EMDR & Trauma Therapy

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.

It is an evidence-based psychotherapy designed to help the brain process distressing or traumatic experiences that have become "stuck" and continue to influence the present.

Normally, our brains process experiences and integrate them into our broader memory. We remember what happened, but the experience no longer feels as though it is happening now.

Following trauma or overwhelming experiences, that processing can sometimes be disrupted.

A memory may continue to carry the emotions, physical sensations and beliefs that were present when the experience occurred.

EMDR aims to help the brain process this information so that the experience becomes something that happened then, rather than something your mind and body continue to respond to as though it is happening now.

EMDR is a structured therapy that occurs across a number of phases.

Before beginning memory processing, we spend time understanding your experiences, identifying what you would like to work on, and making sure you have strategies to manage difficult emotions that might arise.

When we begin processing, you will be asked to briefly bring aspects of a memory or experience to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation.

This is often done using guided eye movements, although other forms of alternating left-right stimulation can also be used.

The aim isn't to erase the memory or make you forget what happened.

Instead, EMDR helps your brain process the experience differently so that the memory becomes less distressing and has less power over how you feel and respond today.

No.

You don't necessarily need to describe every detail of a traumatic experience for EMDR to be effective.

I need enough information to understand what we're working with and to ensure that we're approaching the work safely, but you remain in control of what you choose to share.

For some people, knowing they don't need to repeatedly describe traumatic experiences in detail makes EMDR feel more approachable than they expected.

Not necessarily.

Trauma therapy should not be a race to get to the traumatic memory.

Before processing, we may spend time understanding your nervous system, recognising triggers, developing emotional regulation strategies, strengthening resources and establishing a sense of safety.

Some people are ready to begin processing relatively quickly. Others benefit from spending considerably longer preparing.

Both are okay.

The pace of therapy should be determined by what you need rather than by a predetermined timeline.

EMDR is particularly well established as a treatment for post-traumatic stress and trauma-related difficulties.

It can also be useful when distressing past experiences continue to influence present-day beliefs, emotions, relationships or behaviours.

Rather than deciding in advance that EMDR is the right treatment, we will consider your experiences, goals and circumstances together and determine whether it is an appropriate approach for you.

EMDR is an important part of my trauma work, but trauma therapy isn't always EMDR.

Sometimes the work involves understanding what has happened and how it has affected you. Sometimes it involves learning to recognise and regulate your nervous system, understanding patterns that once helped you survive, developing a different relationship with yourself, or gradually rebuilding a sense of safety and trust.

I draw on EMDR alongside other trauma-informed approaches, including Internal Family Systems (IFS) informed work, psychoeducation, emotional regulation strategies and narrative approaches.

The goal isn't simply to reduce symptoms. It's to help you understand why your responses developed, process experiences that continue to affect you, and create greater freedom in how you respond to life now.

I am an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with a particular clinical interest in trauma and EMDR therapy.

I am also an approved counselling provider under the National Redress Scheme and am listed with Trauma Support Providers.

I work with young people aged 12 and above and adults seeking support with trauma and difficult life experiences.

You don't need to know whether what you experienced "counts" as trauma before making contact. We can start with what is happening for you now and work from there.