Benefits & Research on EMDR

There is an extensive and growing body of research supporting the effectiveness of EMDR. Below is merely a sampling of the available research:
  • Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) and EMDR are the only treatments recommended by the World Health Organization for treatment of trauma.   
  • More than twenty randomized studies support EMDR therapy as an effective and efficient treatment of trauma.
  • Seven of ten studies reported EMDR therapy to be more rapid and/or more effective than trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.
  • Twelve randomized studies of the eye movement component noted rapid decreases in negative emotions and/or vividness of disturbing images.
  • Learn more about EMDR research results here and here.​
 
The research on the use of Intensive EMDR Therapy is also quite positive:
  • “Intensive application of trauma-focused therapy seems to be well tolerated in patients with PTSD, enabling faster symptom reduction with similar, or even better, results, while reducing the risk that patients drop out prematurely.” (European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 2018).
  • “Intensive EMDR treatment is feasible and is indicative of reliable improvement in PTSD symptoms in a very short time frame.” (European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 2018).  
  • ​“The economy is compelling: even compared to other trauma therapy, the intensive format may decrease treatment time, because of time not spent on a) checking in at the beginning of each session, b) addressing current crises and concerns, c) focusing on stabilizing and coping skills that the client won’t need after trauma healing, or d) assisting the client in regaining composure at the end of the session.” (Trauma Institute & Child Trauma Institute, 2015).