What Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?
By Michelle Dal Cin, BPsych, BPsySc(Hons), MAAPi | Thrive Psychology Services, Burwood NSW
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that helps people recover from trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and other distressing experiences. Rather than relying on talking through a problem in depth, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help your brain reprocess difficult memories so they no longer carry the same emotional charge. It is recommended by the World Health Organisation and backed by over 30 years of clinical research.
Why I Chose to Train in EMDR
When I first learned about EMDR during my psychology training, I was honestly a little sceptical. The idea that moving your eyes from side to side could help resolve deep emotional pain sounded unusual. But the research was compelling, and what I saw when I started using it with clients was even more so.
I went on to complete Level II EMDR training because I saw how it helped people who had been stuck for years. People who had tried other approaches without getting the relief they needed. People who dreaded the idea of having to recount every detail of the worst things that had happened to them. EMDR offered something different, and for many of my clients here in Burwood, it has been genuinely transformative.
How EMDR Works: The Science Behind It
Our brains are wired to process and store experiences in a way that makes sense. When something overwhelming happens, that natural processing system can get disrupted. The memory gets stored in a raw, unprocessed form, complete with all the emotions, physical sensations, and beliefs that were present at the time.
This is why a traumatic memory can feel so vivid and present, even years later. A particular sound, smell, or situation can trigger the memory and your body responds as though the event is happening right now. Your heart races, your muscles tense, and the same fear or helplessness floods back in.
EMDR works by reactivating the brain's natural processing system. During a session, I guide you to hold a distressing memory in mind while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation. This dual attention appears to help the brain "unstick" the memory and file it away properly, the way it would have if the experience had not been overwhelming.
After successful EMDR processing, the memory is still there, but it no longer carries the same emotional weight. You can think about what happened without being pulled back into the distress. Many of my clients in Inner West Sydney describe it as the memory feeling "further away" or "like something that happened, rather than something that is happening."
What Is Bilateral Stimulation?
Bilateral stimulation is the core mechanism that makes EMDR work. It involves rhythmic, alternating stimulation of both sides of the body or visual field. There are three main forms:
Eye movements: You follow my hand or a light bar as it moves from side to side. This is the original and most well-known form of bilateral stimulation in EMDR.
Tactile stimulation: You hold small buzzers or "pulsers" in each hand that alternate gentle vibrations. Some people find this more comfortable than eye movements.
Auditory stimulation: Tones alternate between your left and right ears through headphones.
At Thrive Psychology Services, I use whichever form feels most comfortable for you. There is no evidence that one type works better than another, so it really comes down to your preference.
The current understanding is that bilateral stimulation mimics some aspects of what happens during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is when your brain naturally processes the events of the day. By engaging this process in a guided, therapeutic setting, EMDR helps the brain do what it was trying to do all along.
The 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy
EMDR follows a structured, eight-phase protocol. This structure is one of the things I appreciate most about it, because it means we never jump straight into processing a difficult memory without thorough preparation.
Phase 1: History and treatment planning. We talk about what brought you to therapy, your goals, and which memories or experiences are causing the most difficulty. I get a full picture of your history so we can plan the work together.
Phase 2: Preparation. Before we start any processing, I teach you grounding and calming techniques. These are tools you can use during and between sessions to manage any distress that comes up. This phase is about making sure you feel safe and ready.
Phase 3: Assessment. We identify the specific memory to target and the negative belief connected to it (such as "I am not safe" or "It was my fault"). We also identify the positive belief you would like to hold instead.
Phase 4: Desensitisation. This is where the bilateral stimulation comes in. You hold the target memory in mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation. I guide you through sets of eye movements, taps, or tones, checking in between each set to see what is coming up for you.
Phase 5: Installation. Once the distress connected to the memory has reduced, we strengthen the positive belief you identified earlier. The goal is for this new belief to feel true and natural when you think about the experience.
Phase 6: Body scan. Trauma lives in the body as well as the mind. In this phase, I ask you to think about the memory and notice whether any tension or discomfort remains anywhere in your body. If it does, we do additional bilateral stimulation to address it.
Phase 7: Closure. At the end of every session, I make sure you feel stable and grounded before you leave. If the processing is not fully complete, I will guide you through a calming exercise so you are not leaving in a heightened state.
Phase 8: Re-evaluation. At the start of the next session, we check back in on the target memory. Has the distress stayed low? Have any new memories or associations come up? This helps us decide what to focus on next.
What Does an EMDR Session Actually Look Like?
If you have never experienced EMDR before, you might be wondering what it feels like in practice. Here is what a typical session looks like at my Burwood practice.
You sit comfortably in the therapy room. We check in about how the past week has been and whether anything has come up since our last session. Then we identify the target for today's processing.
I ask you to bring the memory to mind, noticing the image, the negative belief, the emotions, and the physical sensations connected to it. Then we begin bilateral stimulation. You might follow my fingers with your eyes, or hold the buzzers in your hands.
After about 30 seconds of stimulation, I pause and ask, "What do you notice?" You share whatever comes up, whether it is a new image, a thought, an emotion, or a body sensation. There is no right or wrong answer. Then we continue with another set.
The process often moves quite quickly. Clients sometimes describe it as like watching scenery pass by on a train. Memories, thoughts, and feelings surface and then shift. The distress gradually reduces, often faster than people expect.
At the end of the session, we do a body scan and a grounding exercise to make sure you feel settled before heading back out into your day.
How EMDR Is Different from Talk Therapy
One of the most common questions I hear from clients in Burwood and across Inner West Sydney is how EMDR compares to traditional talk therapy. There are a few key differences.
You do not need to talk about your trauma in detail. In many talk-based approaches, recounting the traumatic event is a central part of the process. In EMDR, you hold the memory in mind internally. I do not need to know every detail. This can be a relief for people who find verbal retelling overwhelming or re-traumatising.
EMDR targets the way memories are stored, not just how you think about them. Rather than changing your thoughts through discussion, EMDR works at the level of memory processing itself. The shift often happens on its own as the brain does its work.
Progress can be faster. Because EMDR engages the brain's own processing system, many people find that they reach a resolution point more quickly than they expected. This is especially true when EMDR intensives are used.
Who Can Benefit from EMDR?
EMDR was originally developed in the late 1980s for the treatment of PTSD, and it remains one of the most effective treatments available for post-traumatic stress. But over the past three decades, research has shown that it can help with a much wider range of difficulties, including:
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Complex trauma and developmental trauma
Dissociative disorders
Anxiety and panic attacks
Phobias
Grief and loss
Performance anxiety
Chronic pain linked to traumatic experiences
Distressing life events (accidents, medical procedures, relationship breakdowns)
At Thrive Psychology Services, I work with adults experiencing these difficulties, with a particular focus on PTSD, complex trauma, dissociative disorders, and anxiety.
EMDR Intensives: A Faster Path Through Trauma Processing
Standard EMDR sessions run for 50 minutes, and that works well for many people. But some clients find that just as they are getting into the processing, the session ends. Starting and stopping can sometimes make the process feel slower or harder than it needs to be.
That is where EMDR intensives come in. An intensive session runs for 90 minutes to 4 hours, giving your brain the extended time it needs to fully process a memory or cluster of memories in a single sitting.
Intensives can be particularly helpful if you:
Want to make progress more quickly
Find it difficult to attend therapy every week due to work, travel, or family commitments
Feel frustrated by the stop-start nature of weekly sessions
Are preparing for a specific event (such as a court hearing or medical procedure) and need support in a shorter timeframe
Have done preparation work in standard sessions and are ready to dive deeper into processing
I offer EMDR intensives at my Burwood practice for clients who are ready for this approach. We always begin with at least one or two standard sessions to complete the preparation phases and make sure that the intensive format is the right fit for you.
Getting Started with EMDR in Burwood
If you are considering EMDR therapy, the first step is to book an initial session where we can talk about what is going on for you and whether EMDR is a good fit. Not everyone needs EMDR, and part of my role is to help you find the approach that will work best for your situation.
Thrive Psychology Services is located at Suite E, Level 2, 9 Burwood Road, Burwood, in the Inner West of Sydney. I see clients in person and offer standard sessions (50 minutes, $220), extended sessions (90 minutes, $315), and EMDR intensives of up to 4 hours. A Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP may entitle you to a Medicare rebate.
You can call me on 0410 377 797 or visit thrivepsychologyservices.com.au to get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Therapy
How long does EMDR therapy take to work?
Many people notice a shift within the first few sessions, though the total number of sessions depends on the complexity of what you are working through. A single traumatic event may resolve in 6 to 12 sessions. Complex trauma or multiple experiences often require a longer course of treatment. EMDR intensives, where sessions run for 2 to 4 hours, can accelerate progress significantly compared to standard weekly sessions.
Is EMDR therapy safe?
Yes. EMDR is recognised as a safe and effective treatment by the World Health Organisation, the Australian Psychological Society, and the American Psychological Association. Side effects are generally mild and temporary. Some people feel tired after a session or notice vivid dreams in the days that follow. Your psychologist will check in with you throughout the process to make sure you feel supported and grounded.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail during EMDR?
No. One of the things that makes EMDR different from traditional talk therapy is that you do not need to describe your traumatic experience in extensive detail. You hold the memory in mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation, but the focus is on your internal processing rather than retelling the story out loud. Many people find this less distressing than approaches that require detailed verbal accounts.
What conditions does EMDR treat?
EMDR was originally developed for PTSD but is now used for a wide range of conditions including complex trauma, anxiety disorders, phobias, panic attacks, grief, dissociative disorders, chronic pain, and performance anxiety. Research continues to expand the applications. At Thrive Psychology Services in Burwood, EMDR is used alongside other evidence-based approaches to support recovery from trauma and anxiety-related difficulties.
What is bilateral stimulation in EMDR?
Bilateral stimulation is a rhythmic, side-to-side sensory input that activates both hemispheres of the brain. It can involve following your psychologist's hand movements with your eyes, holding small buzzers that alternate gentle vibrations between your hands, or listening to tones that alternate between your ears. This stimulation appears to help the brain reprocess distressing memories so they lose their emotional intensity.
What are EMDR intensives and are they available in Burwood?
EMDR intensives are extended therapy sessions lasting 2 to 4 hours, designed to allow deeper processing in a single sitting. They can be especially helpful for people who want to make faster progress, who find it difficult to attend weekly sessions, or who feel that standard 50-minute sessions end just as they are getting into the work. Thrive Psychology Services in Burwood offers EMDR intensives as part of its trauma-focused services.
How much does EMDR therapy cost in Sydney?
At Thrive Psychology Services, a standard 50-minute EMDR session is $220 and an extended 90-minute session is $315. EMDR intensives of up to 4 hours are also available and priced accordingly. Medicare rebates may be available with a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP. Private health insurance may also provide a rebate depending on your level of cover.
