A quantitative review or a—study of studies—of the EMDR research, showed that EMDR therapy is beneficial for both adults and children. 98 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the gold standard design of studies, published before 2021, were reviewed. The results suggest that EMDR therapy and cognitive processing therapy are the most effective at diminishing trauma and PTSD symptoms over the short and long term (for at least six months).

A noteworthy benefit that EMDR therapy has compared to other trauma treatments is that clients are not required to disclose the specific details of their traumas, which can be retraumatizing. Additionally, immense shame typically accompanies trauma, which makes it difficult for trauma survivors to discuss.

Trauma survivors often struggle with other mental health challenges concurrently. EMDR therapy has significant research support for reducing complex trauma (C-PTSD), anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, and psychosis, and with improving self-worth.

Unlike other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, better known as CBT, EMDR therapy does not require homework between weekly sessions.

According to the research, people who have experienced multiple traumas, tend to have their symptoms significantly reduced or extinguished between an average of eight to 12 reprocessing sessions. In other words, they are no longer diagnosed with PTSD.

I will have at least a few stabilization phase sessions with clients before we begin reprocessing their traumas with EMDR therapy. The amount of stabilization phase sessions varies per client based on a host of factors, which would be clinically assessed. These sessions mitigate the risk of harm from the extreme emotional dysregulation that may emerge—during and after—reprocessing sessions. Reprocessing sessions can be overwhelming because we are deliberately activating traumatic stress or traumatic memories to work through.

I tend to use somatic therapy during the stabilization phase because, from my clinical experience, most clients find it is easier to learn and practice regulating their emotions and connecting to their physical sensations than with EMDR therapy alone. As a result, clients strengthen their nervous systems to better tolerate the reprocessing of their traumas with EMDR therapy.