Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing)
A structured therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they lose their emotional charge.
EMDR is one of the most effective therapies available for trauma and PTSD — and one of the most misunderstood. It can sound strange before you experience it, but the evidence behind it is substantial. EMDR is recommended by NICE and the World Health Organisation as a first-line treatment for PTSD, and it consistently produces results that talk-based therapies alone sometimes can't reach.
If you're looking for EMDR therapy in Newcastle, Tynemouth, Jesmond or anywhere across the North East, our accredited EMDR therapist offers both face-to-face and online sessions.
What is EMDR?
EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing — is a structured therapy developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It's based on the understanding that traumatic or distressing memories can get stuck in the brain's processing system — stored in a raw, unprocessed form that means they continue to trigger the same intense emotional and physical responses as the original event, sometimes years or decades later.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements, but sometimes taps or tones — while you briefly hold a target memory in mind. This process appears to activate the brain's natural information processing system, allowing the memory to be reprocessed and integrated. The memory doesn't disappear — but it loses its emotional charge. It becomes something that happened, rather than something that is still happening.
What does the science say?
EMDR has been extensively researched since the 1990s and has a robust evidence base. It is recommended by NICE, the World Health Organisation, the American Psychological Association and numerous other international bodies as an effective treatment for PTSD and trauma. Studies have found it effective in fewer sessions than many other trauma treatments, and with lasting results.
The exact mechanism is still debated among researchers, but the clinical outcomes are well established. Many people who have not responded to other forms of therapy find EMDR transformative.
What can EMDR help with?
EMDR was originally developed for PTSD and single-incident trauma — road accidents, assault, medical emergencies, natural disasters. It is also used effectively for complex trauma involving prolonged or repeated adverse experiences. Beyond trauma, EMDR has shown effectiveness for phobias, anxiety disorders, panic, distressing memories that don't meet the clinical threshold for PTSD, and performance blocks — the kind of deep-rooted fear or self-doubt that gets in the way of functioning at your best.
Who it helps
If you're looking for emdr (eye movement desensitisation & reprocessing) in Newcastle or across the North East, this approach is well evidenced for:
- ✓ Trauma
- ✓ PTSD
- ✓ Phobias
- ✓ Anxiety
- ✓ Distressing memories
- ✓ Performance blocks
What sessions look like
EMDR is delivered in phases, and your therapist will never rush you into the processing work before you're ready. The early sessions focus on history-taking, understanding your specific experiences and goals, and building the coping resources and stability you need to process difficult material safely. This preparation phase is essential — and for some people takes several sessions.
When processing begins, you'll be asked to briefly bring a target memory to mind — including the image, the negative belief about yourself associated with it, and the physical sensation in your body. While holding this, you'll follow your therapist's fingers moving back and forth, or receive alternating taps or tones. Sets of bilateral stimulation are followed by a pause to notice what comes up — new thoughts, images, feelings or body sensations. The process continues until the memory no longer carries significant distress.
Throughout, you remain in control. You can stop at any time, and your therapist monitors your experience carefully throughout each session. EMDR can bring up strong emotions during processing — but it is conducted within a carefully held framework designed to keep you safe.
Most people are surprised by how different EMDR feels from conventional talking therapy — and by how much can shift in a relatively small number of sessions.
Session length and course duration
60–90 minutes. Most people see meaningful change within 6–12 sessions.
Cost
Please contact us for pricing
EMDR therapy in Newcastle, Tynemouth & the North East
We offer EMDR therapy at House Seven in Tynemouth and The Lamp House in Jesmond, Newcastle — as well as online for clients across the UK. Use our Match Quiz to be paired with our EMDR therapist in less than 30 seconds — confidential and no obligation.