EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
ClinicalA structured psychotherapy developed in 1987 by Francine Shapiro that uses bilateral stimulation — guided eye movements, alternating taps, or tones — while a patient briefly recalls a traumatic memory, aiming to help the brain reprocess it so it loses intensity. Not dependent on or related to psychedelics, though some practitioners now use it in integration work after a psychedelic session, and a few have proposed combining the two directly (see entry above on Brainspotting, an EMDR offshoot).
Example: A 2014 meta-analysis of 26 randomized controlled trials found EMDR produced a moderate reduction in PTSD symptoms (Hedges' g ≈ -0.66); more recent reviews (2024-2025) found it reliably beats waitlist or usual care but is roughly comparable to, not better than, other trauma-focused therapies like CBT — and most of that evidence is still rated low to very low certainty by the reviewers themselves.
What is EMDR?
A structured psychotherapy developed in 1987 by Francine Shapiro that uses bilateral stimulation — guided eye movements, alternating taps, or tones — while a patient briefly recalls a traumatic memory, aiming to help the brain reprocess it so it loses intensity.
Is EMDR related to psychedelics?
Not dependent on or related to them, though some practitioners now use it in integration work after a psychedelic session. See our Brainspotting entry, an EMDR offshoot.
How effective is EMDR for PTSD?
A 2014 meta-analysis of 26 randomized controlled trials found EMDR produced a moderate reduction in PTSD symptoms (Hedges' g ≈ -0.66); more recent reviews (2024-2025) found it reliably beats waitlist or usual care but is roughly comparable to, not better than, other trauma-focused therapies like CBT — and most of that evidence is still rated low to very low certainty by the reviewers themselves.