I have recently returned from a four-day EMDR retreat or experience. The venue was a retreat and meditation centre in the west of England. In addition to EMDR practice and theory there was plenty of time to relax and reflect and for me to meditate. I got around to thinking of the link between EMDR and mindfulness…
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and mindfulness are both powerful therapeutic approaches that can work together to transform suffering. Let’s explore how they relate to each other:
EMDR was originally developed as a trauma treatment to reduce symptoms such as hyper-vigilance, intrusive memories, and related disturbances in returning soldiers from the Vietnam War and survivors of sexual assault. It achieved timely results in clinical trials in the late 1980s and has since evolved into a comprehensive psychotherapy approach. EMDR therapists use bilateral stimulation (BLS) such as alternating left-right eye movements to access and reprocess distressing memories.
The therapy is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which suggests that our minds have a natural capacity to process experiences in a healthy and adaptive way. A useful metaphor is that a cut in the skin naturally heals without any intervention—but not if there is a foreign object stuck in it. In this metaphor, the foreign object can represent a malfunctional memory (often a traumatic experience, but not always), which EMDR helps remove so the mind can naturally heal by activating AIP.
Normally memories are processed and assimilated using the individual’s past experience and understanding of themselves and the world they live in. However, if the experience is traumatic, the normal information processing system becomes overwhelmed stores the memory in a ‘frozen’ form without adequately processing it to an adaptive resolution. Traumatic memories fail to become integrated into the individual’s life experience and self-concept. EMDR aims to reprocess memories, transform core beliefs, and evoke positive affect, going beyond symptom alleviation.
Mindfulness involves being present in the moment, observing thoughts and feelings without judgment or self-criticism. It encourages nonjudgmental awareness and acceptance of one’s experiences. Mindfulness practices include meditation, focusing on the breath, body scans, and mindful movement. By cultivating mindfulness, individuals can better manage emotions, reduce reactivity, and enhance self-awareness. Mindfulness can be used both within and between EMDR sessions, as well as in everyday life following therapy.
I often incorporate mindfulness and grounding techniques during sessions and provide strategies they can use between sessions. Clients often focus mindfully on body sensations, smells, sights, tastes, and other sensory experiences to ground themselves. Mindfulness helps manage emotions that arise during EMDR, promoting healing and transformation. EMDR itself is an exercise in mindfulness, focusing on BLS keeps the client’s attention in the present moment. During the desensitisation phase of EMDR, clients are instructed to ‘let whatever happens, happen’ and to ‘just notice’ what is coming up which is consistent with principles of mindfulness. It is present-moment-orientated and helps clients just notice what they are experiencing in the present moment, and they learn to do so without judgement or self-criticism. Clients discover that what they are experiencing are just transitory events in consciousness, they arise and fade away. “This too, will pass” is a phrase often quoted in Buddhism.
In summary, EMDR and mindfulness can complement each other, with mindfulness providing valuable tools for emotional regulation and self-awareness during the EMDR process.
