What Is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a research-backed therapeutic approach that helps people process traumatic or overwhelming memories.
EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which proposes that the brain is designed to heal itself under the right conditions — much like a cut that closes and repairs when properly cleaned and bandaged.
This post explains the theory and the 8 Phases of EMDR.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR activates the brain’s Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) system. The AIP system helps us make sense of new experiences and integrate them into our broader memory network.
Imagine your brain is a well-organized filing cabinet that stores all the information that you’ve learned throughout your life. Under normal conditions, the AIP system lets you sort through your memories and experiences and file them away appropriately.
How Traumatic Memories Disrupt the AIP Model
When we go through a traumatic event, the AIP system is interrupted, and that experience may become “stuck.” A traumatic memory is “stuck” when it resists being filed into this system.
A stuck memory is like a file so hot it burns your hand whenever you try to pick it up. When you try to approach it and file it away, you’re blocked by painful emotions, negative beliefs about yourself, or intense somatic reactions.
You want to sort the stuck memory and put it away, but its painful intensity prevents you from doing that. So it stays open on the floor, ready to be “stepped on” — showing up as nightmares, flashbacks, and/or emotional triggers.
I haven’t experienced trauma. Can EMDR still help me?
How Does an EMDR Therapist Help You Process Traumatic Memories?
During EMDR, a therapist guides clients in:
Activating the memory: Bringing the “hot file” to the forefront
Using bilateral stimulation (BLS): Left-right movements such as eye movements, alternating buzzers, audio tones, or tapping
Noticing what emerges: Images, emotions, sensations, beliefs
This process gradually “turns down the heat” on the memory, making it easier to pick up, sort through, and file away.
For example, someone who begins with a painful memory of being shamed by a teacher might initially feel intense anxiety and believe, “I’m stupid.” After reprocessing, they may be able to view the memory calmly and think, “I was a good kid. My teacher handled that poorly.”
What Are the 8 Phases of EMDR?
EMDR consists of 8 phases. Here is a closer look at the phases of EMDR and why they are important:
Phase 1: History-Taking and Treatment Planning
The therapist and client explore which past experiences are relevant to the client's present symptoms and develop a plan to reprocess them.
Exploration can be done through talk therapy and various EMDR techniques, such as a “floatback.”
Phase 2: Preparation
Phase 2 builds readiness and safety. Clients learn about EMDR, build coping tools, choose a form of bilateral stimulation, and set a "stop" signal to use if reprocessing feels too intense.
Phase 3: Assessment
The therapist activates the memory network by asking questions such as:
What was the worst moment of this memory?
What negative belief about yourself goes with this memory?
What emotions or body sensations come up?
How distressing does the memory feel in this moment on a scale from 0 (no distress at all) to 10 (the worst distress imaginable)?
Phase 4: Desensitization
Rapid sets of bilateral stimulation help reduce distress associated with the memory.
Sometimes distress initially increases as the “hot file” is picked up, but over time it should decrease. Many clients report that the memory eventually feels neutral.
Phase 5: Installation
The therapist helps strengthen a positive belief connected to the memory (for example, “It wasn’t my fault”) and pairs it with bilateral stimulation to fully integrate it.
Phase 6: Body Scan
The therapist helps the client check for and release any remaining physical tension linked to the memory — for example, lingering tightness in the jaw.
Phase 7: Closure
If reprocessing is complete, this phase focuses on grounding and integrating progress.
If the memory is still “open,” closure helps clients return to everyday life safely and with stability.
Phase 8: Reevaluation
At the next session, the therapist and client review the target memory again to see how it feels now and determine the next steps.
Why the 8 Phases of EMDR Matter
These phases ensure that EMDR is safe, structured, and appropriately paced. The phases aren’t always linear. A client might begin desensitization (Phase 4) and discover more preparation is needed, prompting a return to Phase 2 to strengthen skills for managing distress.
This means that EMDR is not a one-size-fits-all approach. A skilled therapist matches the style and pace to the client’s needs.
If you’d like to learn more about EMDR therapy with me, please schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
