Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can leave you feeling as though part of you is still living through something that has already ended. You may know intellectually that you are safe, yet your body and nervous system continue to respond as if the danger is happening now.
A sound, smell, place or unexpected reminder can trigger intense fear, physical sensations, intrusive memories or a feeling of being pulled back into the original experience. Other people may avoid anything connected to what happened or feel emotionally numb and disconnected.
EMDR therapy is an evidence-based treatment designed to help the brain process traumatic memories so they no longer have the same hold over the present.
The aim is not to erase what happened or convince you that it did not matter. EMDR helps the memory become something you can remember without feeling as though you are experiencing it all over again.
What is PTSD?
PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing an event that felt frightening, dangerous, overwhelming or inescapable.
Experiences associated with PTSD may include:
Physical or sexual assault
Abuse or domestic violence
Road traffic accidents
Medical trauma
Traumatic childbirth
Sudden or traumatic bereavement
Military combat
Workplace incidents
Serious illness
Natural disasters
Witnessing death or serious injury
Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD. People respond to frightening experiences differently, and developing PTSD is not a sign of weakness or an inability to cope.
Symptoms may begin shortly after an event, but they can also emerge months or even years later. Sometimes a later experience, loss or period of stress brings older traumatic memories closer to the surface.
Considering EMDR Therapy?
I offer EMDR therapy face-to-face in Swansea and online, including longer EMDR intensives. Find out more about my approach and the EMDR therapy I offer.
Find Out About EMDR TherapyWhat are the symptoms of PTSD?
PTSD does not look exactly the same for everyone. However, symptoms commonly fall into several groups.
Reliving the experience
You may experience:
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Intrusive images or memories
- Sudden physical reactions to reminders
- Feeling as though the event is happening again
- Intense emotional distress when triggered
Avoidance and emotional numbing
You may avoid:
- People or places connected to the trauma
- Talking or thinking about what happened
- News, films or conversations that remind you of it
- Activities that once felt enjoyable
- Emotional or physical closeness with other people
Avoidance can bring temporary relief, but it may gradually make life smaller and strengthen the sense that reminders of the trauma are dangerous.
Feeling constantly on alert
PTSD can keep the nervous system prepared for further danger. This may lead to:
- Difficulty relaxing
- Irritability or anger
- Problems sleeping
- Being easily startled
- Difficulty concentrating
- Constantly scanning for danger
- Feeling unsafe even in familiar surroundings
Changes in thoughts and beliefs
Trauma can also affect how you see yourself, other people and the world. You may find yourself believing:
- “I am not safe.”
- “I should have stopped it.”
- “It was my fault.”
- “I am powerless.”
- “I cannot trust anyone.”
- “Something bad will happen again.”
These beliefs can remain emotionally convincing even when another part of you knows they are unfair or no longer accurate.
How does EMDR help with PTSD?
Most experiences are processed naturally by the brain and stored as memories of something that happened in the past.
When an experience is overwhelmingly frightening, this processing can be disrupted. The memory may remain connected to the original images, emotions, physical sensations and beliefs. Later reminders can then activate the memory network, causing the body to respond as though the threat has returned.
EMDR uses a structured process to help the brain revisit and reprocess these memories.
During processing, you briefly focus on aspects of a traumatic memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation. This may involve guided eye movements, alternating sounds or gentle tapping.
Over time, the memory may become:
- Less vivid or intrusive
- Less emotionally overwhelming
- Easier to think about
- Less likely to trigger an intense physical response
- More clearly connected to the past
- Less closely tied to negative beliefs about yourself
You still remember what happened. The difference is that remembering it may no longer produce the same feeling of immediate danger.
You can learn more about the overall approach in my guide to EMDR therapy and how it works.
Is EMDR Recommended for PTSD
Yes. EMDR is one of the most established psychological treatments for PTSD.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends EMDR as a treatment for adults with PTSD or clinically important symptoms of PTSD in appropriate circumstances.
The World Health Organization also identifies EMDR as one of the psychological treatments with the strongest evidence for PTSD.
However, evidence that a therapy can be effective does not mean it will be the right treatment for every person at every point in their life. A proper assessment is needed to consider your symptoms, history, present circumstances, emotional stability and available support.
What happens during EMDR therapy for PTSD?
EMDR does not usually begin with immediately asking you to focus on your most distressing memory.
The early stages involve understanding what you are experiencing, how PTSD is affecting your life and what you would like to change. Your therapist will also explain the process and help you develop ways to remain connected to the present when difficult feelings arise.
When you are ready to begin processing, you and your therapist will identify a particular memory or “target”. You may be asked to notice:
- An image associated with the memory
- A negative belief about yourself
- The emotions that arise
- Physical sensations in your body
- How distressing the memory feels
- What you would prefer to believe about yourself now
You will then focus briefly on the memory while following sets of bilateral stimulation. After each set, the therapist will pause and ask what you notice.
You do not need to force anything to happen or analyse every thought. Images, emotions, sensations or related memories may emerge naturally as processing continues.
For a fuller explanation, read What Happens in an EMDR Session?
Will I have to describe the trauma in detail?
Your therapist needs enough information to understand what you are experiencing and guide the treatment safely. However, EMDR does not generally require you to give a lengthy or graphic verbal description of everything that happened.
Some people find this helpful when talking about the event feels difficult, shameful or overwhelming. You remain in control of how much detail you share.
EMDR is still trauma-focused therapy, though. You will need to bring aspects of the experience to mind during processing, but this should happen gradually and with appropriate preparation.
Can EMDR help after more than one traumatic experience?
Yes, although treatment may be more complex when someone has experienced repeated, prolonged or childhood trauma.
A single traumatic incident may have one clearly identifiable starting point. Repeated trauma can involve several connected memories, current triggers, relationship patterns and deeply held beliefs.
In these circumstances, more time may be needed for:
- Assessment and treatment planning
- Developing emotional regulation skills
- Establishing a sense of safety
- Identifying which memories to address first
- Working through connected experiences
- Reviewing how changes affect everyday life
Needing more preparation is not a failure, nor does it mean EMDR cannot help. Responsible treatment should be adapted to the person rather than rushed to fit a predetermined schedule.
If your difficulties relate to earlier experiences, you may also find my article on EMDR for childhood trauma helpful.
Can EMDR make PTSD symptoms worse?
Working with traumatic memories can temporarily bring up emotions, dreams, physical sensations or related memories. Some people feel tired or emotionally sensitive following a processing session.
This is different from assuming that becoming completely overwhelmed is necessary for treatment to work. It is not.
EMDR should be carefully paced. Your therapist should monitor how you are responding, help you remain connected to the present and adjust the process when necessary.
You can pause at any time. EMDR is not hypnosis, and you remain awake, aware and in control throughout the session.
You can read more about this in:
Looking for the Best EMDR Books?
Explore recommended EMDR books, from beginner-friendly introductions to trusted clinical guides for therapists and counselling students.
Explore Recommended EMDR BooksHow long does EMDR take for PTSD?
There is no single number of sessions that applies to everyone.
The length of therapy may be influenced by:
- Whether the trauma involved one event or repeated experiences
- How long symptoms have been present
- The number of memories involved
- Current stress and life circumstances
- Other emotional or mental health difficulties
- How you respond to processing
- The amount of preparation and stabilisation needed
A relatively recent, single-incident trauma may require less treatment than repeated trauma involving several periods of life. However, a therapist cannot responsibly predict an exact number of sessions without first completing an assessment.
Is EMDR for PTSD right for me?
EMDR may be worth considering if traumatic memories, flashbacks, triggers, avoidance or a persistent sense of danger continue to affect your life.
It may be particularly suitable if you understand what happened intellectually but still feel emotionally or physically trapped in the experience.
Before treatment begins, an EMDR therapist should consider your current wellbeing, safety, support, coping resources and therapy goals. Sometimes processing can begin relatively quickly. At other times, it is better to spend longer preparing or to consider a different therapeutic approach.
My guide, Is EMDR Right for Me?, explores these considerations in more detail.
A therapist’s perspective
As an accredited psychotherapist specialising in trauma, I know that people often arrive believing they should have “got over” what happened by now.
PTSD is not a choice, a weakness or a refusal to move forward. It reflects the way the mind and body have responded to an experience that felt overwhelming.
EMDR offers a structured way of helping traumatic memories become part of your history rather than something your nervous system must continue reacting to in the present. The work should always be collaborative, carefully paced and adapted to you.
I offer EMDR therapy face-to-face in Swansea and online. You can learn more about my experience and approach on my EMDR therapist page.
