EMDR Therapy in Corsham, Wiltshire and Online
A structured approach to processing traumatic and distressing experiences
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, is a structured psychotherapy used to help people work with distressing memories and the ways those experiences continue to affect them in the present.
I provide specialist EMDR therapy for adults and adolescents at Hartham Park in Corsham, Wiltshire, welcoming clients from Bath, Chippenham and the surrounding areas. Online EMDR therapy is also available throughout the UK.
My approach is not simply to apply EMDR to every difficulty. We begin by understanding what you are experiencing, what may be maintaining it and whether EMDR is an appropriate way of working for you.
What Can EMDR Therapy Help With?
EMDR is best established as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma-related difficulties.
You might consider EMDR when experiences from the past continue to feel unusually present or affect how you respond now.
Memories and reminders
- intrusive memories, images or flashbacks
- distress following an accident or other frightening event
- avoidance of reminders of what happened
Feelings, beliefs and relationships
- feeling constantly alert or easily triggered
- difficult beliefs about yourself following an experience
- shame, guilt or fear connected with past events
- the continuing effects of abuse, neglect or difficult relationships
Some people come to therapy with a clear traumatic event. If that is your situation, you can also read about EMDR for single-event trauma. For others, the difficulty may be connected with repeated experiences, relationships or periods of life rather than one particular incident.
You do not need to decide for yourself whether your experience “counts” as trauma before getting in touch.
Is EMDR an Evidence-Based Therapy?
Evidence and NICE guidance
EMDR has a substantial evidence base for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.
NICE recommends EMDR for adults with PTSD or clinically important symptoms of PTSD in appropriate circumstances. Trauma-focused CBT is also recommended, and the most appropriate treatment depends on factors including your experiences, needs, preferences and clinical formulation.
EMDR is used within the NHS and internationally as a treatment for trauma-related difficulties.
Research continues into exactly how EMDR produces its effects. Several explanations have been proposed, including theories involving memory processing and working memory. It is therefore more accurate to say that EMDR is an established treatment whose precise mechanisms continue to be investigated.
What Happens in EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is more than eye movements.
Before processing begins, we spend time understanding what has brought you to therapy, identifying relevant experiences and considering how they affect you now.
1. Notice
You may be asked to notice an image, emotions, physical sensations, negative beliefs and what feels most distressing now.
2. Process
Bilateral stimulation most commonly involves guided eye movements, although alternating taps can also be used.
3. Integrate
The aim is to reduce distress and help the experience feel less emotionally immediate, not to erase the memory.
Assessment and Preparation Come First
EMDR should not begin with immediately asking you to revisit the most difficult experience of your life.
We first consider what you are experiencing now, your history, the changes you would like to make and anything that may affect how therapy needs to be paced.
Staying present
- notice and manage changes in emotional activation
- remain connected to the present
- respond to overwhelm or shutdown
Understanding the process
- understand triggers and patterns
- feel more confident about what will happen during processing
Some people are ready to begin processing relatively quickly. Others benefit from a longer period of preparation.
There is no advantage in moving faster than is useful or manageable.
You can also read about what to expect during and after EMDR therapy.
Do I Have to Tell You Everything That Happened?
Not necessarily.
What you may need to share
EMDR requires enough information for us to understand what we are working with and to make appropriate clinical decisions, but you may not need to describe every detail of a distressing experience.
When less detail may be possible
Approaches such as the Blind to Therapist protocol can sometimes allow aspects of processing to take place while limiting how much of the detailed content needs to be disclosed.
We would decide together whether this is appropriate rather than assuming that detailed retelling is either necessary or should always be avoided.
EMDR for Complex and Relational Trauma
Not everyone seeking EMDR has experienced a single traumatic event.
Patterns across time
Some difficulties develop through repeated experiences such as childhood adversity, emotionally unsafe relationships, neglect, criticism, betrayal or other experiences that have affected trust, attachment and self-worth.
In these circumstances, therapy often needs to consider more than one memory.
Careful formulation and pacing
We may need to understand patterns that developed across different periods of your life and work carefully with the experiences that appear to be maintaining present difficulties.
This can mean more preparation, greater attention to emotional regulation and a slower pace of processing.
EMDR is therefore one part of my wider trauma-focused approach rather than a technique used in isolation.
Online EMDR Therapy
EMDR can also be delivered online.
Online EMDR follows the same careful process as face-to-face work, including assessment, preparation and paced processing. Before starting, we agree how sessions will work safely and practically in your own space.
Your environment
- a private space where you are unlikely to be interrupted
- a comfortable position with enough room for bilateral stimulation
- a reliable internet connection
Your session
- the form of bilateral stimulation that feels most suitable
- ways to stay grounded during the session and what support may be helpful before and afterwards
Online therapy can make specialist EMDR accessible to people throughout the UK without needing to travel to Wiltshire.
Weekly EMDR or a More Focused Intensive?
Weekly EMDR
Most EMDR takes place within regular therapy sessions.
A focused intensive
For some people, a longer period of protected therapeutic time can be useful when there is a clearly identified experience or issue to work with.
I offer carefully assessed half-day and full-day trauma intensives. These are not designed to rush treatment. Intensive therapy is not suitable for everyone and includes separate assessment and preparation.
Explore EMDR intensives near Bath and Bristol, learn about Online EMDR Intensives, compare EMDR intensive vs weekly EMDR therapy, or read how intensive EMDR works.
EMDR Therapy Near Bath and Chippenham
I offer face-to-face EMDR therapy at Hartham Park in Corsham, Wiltshire, for clients travelling from Bath, Chippenham and the surrounding areas.
For people looking for EMDR therapy in Bath, choosing a therapist may involve more than finding the nearest appointment. Experience in working with particular difficulties, the approach to assessment and treatment planning, and feeling comfortable with the therapist are all important considerations.
My work includes PTSD, complex trauma, difficult childhood experiences and the lasting psychological effects of distressing or emotionally harmful relationships. Treatment begins with developing an understanding of your experiences and current difficulties, rather than assuming that EMDR processing should start immediately.
Face-to-Face EMDR Therapy Near Bath
Sessions take place at Hartham Park, Corsham, providing an alternative for people who would prefer to access specialist trauma therapy outside Bath city centre.
I offer regular EMDR sessions, with extended sessions and more focused trauma intensives available where clinically appropriate.
Online EMDR Therapy for Clients in Bath
If travelling to Corsham is not practical, online EMDR therapy may provide another option. Online sessions involve the same attention to psychological assessment, preparation and treatment planning, with adaptations to support safe and effective remote working.
A free 15-minute consultation provides an opportunity to discuss what you are looking for and whether EMDR or another trauma-focused approach may be appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EMDR only for PTSD?
EMDR has its strongest established evidence for PTSD and trauma-related symptoms. It is also used clinically with other difficulties where distressing experiences appear relevant, but suitability needs to be considered individually rather than assuming EMDR is appropriate for every problem.
Will EMDR make me relive my trauma?
EMDR involves bringing aspects of a distressing memory to mind, but the aim is not to recreate the experience in full. Processing is structured and paced, and preparation forms an important part of treatment.
Do I have to talk about the trauma in detail?
Not always. I need enough information to understand what we are working with and to practise safely, but detailed verbal disclosure of every aspect of an experience is not necessarily required.
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
There is no single number that applies to everyone. NICE notes that EMDR for PTSD is typically delivered over a number of sessions, with more sometimes required where people have experienced multiple traumas. The amount of therapy needed depends on the experiences being addressed, complexity, current circumstances and how the work develops.
Can EMDR help with childhood or complex trauma?
EMDR can form part of therapy for people affected by multiple or earlier traumatic experiences. Complex trauma often requires careful formulation, preparation and pacing rather than simply processing memories one after another.
Can EMDR be done online?
Yes. EMDR can be adapted for online delivery. We would first consider privacy, safety, technology, bilateral stimulation and whether remote therapy is appropriate for your particular circumstances.
What if EMDR is not right for me?
EMDR is only one of the approaches I use. My broader trauma work can also draw on CBT, Deep Brain Reorienting, Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems-informed work and Schema Therapy according to your needs and the formulation we develop together.
Considering EMDR Therapy?
A free 15-minute consultation gives you an opportunity to briefly explain what you are looking for, ask questions and consider whether working together may be appropriate.
There is no expectation that you already know which therapy you need. We can begin by understanding the difficulty and considering the options from there.