Written by Dr Elena Maritan, Consultant Psychiatrist. Last reviewed: 16 September 2026
EMDR is described online in a way that makes it sound stranger than it is. Eye movements, bilateral stimulation, reprocessing. If you have been told it might help you, you deserve a straightforward account of what you would actually be doing in the room.
The short version
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a structured therapy for distressing memories. You bring a specific memory to mind while doing something that occupies part of your attention, usually following the therapist’s hand with your eyes, or tapping alternately on each side of your body. You do this in short sets, and between each set the therapist asks what came up.
Over repeated sets, the memory tends to lose its charge. It does not disappear. You still know what happened. It stops hijacking you when something reminds you of it.
It is eight phases, not one technique
This is the part most descriptions leave out, and it is why people are surprised by how long the early sessions take.
History and planning. The therapist works out what happened, what is troubling you now, and which memories to target. This is not a formality and it can take more than one session.
Preparation. You learn ways to settle yourself and stop mid session if you need to. Nobody starts processing until you can do this. If a therapist skips this stage, that is a red flag.
Assessment. You identify a specific image from the memory, the belief about yourself that goes with it, and where you feel it in your body. You rate the distress out of ten.
Desensitisation. The processing itself. Short sets, a pause, a question: what do you notice now. Then another set. The therapist mostly stays out of the way.
Installation. Strengthening a more accurate belief about yourself in relation to what happened.
Body scan. Checking whether any physical tension remains attached to the memory.
Closure. Every session ends in a settled state, whether or not the processing finished.
Re evaluation. The next session starts by checking what has held.
What it feels like
Most people find the first processing session strange for about five minutes and then unremarkable. You are not hypnotised, you are not asleep, and you remain in control throughout. You can stop at any point, and you will have been given a way to signal that before you start.
Emotion can come up quickly, and sometimes quite strongly. That is expected. The preparation phase exists so that you have somewhere to put it.
You do not have to describe the memory in detail out loud. That surprises people, and for some it is the reason EMDR is tolerable when talking therapies have not been.
Some people feel tired afterwards. Some notice more dreams for a few nights. It usually settles within a day or two.
How long it takes
A single incident, in an otherwise stable adult, can sometimes be processed in a handful of sessions after preparation.
Repeated or prolonged trauma, particularly in childhood, takes considerably longer, and the preparation phase is a larger part of the work. Anyone who promises a fixed number of sessions before assessing you is guessing.
Who it helps
The strongest evidence is in post traumatic stress disorder, where it is a recommended treatment. It is also used for other difficulties rooted in distressing experience, including some phobias and some forms of anxiety.
It is not a general purpose therapy for everything, and it is not always the right starting point. If you are in an unsafe situation now, or things are very unstable, the sequencing of treatment matters and a proper assessment should come first.
Getting an EMDR assessment
Our therapists are trained in EMDR and work in South Hampstead and online. An initial assessment establishes whether EMDR is the right approach for you, and if it is not, we will tell you what is.
Please contact us for fees. They depend on the clinician and whether the work is for an adult or a child.
Book an appointment
South Hampstead, London NW3, or online. We aim to offer an initial appointment within one week.
We operate a callback system. Send us your details through the contact form and we will call you back.
The Coach House, 39 College Crescent, South Hampstead, London NW3 5LB
Frequently asked questions
What actually happens in an EMDR session? You bring a specific memory to mind while following the therapist hand with your eyes or tapping alternately, in short sets. Between sets the therapist asks what came up. Over repeated sets the memory tends to lose its charge.
Does EMDR hurt or feel strange? Most people find the first processing session strange for a few minutes and then unremarkable. You are not hypnotised, you stay in control, and you can stop at any point.
How many EMDR sessions will I need? A single incident can sometimes be processed in a handful of sessions after preparation. Repeated or prolonged trauma takes considerably longer. Anyone promising a fixed number before assessing you is guessing.