What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a structured therapeutic approach that helps people work through experiences that continue to have an emotional impact, often in ways that are not fully conscious.
From a psychodynamic perspective, we understand that some experiences are too overwhelming to be processed at the time they occur. Instead of being integrated into our wider sense of self, they may remain held in the mind and body as unprocessed emotional material, shaping how we feel, think, and relate to others in the present.
EMDR offers a way of gently revisiting these experiences so they can be processed more fully.
How EMDR works
In EMDR, you are invited to hold aspects of an experience in mind — such as an image, a feeling, or a bodily sensation — while at the same time engaging in a form of bilateral stimulation, most commonly through guided eye movements or gentle tapping.
This alternating stimulation supports the mind’s natural capacity to process emotional material. As the experience is held in awareness, it often begins to shift — becoming less intense, less immediate, and more clearly located in the past rather than the present.
You do not need to describe the experience in detail unless you wish to. Much of the work takes place internally, as the mind makes new connections and integrates what had previously felt overwhelming or fragmented.
What changes through EMDR
As processing unfolds, emotional responses linked to the experience often soften. Meanings or beliefs that developed at the time — for example “I am not safe” or “Something is wrong with me” — can begin to loosen, making room for more nuanced understanding.
From a psychodynamic standpoint, this can be experienced as previously unformulated material becoming thinkable. Clients often notice:
-
A reduction in emotional or bodily reactivity
-
Greater emotional distance from the experience
-
Increased flexibility in thoughts and feelings
-
More choice in how they respond in relationships and daily life
The aim is not to remove memories, but to allow them to be held in mind without overwhelming the present.
EMDR alongside counselling
When used alongside counselling, EMDR can support the processing of experiences that may otherwise remain difficult to think about or symbolise through words alone.
Talking therapy provides a space to explore meaning, relationships, and unconscious patterns; EMDR can help loosen the emotional intensity of particular experiences, making them more available for reflection and understanding. Together, these approaches can support both emotional processing and psychological insight.