What is EMDR? Healing the "Wounds" of Trauma
Beyond the "Band-Aid" Approach
A friend recently asked me to explain EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). After some thought, I realized the best way to describe it is through the lens of a wound. If trauma is an open wound, EMDR isn't the band-aid or the stitches. It is the disinfectant. It gets deep into the wound, clears out the "infection" of negative beliefs, and ensures that the healing process can continue without being blocked by the past.
The 8 Phases of Healing
EMDR is a structured, eight-phase approach designed to reduce the power of distressing memories.
Phase 1: History & Relationship: We establish a safe, validated space and identify your "targets"—the negative beliefs or memories causing distress.
Phase 2: Resourcing: Before we dive deep, we build your toolkit. We ensure you have the coping skills to maintain equilibrium and feel in control of your healing.
Phases 3–6: The Work: This is where we clear the infection. We target the negative beliefs "stuck" in your limbic system (the brain's emotional center) and process them until they are replaced by a positive belief.
Phases 7 & 8: Closure & Re-evaluation: We ensure the target memory is closed properly and check back in future sessions to ensure you remain distress-free.
The Magic of Bilateral Stimulation
The "secret sauce" of EMDR is bilateral stimulation—engaging both sides of the body to get the right and left hemispheres of the brain communicating. This is similar to what happens naturally when we dream (REM sleep).
You’ve experienced this in daily life:
A cat "kneading" its paws back and forth.
The rhythmic rocking of a baby.
The left-right-left of a long walk or run.
By using this rhythm during therapy, we allow the brain to "unstick" images, emotions, and sensations so they can finally be processed and filed away as "just a memory" rather than a current threat.
95% Cured: A Personal Note
EMDR changed my life. I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2010 and struggled with flashbacks, nightmares, and panic attacks for years. After EMDR, those symptoms vanished. I consider myself "95% cured." The other 5%? That’s just being human. Occasionally, a trigger happens, but because of this work, my reaction time is near-instant. I identify the trigger, use my skills, and move on.
Trauma happens, but with the right process, we can leave it exactly where it belongs: in the past.
About the Author
Sarah Lacy, LPCC is an EMDR Specialist and Life Coach based in Rocky River, Ohio. She provides in-person support to the Lakewood, Westlake, and Bay Village communities, as well as Telehealth sessions throughout the state.
If these words resonate with you, reach out to take the next step in your healing journey.
