Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro that helps people process and integrate traumatic memories. Rather than talking through the trauma directly, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (typically guided eye movements, or like I personally use tap on my shoulders) while the person holds a distressing memory in mind, until the emotional charge around it decreases.
The underlying model is that trauma symptoms persist because memories weren’t fully processed at the time. They remain “stuck” with the original emotions, beliefs, and bodily sensations attached, and get retriggered as if the event is still happening. EMDR works by helping the brain reprocess those memories so they can be stored as past rather than present.
A great book that describe it great is The Body Keeps the Score.
Related concepts
- Internal Family Systems: IFS and EMDR are often used together (IFS to identify and work with parts, EMDR to help process the memories those parts carry)