What EMDR Is
EMDR is an evidence-based, eight-phase trauma therapy developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It is recommended by the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization, and the Department of Veterans Affairs as a first-line treatment for PTSD.
The core idea: traumatic memories often get stored in a "stuck" form — the original images, body sensations, and beliefs frozen as if the event were still happening. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (typically guided eye movements, but sometimes tapping or tones) while you briefly bring up the memory, which helps the brain reprocess the experience and file it as something that happened in the past, not something happening now.
You do not have to talk through every detail of the trauma. The work happens internally, with the therapist guiding the process.
Why EMDR for Addiction
For a large percentage of people in addiction treatment, the substance use started as a way to manage symptoms of unprocessed trauma — intrusive memories, hypervigilance, emotional numbing, sleep disruption, panic. As long as the trauma stays unprocessed, the pull toward whatever has worked to mute it stays strong.
Treating addiction without addressing the trauma underneath is one of the most common reasons people relapse. EMDR addresses the trauma directly, which often dissolves the driver behind the substance use.
What EMDR Treats
- Single-incident trauma (assault, accident, medical event, combat)
- Complex / developmental trauma (childhood abuse, neglect, ongoing exposure)
- PTSD and complex PTSD
- Combat-related trauma in veterans
- Sexual trauma
- Grief and loss that has not resolved
- Phobias and panic
- Performance anxiety and self-image issues rooted in early experiences
How EMDR Is Delivered at BetterChoice
EMDR is offered in individual sessions with a licensed clinician who has completed full EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) training. We follow the standard 8-phase protocol:
- History taking & treatment planning
- Preparation — coping skills and resourcing before processing begins
- Assessment of the target memory
- Desensitization — the bilateral stimulation phase
- Installation of the desired positive belief
- Body scan to clear residual physical tension
- Closure at the end of each session
- Re-evaluation at the next session
For patients new to trauma work, we typically begin EMDR after stabilization in detox, when your nervous system is regulated enough to do the work safely.
What a Session Feels Like
You sit comfortably across from your therapist. You bring up a specific memory (or a piece of one), notice the image, the body sensations, and the belief about yourself attached to it. Then you follow the therapist's fingers, hand-held tappers, or audio tones with your eyes for short sets of bilateral stimulation, pausing to notice what comes up. The memory often shifts during the session — the emotional charge decreases, the belief about yourself softens, and the body relaxes.
Most patients find the work intense but tolerable, and many describe relief that other therapies could not produce.
Ready to Start?
Call (725) 550-5655 to talk with our admissions team about whether EMDR is appropriate for your situation. EMDR is included in residential treatment at no separate charge and is covered by most major insurance plans.