Less intensity
Reduces the emotional intensity of traumatic memories.
Online EMDR Therapy
Reprocessing what feels stuck
EMDR is recognised as an evidence-based treatment for PTSD by organisations including the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
HPCSA registered
Online across SA
Private & secure
Helping the brain process distressing memories
What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that helps the brain process distressing memories and experiences that continue to feel emotionally overwhelming. As these memories are processed, they often become less distressing, allowing people to move forward with greater clarity and ease.
EMDR is recognised as one of the leading treatments for PTSD and is also used to help people experiencing trauma, anxiety, panic attacks, complicated grief, phobias, and the lasting effects of difficult or distressing life experiences. It is recommended by major international health organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO).
Trauma & PTSD
Anxiety
Complicated grief
Phobias
What EMDR can offer
How EMDR can help you feel different
By helping the brain process past experiences, EMDR can change how those memories feel today.
Memories that settle
Processes past experiences so they no longer trigger strong reactions.
Symptom relief
Improves symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression and phobias.
Faster relief
Potentially faster relief than traditional talk therapy.
A steadier self
Builds self-esteem and confidence by fostering positive beliefs about yourself.
From your own space
Privacy and convenience in a familiar setting, with less logistical stress.
Adaptive Information Processing
How EMDR works
EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, developed by psychologist Dr Francine Shapiro. The model proposes that the brain naturally processes and integrates most life experiences, allowing them to become part of our broader life story. When an experience is particularly overwhelming, however, this natural processing may become disrupted. Rather than being fully integrated, aspects of the experience can remain stored in a fragmented, emotionally charged way. As a result, reminders of the event may continue to trigger distress, even long after the danger has passed.
EMDR aims to help the brain resume this natural processing. As memories become more fully integrated, they often lose much of their emotional intensity, allowing them to feel like something that happened in the past rather than something that still feels present today.
“Memories that once felt as though they were happening in the present begin to feel like they belong in the past.”
The Mechanism
How EMDR's bilateral stimulation works
During sessions, you briefly focus on a distressing memory while engaging in rhythmic, alternating stimulation — guided eye movements, gentle taps, or alternating tones. This process appears to help the brain reprocess memories that have become "stuck," allowing them to be stored in a more adaptive, less emotionally overwhelming way.
Although researchers continue to investigate exactly how bilateral stimulation works, there is strong scientific evidence that EMDR is an effective, evidence-based treatment for trauma and PTSD. Some theories suggest that bilateral stimulation supports the brain's natural information processing, while others propose that it reduces the vividness and emotional intensity of distressing memories or places demands on working memory. It is likely that several mechanisms contribute to EMDR's effectiveness.
For many people, memories that once felt as though they were happening in the present begin to feel like they belong in the past. The memory remains, but it often loses much of its emotional intensity and no longer has the same hold over daily life. Throughout EMDR, you remain fully awake, aware, and in control. EMDR is not hypnosis, and you can pause or stop the process at any time.
How bilateral stimulation is used during online EMDR
Visual
A small dot or light moves across your screen while you follow it with your eyes.
Tactile
Gentle alternating taps, either through handheld pulsers where available or therapist-guided butterfly tapping.
Auditory
Soft alternating tones played through headphones, shifting between the left and right ear.
Your psychologist will help determine which method feels most comfortable for you, and this can be adjusted throughout treatment.
Take the next step toward healing
We welcome enquiries from adults seeking online EMDR therapy across South Africa.
The Eight-Phase EMDR Protocol
What the EMDR therapy process involves
EMDR follows a structured, internationally recognised treatment protocol developed by Dr Francine Shapiro. Although every person's therapy is individualised, treatment follows the same evidence-informed framework, allowing you to understand where you are in the process and what comes next.
History Taking & Treatment Planning
Your psychologist develops an understanding of your history, current concerns, strengths and treatment goals, while identifying memories or experiences that may be contributing to present-day difficulties.
Preparation
Before any memory processing begins, you'll learn grounding, emotional regulation and self-soothing strategies. You'll also become familiar with bilateral stimulation so that the process feels predictable and manageable.
Assessment
Together, you identify a specific target memory, including: the image that represents the memory; the negative belief connected to it (for example, "I am not safe"); the healthier belief you would like to hold instead; the emotions and body sensations associated with the experience.
Desensitisation
Using bilateral stimulation, you'll briefly focus on aspects of the memory while your psychologist guides you through structured sets of eye movements, taps or tones. This helps facilitate continued processing while the emotional intensity of the memory gradually reduces.
Installation
Once distress has significantly reduced, attention shifts toward strengthening the healthier belief identified earlier, reinforcing more adaptive ways of understanding yourself and the experience.
Body Scan
You'll gently notice whether any physical tension or discomfort connected to the memory remains. If necessary, further processing continues until the body also feels settled.
Closure
Every session ends with grounding and stabilisation, regardless of whether processing has been completed. The goal is to ensure you leave feeling calm, safe and emotionally regulated.
Reevaluation
At the beginning of the following session, you and your psychologist review your progress, assess how the memory now feels, and decide together on the next steps in treatment.
What to expect
What EMDR sessions actually look like
Session length
Sessions are typically 50–90 minutes, depending on the stage of treatment and the work being undertaken.
How many sessions will I need?
The number of sessions varies considerably depending on your history and treatment goals. Some people experience meaningful changes after working through a single distressing memory over several sessions, while more complex trauma or longstanding difficulties often require a longer course of therapy. Your psychologist will discuss an individual treatment plan after gaining a thorough understanding of your circumstances.
Between sessions
Some people notice new thoughts, memories, dreams or emotional insights emerging between sessions, or may simply feel mentally tired afterward. This can be a normal part of ongoing processing, and your psychologist will review these experiences with you at your next appointment.
You're always in control
EMDR is collaborative. You can pause, slow down or stop the process at any time. Therapy progresses only at a pace that feels manageable for you.
Suitability
Is EMDR right for you?
EMDR may be helpful if you're experiencing:
- Trauma following a specific event or series of events
- Distressing memories that continue to feel emotionally present
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety linked to past experiences
- Phobias
- Complicated grief
- Persistent emotional reactions connected to difficult life events
A few things worth knowing
EMDR is generally well tolerated. Because treatment involves engaging with emotionally significant memories, it's normal to experience periods of emotional activation during sessions. Your psychologist will carefully assess your readiness during the preparation phase and will not begin memory reprocessing until you have sufficient coping resources in place.
If you experience significant dissociation, acute psychiatric instability, or other difficulties that suggest further stabilisation would be beneficial, finding in-person support is recommended.
Why EMDR? The Evidence Base
A therapy supported by decades of research
EMDR is recognised as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by numerous international clinical guidelines, including those published by the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Psychological Association (APA), the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), and the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Over more than three decades, EMDR has become one of the most extensively researched psychological treatments for trauma. Numerous randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews support its effectiveness in reducing PTSD symptoms, with growing evidence supporting its use for some anxiety disorders, phobias, complicated grief and other trauma-related difficulties.
Unlike some traditional talk therapies, EMDR does not require detailed verbal retelling of traumatic experiences. Instead, therapy focuses on the internal experience of the memory, including the image, emotions, beliefs and body sensations — while supporting the brain's natural capacity to process difficult experiences.
WHO
APA
ISTSS
NICE
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
A few things people often want to know about online EMDR with us.
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy approach developed by Dr Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It helps people recover from trauma and emotional difficulties by helping the brain reprocess stuck or unprocessed traumatic memories.
What does EMDR help with?
EMDR is designed to help people heal from trauma, anxiety, complicated grief, phobias and other emotional difficulties, and is recommended by major health organisations as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
How does online EMDR work?
In an online EMDR session we use secure video conferencing together with digital tools that replicate the bilateral stimulation used in face-to-face EMDR — such as guided eye movements, tactile buzzers or alternating audio tones. You focus briefly on traumatic memories while experiencing this gentle stimulation, activating the brain's natural healing ability.
What do I need for an online EMDR session?
All you need is a private space and an internet connection. The process is structured, gentle, and always paced according to your readiness.
Is online EMDR as effective as in person?
Online EMDR offers privacy and convenience in a familiar space, reduces logistical stress, and increases accessibility — including for those with mobility challenges — while using the same structured, evidence-based process.
Is EMDR only for PTSD?
No. While it's best known for trauma and PTSD, it's also used for anxiety, phobias, grief, and other difficulties involving distressing memories.
Does EMDR hurt or is it invasive?
No. EMDR is a non-invasive psychological therapy. You remain fully awake, aware and in control throughout every session.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?
Unlike many traditional talking therapies, EMDR does not require a detailed verbal account of what happened. Instead, you'll briefly bring aspects of the memory to mind while your psychologist guides the processing.
How is EMDR different from traditional talk therapy?
Traditional talking therapies often focus on understanding experiences through reflection, discussion and developing new ways of thinking or coping. EMDR combines structured attention to distressing memories with bilateral stimulation to facilitate adaptive processing. Many people notice meaningful changes in how memories feel without prolonged verbal discussion, although EMDR is often integrated with other evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
Will I forget what happened?
No. EMDR is not intended to erase memories. Most people continue to remember what happened, but find that the memory no longer feels as emotionally distressing or overwhelming.
What if I become overwhelmed during a session?
EMDR includes preparation, pacing and stabilisation throughout treatment. Before memory processing begins, you'll learn grounding and emotional regulation strategies that can be used whenever needed. Your psychologist will ensure therapy progresses at a pace that feels manageable for you.
When you feel ready
Take the next step forward.
Please get in touch with either Kirsten Barnardt or Karen Fleming to set up an appointment.