emdr utility

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy technique that has shown effectiveness in reducing anxiety by using lateralized eye movements. These movements help reduce activation of the amygdala and associated circuitry, which in turn reduces the amplitude of the threat reflex and decreases sympathetic autonomic arousal, making one feel calmer and less stressed. Andrew Huberman explains that these eye movements mimic those experienced during forward movement, such as walking, which is evolutionarily linked to a state incompatible with fear, typically characterized by either freezing or retreating behavior.

EMDR has been found particularly useful for treating traumas or fears linked to single events, described within a brief narrative, such as a car accident or a personal assault. However, it appears to be less effective for alleviating long-term, pervasive traumas like those spanning an entire bad marriage or childhood 1.