EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an eight-phase, evidence-based therapy for trauma and PTSD developed by Francine Shapiro. We match you with licensed EMDR-trained therapists for treatment of single-incident trauma, complex trauma, anxiety, and phobias. Insurance is verified before your first session.
What EMDR Is And Who It Is For
EMDR is a structured eight-phase therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer trigger the emotional, physical, and cognitive responses associated with trauma. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, eye movements, taps, or tones, alongside guided recall of the memory. EMDR is recommended for PTSD treatment by the World Health Organization, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the American Psychological Association, with WHO and VA/DoD guidelines giving it their strongest classification and APA’s 2025 guideline classifying it as conditionally recommended.
EMDR fits people working with specific trauma memories or trauma-driven symptoms who want a structured protocol rather than open-ended talk therapy. Common reasons to start EMDR include:
- Single-incident trauma such as an assault, accident, or medical event
- Complex trauma from childhood, prolonged abuse, or repeated exposure
- PTSD symptoms: flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories, hypervigilance
- Anxiety or panic tied to specific triggers
- Phobias including driving, flying, dental, or medical procedures
- Grief that has not resolved through talk therapy or time
- Performance anxiety, public speaking, or test anxiety
- Talk therapy has helped but specific memories or triggers still feel stuck
How EMDR Therapy Works
EMDR follows an eight-phase protocol. The matched therapist works through the phases at the pace your nervous system can tolerate. Sessions typically run 60 to 90 minutes, longer than standard 50-minute therapy hours, to give enough time for memory reprocessing and stabilization within a single session.
The eight phases
Phase 1:, History-taking. The therapist gathers your history, identifies target memories to reprocess, and assesses readiness. This typically takes 1 to 2 sessions.
Phase 2: Preparation. The therapist explains the EMDR process, teaches grounding and self-regulation techniques, and confirms you have the resources to handle reprocessing. Usually 1 to 4 sessions.
Phase 3: Assessment. For each target memory, the therapist identifies the worst image, the negative belief about yourself it carries, the body sensations, and the emotion. A baseline distress rating is set.
Phase 4: Desensitization. The reprocessing phase. Using bilateral stimulation (eye movements, alternating taps, or alternating tones), you focus on the memory in short sets while letting whatever arises pass through. The distress rating decreases across sets.
Phase 5: Installation. The original negative belief is replaced with a more adaptive belief that you choose. Bilateral stimulation strengthens this new belief.
Phase 6: Body scan. You check for residual body tension related to the memory and reprocess anything that remains.
Phase 7: Closure. Each session ends with grounding to ensure you leave regulated, regardless of whether the target memory has been fully reprocessed.
Phase 8: Reevaluation. The next session begins by checking how the previous target is sitting and identifying any new material that has surfaced.
Conditions EMDR Is Used To Treat
EMDR is best-evidenced for PTSD, and EMDR-trained therapists in our network use it across a wider range of conditions where trauma or distressing memories are part of the clinical picture:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) including combat, sexual assault, accident, medical, and childhood trauma
- Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) from prolonged or repeated trauma exposure
- Anxiety disorders including panic disorder and generalized anxiety with identifiable trigger memories
- Specific phobias including driving, flying, animals, medical or dental procedures
- Depression with trauma-related origins
- Grief and complicated bereavement
- Performance anxiety and stage fright
- Body image and disordered eating where trauma is a contributing factor
How Matching Works
We are a matching service. You tell us what brings you to EMDR (specific incident, ongoing symptoms, prior therapy that did not resolve a target memory), your preferences (in-person or online, gender of therapist, schedule, insurance), and we match you with a licensed EMDR-trained therapist who has openings.
After you submit the form or call us, a member of our intake team contacts you within 24 hours to discuss what you want to address and which therapist fits. We reach out to therapists in our network whose EMDR training and specialty match your situation and who have current availability, and we share their information, schedule, and rates with you.
You decide which therapist to start with. The matched therapist’s practice handles intake, insurance verification, and care coordination directly with you. We ask about EMDR training credentials (basic training, EMDRIA-certified, EMDRIA Approved Consultant) when we match so you know the therapist’s level of EMDR experience.
Insurance And Fees
We work with most major insurance plans. The matched therapist’s practice verifies your benefits before your first session. Many therapists in our network offer sliding scale fees based on income, with eligibility set by each therapist’s practice.
Most commercial carriers, including Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare, cover EMDR as an outpatient mental-health benefit under the same code as other forms of psychotherapy. We do not quote rates because they vary by therapist and plan; after you are matched, the practice handles billing and shares specific cost details. Insurance verification typically takes about 15 minutes for plans without prior authorization, and 1 to 3 business days for plans that require it.
EMDR Therapy Vs Trauma-Focused Talk Therapy
EMDR and trauma-focused talk therapy (such as TF-CBT or prolonged exposure) are both evidence-based trauma treatments. They differ in how memory reprocessing happens and what the typical course of treatment looks like.
Dimension | EMDR therapy | Trauma-focused talk therapy |
Mechanism | Bilateral stimulation alongside memory recall reprocesses the memory at a brain level | Cognitive restructuring and processing through structured conversation and writing |
Session length | 60 to 90 minutes | 45 to 60 minutes |
Verbal demand | Minimal; you do not have to describe the trauma in detail | Higher; you often narrate or write about the trauma |
Typical course | 6 to 12 sessions for single-incident trauma; 20+ sessions for complex trauma | 12 to 20 sessions for single-incident; longer for complex trauma |
Best for | Specific stuck memories, phobias, single-incident trauma, anyone who finds verbal processing difficult | Patterns of thought, ongoing trauma-related beliefs, people who process well through talking |
Many people benefit from a combination: EMDR for specific traumatic memories and ongoing talk therapy for broader patterns and life context. The matched therapist can incorporate both if your goals shift.
Telehealth And Getting Started
Many EMDR-trained therapists in our network offer sessions by secure video, so where you live rarely limits which therapist you can work with. Online EMDR uses guided eye movements you follow on screen, or alternating taps you do yourself on your shoulders or knees, with the therapist directing the eight-phase protocol over video. Research supports online EMDR for many situations, though some clinicians prefer in-person for severe complex trauma. When you reach out, we match you on what you want to address, the modality fit, your schedule, and your insurance, then share EMDR-trained therapists with current openings for you to choose from.
Other Services We Match For
EMDR often works alongside or following other services in our network. We match for the full continuum:
Medical Reviewer
This page was reviewed by Dr. Courtney Scott, MD, a physician with credentials in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Addiction Medicine. Dr. Scott completed medical school at the Keck School of Medicine at USC and has more than a decade of experience in behavioral health. Clinical care for the people we match is provided by the licensed therapists in our network, not by Dr. Scott directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does EMDR therapy do?
EMDR helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer trigger the emotional, physical, and cognitive responses associated with trauma. The protocol uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, or tones) alongside guided memory recall to reduce the distress carried by specific memories.
How long does EMDR treatment take?
Single-incident trauma typically takes 6 to 12 sessions of active reprocessing once preparation is complete. Complex or repeated trauma typically takes 20 or more sessions. The matched therapist sets the pace based on your nervous system’s tolerance and the number of target memories.
Is EMDR therapy painful or upsetting?
EMDR can bring up strong emotions when you recall a traumatic memory, but the protocol is designed to keep distress within a tolerable window. The preparation phase teaches grounding techniques you use throughout treatment, and each session ends with closure to ensure you leave regulated.
How is EMDR different from regular talk therapy?
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation alongside memory recall to reprocess the memory at a brain level, rather than working primarily through verbal exploration. Sessions are 60 to 90 minutes (longer than standard therapy hours), and the focus stays on specific target memories rather than general patterns.
Does insurance cover EMDR therapy?
Most commercial plans cover EMDR as an outpatient mental-health benefit, billed under the same code as other psychotherapy. Coverage details vary by plan, and the matched therapist’s practice verifies your specific benefits before your first session.
Do EMDR therapists need special training?
Yes. EMDR requires specific training beyond a general therapy license, with the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) Basic Training (50 hours including instruction, supervised practicum, and consultation) as the standard. Therapists in our network confirm their EMDR training credentials, and we share their level (basic-trained, EMDRIA-certified, or Approved Consultant) when we match you.
Can EMDR be done online?
Yes. Online EMDR uses guided eye movements you follow on screen, or alternating taps you do yourself on your shoulders or knees while the therapist directs the protocol over video. Research supports online EMDR for many situations, though some clinicians prefer in-person for severe complex trauma.
How quickly can I start EMDR?
Most people are matched with an EMDR-trained therapist within a few days of reaching out. The first appointment is usually scheduled within 1 to 2 weeks depending on therapist availability. Insurance verification can add 1 to 3 business days for plans that require prior authorization.