Common Myths About EMDR Therapy (And What’s Actually True)
EMDR therapy can sound a little mysterious from the outside.
Maybe you’ve heard that EMDR involves moving your eyes back and forth, or that it’s only for people with severe trauma. Those ideas are common—but they don’t tell the full story. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy that helps release lingering distress in the mind and body that continues to show up in the present.
Below, we’ll walk through some of the most common myths about EMDR, what sessions are actually like, and why so many people find it helpful for anxiety, trauma, and ongoing stress.
Table of Contents
Clearing Up Common Myths About EMDR Therapy
Myth 1: EMDR Is Only for Trauma
Myth 2: EMDR Means Reliving Trauma
Myth 3: EMDR Works Instantly
Myth 4: EMDR Is Hypnosis
Myth 5: EMDR Requires Recall
Myth 6: EMDR Erases Memories
Myth 7: EMDR Is Only About the Past
Myth 8: EMDR Depends on Visualization
Myth 9: EMDR Is Not Effective Online
Myth 10: EMDR Only Works with Eye Movements
Finding Support
Clearing Up Common Myths About EMDR Therapy
Even though EMDR therapy is one of the most well-researched and effective approaches for trauma and anxiety, it’s still surrounded by a few myths that can make people hesitant to try it. Some worry it might feel too intense, others think it’s only meant for severe trauma, or that it doesn’t work online.
The truth is, EMDR can be a gentle and deeply supportive process when it’s done at the right pace and with the right guidance. Understanding how it actually works can make it feel more approachable and grounded. Below are some of the most common myths—and what’s really true about EMDR therapy.
Myth 1: EMDR Is Only for Trauma
EMDR was originally developed to help people heal from traumatic experiences, but its benefits reach far beyond PTSD. It’s also effective for anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, grief, chronic stress, and negative self-beliefs that stem from past experiences. In fact, a 2021 systematic review in Frontiers in Psychology found that EMDR significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression—even in clients without a trauma history—by helping the brain process distress more adaptively.¹
Many people use EMDR therapy not because of one “big event,” but to work through smaller, ongoing stressors that still carry residual distress. Whether rooted in early experiences, relationship patterns, or everyday overwhelm, EMDR helps the brain reprocess those memories so they no longer trigger the same emotional or physical reactions.
Myth 2: EMDR MEANS RELIVING TRAUMA
A common fear is that EMDR therapy means reliving trauma in an intense or overwhelming way. In reality, EMDR is designed to be much gentler. Rather than pushing someone to re-experience what happened, it helps the brain process distress while staying grounded in the present. During sessions, clients remain aware, oriented, and in control. The focus isn’t on going over every detail, but on noticing what shows up—thoughts, emotions, or body sensations—as the nervous system begins to release what it’s been holding.
Throughout the process, the therapist pays close attention to pacing, making sure the work feels supported and manageable. Over time, memories tend to lose their emotional charge, allowing them to feel more distant and less disruptive.
Research also supports this approach, showing that the alternating stimulation used in EMDR—such as eye movements, tapping, or tones—engages working-memory processes that help the brain process distressing experiences more effectively, making them feel less intense and easier to hold.²
Myth 3: EMDR Works Instantly
Because EMDR can create noticeable relief, some people expect all distress to disappear after one session. While it’s possible to feel lighter quickly, that’s because EMDR helps the brain process memories in a more adaptive way—reducing the emotional charge that’s been stored in the body. It supports healing step by step, allowing the nervous system to adjust at a pace that feels safe. Research has shown that some clients experience rapid decreases in emotional distress or vividness of memories after early sessions, yet lasting change develops through continued reprocessing.³
Each session builds on the last, allowing the brain and body to process layers of memory and meaning. The number of sessions varies for everyone—it depends on how the nervous system responds, how much preparation is needed, and how many experiences are linked to what’s being worked on. True healing takes time, and EMDR supports that process in a way that feels manageable and lasting.
Myth 4: EMDR Is Hypnosis
EMDR and hypnosis are sometimes lumped together, but they’re actually very different. Hypnosis involves altered states of consciousness and heightened suggestibility, while EMDR therapy does not. In EMDR, there is no suggestion or loss of control—clients remain fully awake, aware, and present throughout the process. Research shows that EMDR occurs in normal waking states and involves different neurological mechanisms than hypnosis.⁴
The bilateral stimulation used in EMDR—such as eye movements, tapping, or sounds—supports the brain in processing and storing experiences more adaptively. Throughout the session, clients stay grounded and in charge, with the therapist offering guidance and support along the way.
Myth 5: EMDR Requires RECALL
Some people worry that EMDR won’t work if they can’t recall everything that happened. The truth is, full memory recall isn’t required for EMDR to be effective. Research shows that EMDR can reduce distress and support adaptive information processing even when memories are incomplete or fragmented, suggesting that detailed recall isn’t necessary for change.⁵
EMDR works with the information the brain and body already have access to. Even when memories are unclear or hard to put into words, the nervous system still holds emotional and physical responses connected to past experiences. EMDR helps process those responses, allowing the system to update without needing a complete narrative of what happened.
Myth 6: EMDR Erases Memories
A common concern is that EMDR therapy somehow erases or deletes memories. This misunderstanding often comes from how EMDR is described in research headlines, but it doesn’t reflect what actually happens in therapy.
EMDR does not remove memories or erase past experiences. Instead, it changes how those memories are stored and experienced. Research shows that EMDR reduces the emotional intensity and physiological distress linked to traumatic memories, even though the factual memory itself remains intact.⁶
After processing, people can still remember what happened, but the memory no longer feels overwhelming or intrusive. Rather than being pulled into the past by reminders, many describe having more distance, clarity, and choice in how they respond. The experience becomes part of their story, not something that controls their reactions in the present.
Myth #7: EMDR Is Only About the Past
It’s common to assume that EMDR therapy is focused entirely on revisiting old memories. While past experiences are often part of the work, EMDR is just as much about what’s happening in the present.
Many people seek EMDR because of current struggles—anxiety, panic, burnout, emotional numbness, or patterns that keep repeating in daily life. These present-day reactions are often shaped by earlier experiences, even when those experiences aren’t consciously remembered. EMDR helps the brain reprocess what’s still influencing the nervous system now, not just what happened then.
Research on memory reconsolidating shows that EMDR can modify how past experiences are stored and accessed, leading to changes in present-day emotional and physiological responses rather than simply revisiting historical events.⁷ By updating how the brain holds these experiences, EMDR supports greater flexibility, regulation, and ease in everyday life.
EMDR isn’t about staying in the past—it’s about helping the nervous system respond differently in the present, so life feels more grounded and less driven by old patterns.
Myth #8: EMDR DEPENDS ON visualization
Just like full recall, EMDR does not require the ability to visualize clearly. Many people worry that EMDR won’t work if they can’t “see” images in their mind, but visualization is only one of many ways information can show up during processing.
EMDR works with whatever is present—thoughts, emotions, body sensations, images, or even a general sense of discomfort. Some people naturally process visually, while others notice physical sensations, emotions, words, or shifts in awareness instead. All of these are valid and effective ways the nervous system processes experience.
Difficulty visualizing is actually very common, and it can be especially true for individuals with aphantasia, as well as for those whose stress or trauma shows up more in the body than in images. EMDR is flexible by design, and the process adapts to how each person’s brain and nervous system work—there’s no “right” way to do it.
Myth #9: EMDR Is Not Effective Online
Many people assume EMDR therapy must happen in person, but research shows that virtual EMDR can be just as effective.⁸ Bilateral stimulation can be done remotely using tapping, alternating tones, or visual cues—all of which engage the same neurological processes as in-person sessions.
For some, online EMDR therapy even feels more accessible and comfortable, allowing them to process experiences from the safety of their own environment. Whether in person or online, what matters most is the therapeutic relationship and feeling supported throughout the process.
Myth #10: EMDR Only Works With EYE MOVEMENTS
While EMDR originally used eye movements, that’s just one way to activate bilateral stimulation. Research shows that eye movements are effective in helping the brain process distressing information, but other forms of bilateral stimulation—like tapping, alternating tones, or gentle vibrations—can achieve similar results.⁹
The goal isn’t the eye movement itself—it’s facilitating communication between both hemispheres of the brain so stored experiences can be processed more effectively. Your EMDR therapist will work with you to choose the method that feels most comfortable and supportive.
Finding Support
My hope in sharing this is to make EMDR feel a little less mysterious and a lot more accessible. It’s not a one-size-fits-all process—it’s adaptable, collaborative, and meant to meet people exactly where they are. Whether someone is healing from trauma, managing anxiety, or simply feeling stuck, EMDR can open the door to meaningful change and a steadier sense of peace.
If you are curious about EMDR, our practice offers EMDR therapy online and in person in Redondo Beach.
Until next time, don’t forget to take care of yourself.
– – Catherine Alvarado, LMFT
References
¹ Valiente-Gómez, A., Moreno-Alcázar, A., Treen, D., Cedrón, C., Colom, F., Perez, V., & Amann, B. L. (2017). EMDR beyond PTSD: A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1668. [View Article]
² Lee, C. W., & Cuijpers, P. (2013). A meta-analysis of the contribution of eye movements in processing emotional memories. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 44(2), 231–239. [View Article]
³ Landin-Romero, R., Moreno-Alcázar, A., Pagani, M., & Amann, B. L. (2018). How does eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy work? A systematic review on suggested mechanisms of action. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1395. [View Article]
⁴ Nicosia, G. J. (1995). A brief note: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is not hypnosis. Dissociation: Progress in the Dissociative Disorders, 8(1), 69. [View Article]
⁵ Landin-Romero, R., Moreno-Alcázar, A., Pagani, M., & Amann, B. L. (2018). How does eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy work? A systematic review of the theoretical hypotheses and available empirical evidence. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 14, 2535–2549. [View Article]
⁶ Nijdam, M. J., Gersons, B. P. R., Reitsma, J. B., de Jongh, A., & Olff, M. (2014). Erasing memory traces of trauma with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy: A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 5(1), 24927. [View Article]
⁷ Valiente-Gómez, A., Moreno-Alcázar, A., Treen, D., Cedrón, C., Colom, F., Pérez, V., & Amann, B. L. (2017). EMDR beyond PTSD: A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1668. [View Article]
⁸ Fisher, J., Roy, M. J., & Keane, T. M. (2023). Provision of online eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy: Service evaluation. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 14(1), 2265488. [View Article]
⁹ Lee, C. W., & Cuijpers, P. (2013). A meta-analysis of the contribution of eye movements in processing emotional memories. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 44(2), 231–239. [View Article]
About the Author
Catherine Alvarado, LMFT, is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant based in Redondo Beach, California, offering individual therapy to teens and adults through South Bay Psychotherapy & EMDR. She also co-owns Eunoia Wellness Studio, a collaborative space in Redondo Beach created to support holistic care. Her work attends to the thinking mind alongside emotional and bodily experience, with attention to how stress and life experiences are carried in the nervous system.
Catherine specializes in EMDR therapy and works with individuals navigating anxiety, panic, trauma, and patterns that feel difficult to shift, even with insight. EMDR is one part of a broader approach that helps connect past experiences with what shows up in the present, supporting greater ease, safety, and self-trust over time.
Her work is relational and reflective, often blending EMDR with somatic awareness and gentle exploration of inner experience. Therapy is approached as a space to slow things down, get curious, and build a more steady, trusting relationship with oneself.
She practices in Redondo Beach and offers both in-person and online therapy.
