prolonged or traumatic grief, chronic pain, phobias, and attachment wounds. The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model posits that unprocessed memories contribute to present-day symptoms. By targeting these memories, clients often experience shifts in emotion, thoughts, and behavior. Specialized protocols have been developed for specific concerns like addictions, OCD, pain, and grief.
What are the 8 phases of EMDR therapy? How soon do we get to trauma reprocessing?
EMDR includes:
History Taking and Treatment Planning
Preparation
Assessment
Desensitization
Installation
Body Scan
Closure
Reevaluation
Processing does not begin until clients are resourced and ready. EMDR is structured around safety and readiness. The first two phases — history taking and preparation — help build a treatment plan and equip clients with regulation strategies. This ensures clients aren’t overwhelmed when reprocessing begins. EMDR therapy aligns with the triphasic trauma treatment model: Stabilization, Processing, and Integration. When a client is ready to start reprocessing, we use phases 3 to 6 to activate and process a memory. Closure refers to talk therapy components for debriefing interventions, containing traumatic material, and helping a client regulate before they leave your office. Reevaluation refers to checking in with a client and adjusting the treatment plan as needed.
Will I feel ready to use EMDR after training?
EMDR training includes instruction, demonstration, and practice of core skills. Most therapists begin using EMDR with appropriate clients after Part 1, focusing on case formulation and stabilization. It is expected that participants apply what they’ve learned with clients between training segments. After Part 2, group meetings reinforce the steps and support reprocessing skills.
What support do I get after the training?
Elevate EMDR Academy offers consultation groups and an online community for therapists to ask questions and receive guidance. 10 hours, of case discussions and support in applying the 8 phases of EMDR therapy, are included as part of the full EMDRIA-approved training. Our supportive community helps therapists build confidence and deepen their understanding of EMDR practice.
Can EMDR be delivered online?
Yes. EMDR is effective in telehealth settings using adapted forms of bilateral stimulation (visual, auditory, or tactile). These adaptations are introduced during training and provide guidance on safety, containment, and how to use video platforms effectively. During online trainings, you’ll have the opportunity to practice these skills in online breakout rooms.
Is EMDR evidence-based and recognized by professional bodies?
Yes. EMDR is recognized as an evidence-based treatment for trauma and PTSD by the American Psychological Association (APA), World Health Organization (WHO), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It is supported by over 40 randomized controlled trials and is included in many clinical practice guidelines.
Do I need special tools or equipment to practice EMDR?
No special equipment is required. Many therapists begin with hand movements or tapping. Optional tools like light bars or tactile devices can be used but are not necessary. Effectiveness depends more on following the protocol and maintaining client safety than on equipment.
What if I work with complex trauma, dissociation, or clients with no clear memories?
Part 2 of the training provides guidance for working with clients who present with complex trauma histories. We will discuss how to assess for dissociation, strengthen resourcing, and modify EMDR processing using titration and pacing. EMDR can be adapted for developmental trauma, attachment injuries, and structural dissociation when approached with care and consultation support.