What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a form of therapy that involves the patient moving their eyes from side to side while recounting a traumatic or fearful narrative, typically with a clinician present. The lateralized eye movements used in EMDR appear to help reduce the physiological response associated with the traumatic event and reduce the activity of the amygdala, which is involved in the threat detection system, stress, anxiety, and fear. This process may lead to a reduction in anxiety and helps dissociate the emotional experience from the traumatic experience, allowing the individual to recall the events without the same emotional impact 1 2 3.

It's thought that EMDR helps in the extinction of the physiological response to the old experience but doesn't necessarily focus on relearning a new narrative or attaching reward to the old traumatic event. This therapy seems to work particularly well for single-event traumas that can be described within a very brief narrative 4 5.

Dr. Huberman has discussed the potential mechanisms behind the effectiveness of EMDR, including the decrease in activation of threat reflex circuitries when moving the eyes from side to side. This reduces sympathetic autonomic arousal, making the person feel less stress 1.

While EMDR has shown to be beneficial, particularly for single-event type traumas, there are limitations to its effectiveness for long-term experiences such as an entire bad marriage or an entire childhood 2. Dr. Huberman suggests that for those who are seeking relief from fear and traumatic events, EMDR, among other therapies like prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing, and cognitive behavioral therapy, may be useful 3.

For further information on the subject, please refer directly to the clips and podcasts for a comprehensive understanding of EMDR as explained by Andrew Huberman.