Call 630.588.1201

Article

How to know if EMDR is right for you

November 5, 2026 · Written by David Seisser, LCSW

David Seisser, LCSW

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has become better known as awareness of PTSD and other trauma-related conditions has grown, both in clinics and in everyday life. We often talk with clients and fellow clinicians who are curious about EMDR or see it as their next step in therapy. Many are surprised to learn that EMDR has several phases and that some cautions apply before starting. In this article, we answer common questions about EMDR and who it's a good fit for.

What is EMDR?

Francine Shapiro developed EMDR in the late 1980s. As the story goes, she was walking outside while feeling distressed and noticed that as her eyes moved back and forth along the tree line, she felt relief. That observation led to bilateral stimulation (BLS), a core part of the EMDR method. How BLS works is still being studied. BLS engages both sides of the body in an alternating rhythm through sight, touch, and/or sound. It can include a therapist moving a finger back and forth, a light bar (a specialized EMDR tool) moving a light back and forth, you tapping your arms or legs one side at a time, listening to alternating tones, or holding a small paddle in each hand that vibrates in turn. BLS begins when you start reprocessing memories of a traumatic event or events. People often ask whether BLS is hypnosis. It is not, and it has no connection to hypnotherapy.

EMDR is much more than bilateral stimulation and thinking about painful memories. It is a structured, eight-phase approach used to identify and treat traumatic memories and the feelings and sensations tied to them. The phases are history taking and treatment planning, preparation and stabilization, target assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation. The best-known phase is usually the fourth, desensitization, when we begin using bilateral stimulation to reprocess painful memories and reduce the distress associated with them.

EMDR also has strong research support for PTSD. The World Health Organization's 2013 guidelines on conditions specifically related to stress and the 2023 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder both recommend EMDR for PTSD.

Are you ready for EMDR?

Here we focus on the first phase of EMDR, when we look at readiness to help answer the question, "Is EMDR right for me?" Your therapist will make the final call on whether EMDR is a good fit for you. Our hope is that knowing these areas of readiness helps you, and the clinicians who refer you, decide whether EMDR is right for you.

Recent crises and acute symptoms.

The first area of readiness is what is happening right now. We look at whether recent events or symptoms might complicate EMDR, or whether EMDR might stir up those symptoms and lead to a crisis.

Examples include a major loss or medical illness, high-risk suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and psychotic episodes. This might look like a recent hospital stay for mental health, a recent divorce, or a new, life-altering medical diagnosis. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For crisis support, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).

Stability and support.

The second area of readiness is stability. This includes having people you can reach out to for help, feeling safe at home, being able to use coping skills when you are distressed, and making sure anything putting you in danger has been addressed. This may sound like a lot to have in place before starting, but you will need ways to cope after a hard session and when other stresses come up during treatment. Stability does not mean you need to be symptom-free to start EMDR.

We also screen for dissociation, such as feeling detached from yourself or your surroundings, losing time, or feeling numb or far away. This helps us know whether you need more preparation and stabilization before reprocessing begins.

Medical considerations.

The third area of readiness is your physical health. We screen for general health conditions, medical issues that affect your ability to engage with BLS or recall memories, and prescribed medications that might affect reprocessing. This area is usually straightforward. For example, someone with aphantasia, the inability to picture images in the mind, may find it hard to "float back" to memories of a traumatic event. Some medications can also make it harder to access emotions while reprocessing a memory. Taking medical conditions and medications into account matters, and working alongside your doctor or prescriber can be key to success.

Timing and motivation.

The fourth and final area of readiness is timing and motivation. This includes the timing of life events, whether sessions are in person or online, and your own motivation and commitment to the process. Some of these are simple. If you have a month-long vacation or a medical procedure coming up, it is probably not a good time to start EMDR. Motivation can be more complicated. It is not unusual for someone to push themselves into EMDR because a partner wants them to, and over time that can make it hard to stay committed.

Takeaways for clients and clinicians.

Knowing these areas of readiness can help you prepare for what to expect if you are referred for EMDR and help you decide whether it fits your path in therapy. It can also help clinicians decide whether to recommend EMDR to their clients.

EMDR at Stenzel Clinical Services.

We offer EMDR at our Wheaton and Naperville offices, where David Seisser, LCSW, and Eric Hoyme, LCPC, CCMC, both provide EMDR. If you are wondering whether EMDR is right for you, call us at 630.588.1201. We can talk through your questions and help you take a first step at a pace that feels safe.

Written by David Seisser, LCSW.

References.

For broader support, explore our abuse and trauma counseling, available at our Wheaton, Naperville, and Geneva offices or online across Illinois and several nearby states. EMDR is offered at our Wheaton and Naperville offices.