Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a recognized, evidence-based psychotherapy primarily used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the psychological effects of disturbing life experiences. The therapy is founded on the idea that traumatic events can overwhelm the brain's natural information processing system, causing distressing memories to become "stuck" and unprocessed. When triggered, these memories can be re-experienced with their original intensity, leading to ongoing emotional distress. EMDR aims to activate the brain's inherent healing processes to "digest" these blocked memories, allowing them to be integrated constructively.

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In practice, an EMDR therapist guides the client to briefly focus on a traumatic memory while simultaneously applying bilateral stimulation, most commonly through side-to-side eye movements. This dual attention—focusing on the internal memory and an external stimulus—is believed to facilitate the reprocessing of the traumatic event. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require detailed descriptions of the trauma. Instead, it focuses on desensitizing the emotional impact of the memory and restructuring negative beliefs associated with it, leading to symptom reduction and emotional healing.