Misconceptions About EMDR

Therapy vs. Reality (Told by an EMDR Therapist)

If you’ve thought about starting therapy or spent more than about 5 minutes on mental health TikTok, you’ve probably heard of EMDR! EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based therapy that was originally designed for PTSD and has been around since the late 1980s. Since then, the practice of EMDR has expanded significantly, and it has gotten pretty popular. And with popularity comes a lot of misinformation! We’re here to break down some of the myths and misconceptions about EMDR and give you some info about what this wonderful therapy is and how it may be able to support you. 

First Off…What is EMDR?

As we mentioned, EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR is partly based on the principle of bilateral stimulation (BLS), which means one hemisphere of the brain is stimulated, then the other, back and forth. Since each half of our bodies is connected to specific brain hemispheres, what BLS means in the real world is simply stimulating one side of our bodies, then the other, back and forth. BLS has been shown to reduce distress, have a distancing effect (meaning distress feels smaller or further away), and promote relaxation. Have you ever felt like you could work through emotions better while taking a walk? That’s because walking is a form of  BLS! Overall, it’s much simpler than it sounds. In EMDR therapy, there are three main ways therapists use BLS: eye movements, auditory (headphones that beep back and forth), and tappers that pulse in the client’s hand back and forth. Nothing about EMDR is invasive or involves electric stimulation of any kind. 

While engaging in BLS, the therapist helps the client process specific aspects of past events that are connected to the reason they’re in therapy, using a structured method. EMDR focuses on the concept that we often think of events as traumatic because of how those events made us think and feel about ourselves and our world. Going through EMDR helps you change those beliefs and find healthy ways to move forward. 

While there’s much more to learn about EMDR, I hope that gives you the basics! Now, let’s hit those myths. 

Myth 1: You Need X Amount of EMDR Sessions

Before beginning EMDR, it’s really common for therapy seekers to ask the therapist, “How many sessions will I need?” It’s an understandable question, but one that is impossible to answer! Many people find that they are able to make progress with EMDR that previously felt out of reach with other types of therapy. Others would say that EMDR has helped them make progress more quickly. Both can be true, but still, EMDR is generally not a short-term therapy. Your therapist will work with you to identify the key points of your distress and help you process them, using EMDR, in the most effective way possible. That varies hugely from one person to another. It’s incredibly difficult to predict what the timeline will be. 

Myth 2: EMDR Erases Memories

EMDR does not erase memories. Many people who have done EMDR state that difficult memories begin to feel fuzzier over time as if the painful heat has been taken out of them.  While this can be a welcome side effect of EMDR and particularly of BLS, we do not erase anyone’s memories. Rather, part of the therapy is consciously deciding to relate to old memories in new ways.

Myth 3: You Start EMDR on Day 1

The process of EMDR therapy starts much like many other forms of therapy. Your therapist will want to get to know you better, build some trust with you, and get a deeper understanding of all the things in your life that have led up to why you’re seeking therapy now. You may have several sessions of what feels like “normal” talk therapy before starting the desensitization and reprocessing part of EMDR. However, these early sessions are actually a key part of EMDR! The therapy actually has 8 phases, and only a few of them involve BLS. The rest of the phases are laying a key foundation to help you work through EMDR more successfully. So in a sense, this myth is true. You do start EMDR on Day 1. But you don’t start the eye movements until later, and that is very intentional.

Myth 4: EMDR is Only for PTSD

EMDR was originally researched as a treatment for PTSD but has since expanded widely. Over time, practitioners and researchers have found it beneficial for clients experiencing things like anxiety, depression, grief, phobias, chronic illness and pain, and many different forms of trauma. Like other forms of science, psychology and neuroscience research is always changing. So the more we learn about the brain and psychology, the more ways we learn how to apply EMDR. 

Myth 5: You Don’t Have to Talk in EMDR

This myth comes from the often pleasant surprise that EMDR doesn’t have to involve as much verbal and emotional processing as some forms of therapy, but it’s still a misconception. You still have to talk, unless your therapist is also a mind reader ;) 

The reason why EMDR can feel less overly verbal is because we are also integrating physical and emotional experiences. As you go through the process, you may recognize differences in what you’re thinking, feeling, or experiencing, and you often don’t have to verbalize all of those to your therapist in the moment. That can be a really helpful and freeing aspect of EMDR, especially for those who struggle with expressing their emotions, or who feel overwhelmed when trying to describe what happened to them. EMDR can help you heal and move forward without reliving the experience over and over. 

Myth 6: EMDR is a Version of Hypnosis

Nope, it’s quite different! During hypnotherapy, a clinician will intentionally help you get into an altered state of consciousness to achieve a particular goal. 

In EMDR, you are fully conscious and in control the whole time. EMDR is more about noticing and observing what you’re experiencing, and your therapist will help guide you through the process without influencing the direction you’re going in. 

Myth 7: EMDR Can Make Things Worse

Generally, if one’s symptoms start to feel worse, the desensitization part of EMDR was probably started too soon. This is one reason why we go through those foundational, talk therapy stages first! Those phases of therapy help you build coping skills, grounding skills, and relaxation tools to manage any difficult sensations or emotions that come up as part of EMDR. Your therapist should help you identify and practice useful skills. If they truly do try to just jump into BLS on Day 1, most likely they haven’t been properly trained in EMDR, and you should work with someone else! 

Myth 8: EMDR Can Create False Memories

EMDR can’t create false memories, and it’s ultimately an irrelevant concern. The goal of EMDR is not to verify what happened to you, but rather to process how what happened to you has affected the way you interact in the world now. And so identifying which memories are true and which memories are false isn’t really part of the equation. 

EMDR is primarily focused on helping you process information about past events that have affected you, and help you find ways to feel safe and adapted in the present. This could include full and vivid memories, pieces of memories, perceptions, feelings, body sensations, and many other things. 

What if EMDR Therapy Sounds Like It Would Help Me?

I’m so glad to hear that! EMDR is an incredible therapy that has helped tens of thousands of people all over the world, and as an EMDR therapist, I’m passionate about supporting my clients with this powerful tool. 

If you’re looking for support in the Denver area, our team of therapists is here to help! You can read more about EMDR therapy for trauma and/or contact us to schedule an appointment.