Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is often compared to exposure therapy due to their shared goal of reducing the distress associated with traumatic memories. However, while there are similarities EMDR is not considered a form of exposure therapy; it is a distinct therapeutic approach with unique elements and processes.
The key difference lies in how the memories are processed.
Exposure therapy is a well-established treatment for PTSD. It is a prolonged exposure form involving systematic repeated exposure to minute detail of the trauma experienced. It has been shown to desensitise people to the traumatic material that perpetuates the trauma response.
On the other hand, with EMDR, traumatic events are not recalled in detail and individuals are not required to focus on the traumatic material for any length of time. EMDR is also structured using an eight-phase protocol. Central to EMDR is the use of bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, taps, or sounds. After the patient briefly accesses the traumatic material during a short activation phase (phase 3), the individual is encouraged to engage in bilateral stimulus and “let the mind go wherever it needs to go” This allows the mind to leave the contact with the traumatic material, and access new information that allows new associations and adaptive resolution of the traumatic material.
The key difference lies in how the memories are processed.
In exposure therapy, the focus is on reducing fear through extinction processes in repeated exposure.
EMDR aims to change the way the traumatic memories are stored in the brain, reducing their emotional charge and promoting adaptive memory integration. This approach helps patients retain the learning from their experiences without the associated distress.
Both exposure therapy and EMDR have a strong evidence base for the treatment of trauma and are recommended by the World Health Organisation, but they are distinctly different processes and experiences for both clinicians, who are vulnerable to vicarious trauma from exposure to trauma details, and for individuals receiving therapy. There is a suggestion that EMDR may be faster overall and facilitate a generalisation effect meaning that less traumatic material needs to be accessed overall to resolve the trauma response.
EMDR training can be undertaken by a range of clinical disciplines. I invite you to join us in learning EMDR. Course details and eligibility can be found on our EMDR training page.
Have more questions about EMDR? Read some of our previous blog posts or head over to our page of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)!
