EMDR is one of the most well-validated treatments for trauma and PTSD in the world. It works differently from most talk therapies — and for many people, it produces change that years of conversation alone could not achieve.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy developed by Dr Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It is recognised by the World Health Organisation, the American Psychological Association, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence as a first-line treatment for PTSD and trauma.
EMDR works on the understanding that traumatic memories are stored differently from ordinary memories — in a fragmented, unprocessed state that keeps the nervous system in a state of activation. When something triggers a traumatic memory, the body responds as though the event is happening now. EMDR helps the brain complete the processing that was interrupted at the time of the trauma, so the memory loses its charge and becomes something the person remembers rather than relives.
What makes EMDR distinctive is its use of bilateral stimulation — typically eye movements, but also tapping or auditory tones — while the person holds a distressing memory in mind. This bilateral stimulation appears to facilitate the brain's natural information processing system, allowing stuck memories to be integrated in a way that talk therapy alone often cannot achieve.
The Eight Phases of EMDR
EMDR follows a structured eight-phase protocol. This structure is not rigid — your therapist will move through it at a pace that your nervous system can manage.
History & Treatment Planning
Your therapist takes a thorough history and identifies the specific memories and experiences to be targeted. This phase ensures the work is focused and safe.
Preparation
You learn stabilisation and resourcing techniques — tools that help you stay grounded when processing becomes intense. No EMDR processing begins until you have these in place.
Assessment
The specific target memory is identified in detail — including the associated negative belief, emotions, and body sensations. This gives the processing work a precise starting point.
Desensitisation
Bilateral stimulation begins while you hold the target memory in mind. Your therapist guides the process, allowing associations to arise and move freely until the distress rating drops.
Installation
A positive belief — one that feels genuinely true — is strengthened and installed in place of the original negative belief. This is not forced positivity; it is the belief that naturally emerges once the trauma charge is gone.
Body Scan
You scan your body for any remaining tension or disturbance. The body often holds what the mind has processed but not yet fully released.
EMDR does not ask you to relive the trauma. It helps the brain finish what it started — so the past can finally stay in the past.
Newmarket Therapy Centre & Aurora Village TherapyHow EMDR Works at Newmarket Therapy Centre
EMDR at Newmarket Therapy Centre is delivered by trained therapists who take the preparation phase seriously. You will never be pushed into processing before you are ready.
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01
Building safety and stabilisation
Before any processing begins, your therapist ensures you have the grounding and resourcing tools needed to stay regulated throughout the work. This phase can take several sessions.
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02
Identifying targets
Together you map out the memories, beliefs, and experiences that are driving your current difficulties. These become the targets for processing.
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03
Processing with bilateral stimulation
Using eye movements or tapping, your therapist guides you through processing the target memories. The experience is different for everyone — some find it intense, others surprisingly gentle.
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04
Integration and consolidation
As processing completes, the memory settles into a new form — one that no longer activates the nervous system. The work is reviewed and consolidated before ending each session.
The Benefits of EMDR
EMDR has some of the strongest outcome research of any trauma treatment. Its results can be rapid and profound — often producing change that clients describe as unlike anything they experienced in previous therapy.
- Rapid reduction in PTSD symptoms
- Decreased emotional charge associated with traumatic memories
- Relief from intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, and nightmares
- Reduced hypervigilance and reactivity
- Improved sense of safety in the body
- Increased access to positive beliefs about self
- Reduction in anxiety and depression linked to past trauma
- Better relationships as trauma-driven reactivity decreases
- Processing possible without detailed verbal narration
- Lasting results grounded in neurological change
What EMDR Is Used For
While EMDR was developed for trauma and PTSD, it has been adapted and validated for a range of other presentations. Available in Newmarket, Aurora, and online across Ontario.
EMDR at Newmarket Therapy Centre
Our EMDR-trained therapists at Newmarket Therapy Centre and Aurora Village Therapy & Wellness Centre are experienced in trauma-informed EMDR across a wide range of presentations. If you are specifically seeking EMDR, please mention this when you contact us — we will match you with an EMDR-trained therapist on our team.
EMDR is available in person at our Newmarket and Aurora locations, and adapted versions are available online for clients anywhere in Ontario.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Our intake team will match you with an EMDR-trained therapist in Newmarket or Aurora. No commitment required — just a conversation.
Call us: (289) 500-8039 · Aurora: (289) 272-0200