04/22/2026
Did you know that Sage offers EMDR Therapy? We now have 3 providers who are certified in this effective therapy. Learn more about EMDR here:
What Does EMDR Stand For?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy.
What Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?
EMDR is a psychotherapy treatment designed to relieve and alleviate the distress caused by traumatic memories.
The process works by manipulating an adaptive information processing model (side-to-side eye movements) to ‘reprocess’ disturbing memories, helping you heal and move past them.
What Happens to Your Brain During EMDR?
During EMDR, bilateral stimulation is used to engage both sides of the brain, targeting how traumatic memories are stored.
EMDR therapy works by helping the two sides of the brain communicate with each other. This includes the left side of the brain and the right side.
By targeting how traumatic memories are stored, it forces the brain to process the memory properly.
Eventually, this allows one to remember traumatic events without being forced to experience the full intense and emotional reaction as though it were a fresh memory.
EMDR may also impact the brain in other ways, such as:
Side-to-side eye movements help the brain to consolidate memories like it would naturally during REM sleep.
Stimulating the brain region called the thalamus may cause cognitive processes that allow more refined control over emotional distress.
Does EMDR Work?
EMDR has been shown to have an immediate positive effect on clients in reducing their distress due to trauma-related disorders.
Is EMDR Evidence Based?
Yes, EMDR has been involved in numerous studies to test its effectiveness with repeatable results.
Though EMDR is not as researched as more commonly known therapies, results are promising, with many mental health care professionals endorsing its use to qualified clients.
It is recognized as an evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, and other trauma-based disorders in treatment guidelines published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other mental health care organizations, such as the American Psychological Association.
