What My EMDR Training Taught Me About Trauma

Training in EMDR changed how I understand trauma, and how I help people with it. Here I share what I learned: why some memories stay stuck, how EMDR helps them settle, and what that could mean if you are thinking about it for yourself.

I first wrote this post in May 2025, just after completing Part 1 of my training. I have since completed all parts of the standard EMDR Europe Accredited Training, and I now offer EMDR alongside counselling, in Solihull and online.

Therapy without having to tell every detail

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps people process distressing memories without needing to talk about them in detail. That makes it especially helpful for anyone who finds traditional talking therapy overwhelming, or who simply doesn’t have the words for what happened.

Why some memories get stuck

A key idea in EMDR is that our brains are naturally wired to process and resolve difficult experiences, much as the body heals a wound. But when something overwhelming happens, that processing system can become flooded. Instead of being filed away as something that happened in the past, the memory stays stuck in its original form, along with the emotions, body sensations and beliefs that were there at the time.

This is why a trigger, even a subtle one, can make you feel as though you are right back in that moment. Your brain reacts as if the event is happening now, rather than something that is over.

How EMDR helps

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, such as following eye movements or holding small pulsators that buzz gently in each hand, while you briefly bring a memory to mind. This supports the brain in picking up the processing where it left off, so the memory can be stored properly and lose its emotional charge. Your nervous system can finally recognise that the danger has passed.

It’s a powerful way of helping the brain return to its natural healing process.

My training deepened my understanding of how unprocessed experiences can sit behind anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks and low self-worth, often long after the event itself.

What the evidence says

EMDR is one of the most researched therapies for trauma. In the UK it is recommended by NICE, the body that sets guidance for the NHS, and the World Health Organization recommends it too. If you are new to EMDR, my plain-English guide to EMDR covers the basics.

How I use EMDR with clients

I use EMDR with adults living with the effects of difficult experiences, whether that is a single frightening event, such as an accident, a medical emergency or an assault, or experiences that built up over time. Where things feel more complex, we take time to build safety and stability first, and we always go at a pace that feels right for you.

As an integrative counsellor, I can weave EMDR together with talking therapy, so you don’t have to choose one or the other. If you are curious about what EMDR feels like in practice, you might find my post on what is normal after an EMDR session helpful.

If you’d like to find out whether EMDR could help you, you can read more on my EMDR therapy page, or you’re welcome to book a free 20-minute consultation.