EMDR Therapy in the UK: What It Is and How to Find a Therapist

The NHS describes EMDR as a treatment where eye movements are used to help process traumatic memories. Mind explains that you remember a distressing event while, usually, moving your eyes from side to side. Some EMDR uses sounds, tapping or flashing lights instead. Mind also says it is not the same as hypnosis, you are in control and you can stop the treatment if you need to. Sources: NHS: PTSD and Mind: EMDR.

Mind says EMDR is mostly used for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD. It is sometimes used for other problems such as anxiety and phobias, and some people find it helps, but Mind says there is not as much research on this. For the wider picture of trauma help, see help for trauma and PTSD in the UK.

NICE is the body that writes national guidance for the NHS in England. Its guideline on PTSD (NG116) says:

• Adults with PTSD, or clinically important PTSD symptoms, who come for help more than 3 months after a trauma that was not combat-related should be offered EMDR.
• For adults who come between 1 and 3 months after a non-combat trauma, EMDR should be considered if the person prefers it.
• EMDR for adults should follow a validated manual, typically take 8 to 12 sessions (more if clinically needed, for example after several traumas), and be delivered by trained practitioners who have ongoing supervision.
• The bilateral stimulation is normally eye movements, but taps and tones can be used instead if a person prefers or if that suits them better, for example if they are visually impaired.
• For children and young people aged 7 to 17 with PTSD who come more than 3 months after the event, NICE says to consider EMDR only if they do not respond to, or engage with, trauma-focused CBT.

Source: NICE guideline NG116, Recommendations. This is general information, not advice about your own care; a clinician will talk through what suits you.

Mind says you will not do eye movements straight away. You and your therapist first make a plan, and your therapist asks about your symptoms and what happened so you can decide together which memories to work on, and how you will cope with the feelings that come up. NICE describes the work as phased: learning about trauma reactions, managing distressing memories and situations, treating chosen memories (often visual images) and building more positive beliefs about yourself. It also says people should be taught self-calming techniques and ways to manage flashbacks, to use inside and between sessions.

Remembering upsetting events can be very hard. Mind lists possible side effects such as headaches, feeling sick, tense, tired or drained, crying, anxiety, feeling sensitive, sleep problems and confusion or brain fog. It says these can happen in any therapy that involves recalling trauma, not only EMDR, and that you should tell your therapist if they do not ease or cause you a lot of distress. It is okay to ask for a break during a session.

Mind also says it is important to have EMDR only from a trained professional who makes you feel safe.

Mind says you might be able to get EMDR from the NHS, but it may not be widely available in every area, waiting lists can be long, and the referral you need can vary: some areas let you self-refer, in others a GP has to refer you. In England you can start by finding your local NHS Talking Therapies service or by talking to your GP, who can refer you to a mental health specialist. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, your GP is usually the first step. Ask whether EMDR is offered locally, what the wait is, and whether trauma-focused CBT is an option while you wait.

If you want to start sooner or choose who you see, you can see a private practitioner. EMDR is offered by practitioners from several professions, so the profession matters less than their EMDR training, ongoing supervision and experience with the kind of difficulty you have. Questions worth asking:

• What EMDR training have you completed, and do you have regular supervision?
• Have you worked with the kind of trauma I have, and do you offer anything alongside EMDR, such as stabilisation work or trauma-focused CBT?
• How many sessions might I need, how long is each session, and what will it cost?
• How will we go at a pace that feels safe for me, and what happens if a session is too much?
• Are you a member of the EMDR Association UK, the professional body for EMDR clinicians, and which register are you on?

You may find EMDR therapists among practitioner psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors and CBT therapists. If you are choosing online sessions, see our online therapy safety checklist.

Whoever you choose, check their register and ask about fees, session length and how you will review progress together. See questions to ask before you book and how much therapy costs. On Therapist Circle, each practitioner's registration is checked when they join, and their profile shows the register and number so you can check it yourself.