EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) [EMDR]

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured psychological therapy used to help people process and recover from traumatic experiences. It is one of the two treatments recommended by NICE for [post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)](/glossary/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/), alongside trauma-focused [cognitive behavioural therapy](/glossary/cognitive-behavioural-therapy/).

EMDR works on the principle that traumatic memories can become stuck in the brain’s processing system, remaining vivid and distressing rather than being integrated as ordinary past events. During EMDR sessions, a therapist guides the person to briefly focus on a traumatic memory while simultaneously following a moving visual stimulus (typically the therapist’s finger moving from side to side), listening to alternating tones, or receiving gentle tapping. This bilateral stimulation is thought to help the brain reprocess the memory so that it loses its emotional charge.

For cardiac arrest survivors, EMDR can be particularly effective where flashbacks or intrusive memories are prominent symptoms. Survivors may experience re-living of the arrest, distress triggered by cardiac monitoring equipment, or intense fear of recurrence. EMDR does not require the person to talk in detail about the trauma, which some people find preferable.

EMDR is typically delivered in 8 to 12 sessions, though the number varies depending on complexity. It is available through NHS Talking Therapies services and specialist trauma services, or privately through an EMDR-accredited therapist. Your GP can make a referral, or survivors can refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies directly. See also: [PTSD](/glossary/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/), [Health Anxiety](/glossary/health-anxiety/), [Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner](/glossary/psychological-wellbeing-practitioner/).