EMDR Therapy for Trauma, Addiction, and Mental Health

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Dr. Francine Shapiro developed this type of therapy to help people process traumatic experiences and the emotional distress connected to them.[1] EMDR therapy is widely used for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and can be beneficial to individuals living with substance use problems, depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns connected to past trauma.

EMDR therapy does not require you to revisit traumatic events in depth. Instead, it follows a structured approach combined with bilateral sensory stimulation, such as side-to-side eye movements, tapping, or sounds, to help the brain reprocess the way a traumatic memory was stored. The overall goal of EMDR therapy is not to eliminate the memory but to allow you to view the event with less emotional intensity and distress.

At The Lakes, EMDR treatment is one of several trauma-focused options we provide to support people in addiction recovery and mental health care.

How EMDR Works: The 8 Stages of EMDR

EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing model. In simple terms, the theory is that the human brain will naturally attempt to sort out the things that happen to us. However, overwhelming or traumatic events can get “stuck,” along with the images, thoughts, or sensations experienced during the event.

In EMDR therapy, you and your therapist move through the eight structured phases below:

1. History and treatment planning: Your therapist gathers information about your symptoms, experiences, and goals, and identifies target memories and themes for EMDR.
2. Preparation: You build coping skills and grounding techniques so you can stay safe, present, and emotionally steady during processing.
3. Assessment: You identify a specific target memory, the image that best represents it, the negative belief about yourself, the desired positive belief, and the emotions and body sensations linked to the event.
4. Desensitization: You focus on the memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping), allowing your brain to process the experience and gradually reduce emotional distress.
5. Installation: You and your therapist strengthen the positive belief you want to hold about yourself while continuing bilateral stimulation.
6. Body scan: While thinking of the target event and new belief, you notice any remaining body sensations; if tension or discomfort remains, more processing may occur.
7. Closure: Each session ends with grounding, review of your current state, and strategies to help you feel stable between sessions.
8. Re-evaluation: At the beginning of later sessions, you and your therapist check in on previous targets, symptoms, and beliefs to see what still needs work and where to focus next.

During EMDR, you are not hypnotized, and you are not forced to relive every detail of what happened. You stay in control the entire time. Your therapist checks in on how you are doing, moves at a pace that feels manageable, and helps you use coping skills if things feel too intense.

Over time, many people find that traumatic memories feel less sharp and less triggering. They can think about the past with more calm and feel more open to a different view of themselves and their future.

Who Is EMDR Appropriate For?

EMDR therapy is not for everyone and will not be the first step for a person who is in immediate danger or crisis. When appropriate, though, it is an approach that can be helpful for some people whose substance use and/or mental health issues are related to unresolved trauma. 

At The Lakes, EMDR for addiction and mental health may be considered if you:

• Have lived through a traumatic event or repeated traumatic experiences
• Experience PTSD symptoms, such as intrusive memories, nightmares, or intense reactions to reminders
• Use alcohol, opioids, or other substances to numb emotional pain, avoid memories, or cope with anxiety
• Have tried other forms of therapy, like CBT or traditional talk therapy, and still feel stuck with certain memories
• Are stable enough in your recovery and daily life to tolerate focused trauma work with support

EMDR can also support those with co-occurring mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, when traumatic experiences contribute to or worsen those issues. It may help with specific concerns like social anxiety or persistent negative self-beliefs that grew out of past experiences.

Your therapist will determine whether EMDR is appropriate for you based on many factors, including your stability in recovery, current coping skills and resources, medical needs, and support systems.

EMDR Benefits: Efficacy of EMDR for Trauma and Addiction

EMDR is recognized as an effective, evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder by several major healthcare and behavioral health organizations. Research has shown that EMDR can reduce PTSD symptoms, emotional distress, and trauma-related beliefs in many people, and those gains can last at follow-up when the treatment is delivered by trained clinicians.[2]

When it comes to substance use and addiction, EMDR is often used alongside other treatments rather than as a stand-alone approach. Early studies and clinical experience suggest that:

• EMDR may help reduce cravings and emotional triggers when traumatic memories are a major driver of substance use.[3]
• Treating underlying trauma can make it easier for people to engage in other parts of addiction treatment, such as CBT, group therapy, and relapse prevention.[4]
• EMDR can support people with dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders by addressing both emotional distress and trauma-related beliefs that keep them stuck.[4]

As with any therapy, EMDR does not work the same way for everyone. Some people notice major changes after a relatively short course of EMDR treatment, while others may benefit more from a combination of EMDR, CBT, medication management, and other therapies over a longer period of time.

It is also important to be honest about side effects. EMDR can bring up temporary increases in emotional distress, vivid dreams, or tiredness after sessions. These reactions are not unusual when working with trauma. At The Lakes, your therapist will prepare you for this, help you develop coping skills, and decide on pacing that feels safe and manageable.

EMDR Therapy at The Lakes

At The Lakes, EMDR is always provided by trained clinicians and used as part of a broader, trauma-informed treatment plan. We do not treat EMDR as a quick fix or use it in isolation.

If EMDR seems appropriate for you, the process typically looks like this:

• Your therapist gathers a detailed history of your life experiences, including past trauma, substance use, and mental health conditions
• You spend time building coping skills and grounding strategies so you feel more prepared for trauma-focused work
• Together, you identify target memories that are strongly linked to current symptoms, such as panic, nightmares, or substance abuse
• Your therapist guides you through EMDR sessions at a careful pace, checking in regularly about how you are feeling
• You and your treatment team integrate what comes up in EMDR into the rest of your care, including individual therapy, group therapy, and relapse prevention planning

EMDR at The Lakes is collaborative. You can always say when you need to slow down, pause, or focus on different parts of your story. We also know that EMDR vs exposure therapy vs CBT can feel confusing. Your providers will explain why EMDR is being recommended, how it differs from other therapies, and how it fits with your goals for addiction recovery and mental health.

We also consider practical concerns, like whether you have enough support outside of sessions and how EMDR could affect your daily functioning. Your safety and well-being are always the priority.