Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy that helps people recover from the emotional effects of trauma and distressing life experiences. It uses the brain’s natural capacity for healing to reduce the intensity of painful memories and change the way those memories are stored and understood.
When something overwhelming happens, the brain doesn’t always process the event properly. Instead, memories can become “stuck,” along with the emotions, sensations, and beliefs experienced at the time. EMDR activates the brain’s adaptive processing system, helping those memories integrate in a more balanced way.
As this happens, the meaning associated with the memory begins to change. For example, people often find their perspective changes from feeling stuck in the past to recognising their strength and sense of safety in the present.
How EMDR Works
During EMDR, a therapist gently guides you to bring aspects of a distressing memory to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as rhythmic eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds. This dual attention helps the brain reprocess stored information, connecting it with new, more helpful perspectives.
You remain fully alert and in control throughout.
EMDR doesn’t require talking in detail about what happened, instead, it allows the brain and body to naturally release what’s been held onto.
As therapy progresses, many people find that memories which once felt vivid and painful lose their emotional charge. The memories remain, but they are experienced with less distress and greater understanding, allowing new meaning and self-belief to develop.
What to Expect
At Psychology Centre Newcastle, EMDR is delivered by therapists trained in this effective, neuroscience-informed approach. Sessions are structured, safe, and paced according to your comfort and readiness. Therapy begins by building strong grounding and emotional regulation skills, ensuring you feel steady before any memory processing begins. When reprocessing occurs, it takes place gradually and under close support, allowing the brain to integrate past experiences at a pace that feels manageable.
EMDR can be adapted for adults, teenagers, and children, and is effective for both single-event trauma and ongoing emotional difficulties.
What EMDR Can Help With
EMDR is well-supported by research for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is also highly effective for a range of other concerns, including:
Childhood or relational trauma
Anxiety and panic attacks
Low self-esteem and self-criticism
Shame, guilt, or self-blame
Complicated grief and loss
Chronic pain linked to stress or trauma
Burnout and vicarious trauma
Because EMDR works directly with how the brain encodes emotional experiences, it can be helpful whenever memories or beliefs continue to shape current emotions, reactions, or self-perception, even when the person can’t identify a single traumatic event.
The Benefits of EMDR
People who complete EMDR often report:
Significant relief from trauma-related distress
Reduced anxiety, flashbacks, or nightmares
Improved concentration, sleep, and mood
Less emotional reactivity to reminders of the past
A shift toward healthier, more adaptive self-beliefs
Greater confidence, calm, and resilience
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR helps the brain reprocess both the memory and its emotional meaning, creating lasting change through the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
At Psychology Centre Newcastle, EMDR represents a modern, neuroscience-informed approach to trauma treatment. It helps people release the emotional hold of past experiences and transform the meaning those memories carry, empowering them to move forward with confidence and emotional freedom.
