Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured psychotherapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro, designed to help patients process and integrate traumatic memories and other distressing experiences that have become stuck in the nervous system and continue to generate psychological and physiological distress.
EMDR is one of the most extensively researched trauma treatments available. It is recommended as a first-line treatment for PTSD by the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Psychological Association, and the Israeli Ministry of Health.
The theoretical foundation of EMDR is the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model: psychological distress arises when memories of traumatic events are stored in a dysfunctional way — incompletely processed, isolated from the rest of the memory network, and continuing to be activated in their raw, unintegrated form.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — most commonly guided eye movements, though auditory tones or tactile taps may also be used — while the patient holds elements of the target memory in mind. This process facilitates the reprocessing and integration of the traumatic memory, reducing its emotional charge and enabling it to be stored as a past event rather than a continuing present threat.
A standard course of EMDR follows eight phases: history taking and treatment planning, preparation, assessment of the target memory, desensitisation using bilateral stimulation, installation of a positive cognition, body scan, closure, and re-evaluation at subsequent sessions.
EMDR was developed for PTSD and remains the condition for which its evidence base is strongest. Clinical application has since extended to complex PTSD and childhood trauma, single-incident trauma, grief and loss, anxiety disorders and phobias, panic disorder, depression with traumatic underpinnings, eating disorders with trauma history, performance anxiety, and chronic pain with psychological components.
EMDR is particularly well-suited to presentations where distress is clearly linked to specific past experiences — whether a single traumatic event or a pattern of early adverse experiences.
EMDR is conducted by trained therapists directly in English, Russian and Hebrew — without an interpreter. For trauma processing work, the ability to communicate in one's own language is clinically essential, not a secondary consideration.
EMDR is delivered within an integrated clinical framework. Where pharmacotherapy is also involved, the EMDR therapist and treating psychiatrist work in close coordination. In some presentations, a period of stabilisation and preparatory work precedes active trauma processing — the timing of each phase is determined clinically.
For complex trauma presentations with significant personality-level impact, EMDR may be delivered alongside Schema Therapy — EMDR targeting specific traumatic memories while schema work addresses the broader patterns those experiences have generated.
All EMDR at IsraClinic is delivered within the framework of the Psychoergonomic Method — ensuring the reprocessing work is embedded in a comprehensive clinical understanding of this specific patient's history and goals.
EMDR is indicated whenever distressing memories — from a single traumatic event or a pattern of adverse experiences — are contributing to current psychological difficulties. It is the treatment of choice for PTSD and appropriate for a wide range of trauma-related and anxiety presentations.
EMDR is generally not recommended during active psychosis or severe psychiatric instability. For patients with complex trauma histories and significant dissociative features, the preparatory phase may be more extended. The treating team will assess readiness and timing before active processing begins.
IsraClinic accepts patients for in-person consultation in Tel Aviv and online, in English, Russian and Hebrew. No referral is required.
Clinical Programme Curator: Valery Kravitz | IsraClinic | Last reviewed: 2026
Traumatic memories do not have to remain a source of ongoing distress. If you would like to discuss whether EMDR is right for your situation, our team is available in English, Russian and Hebrew.