EMDR Therapy for Post-traumatic stress disorder in Dubai 

Are you looking for an EMDR Therapist in Dubai? 

Dr. Millia Begum is a British-trained Consultant Psychiatrist, EMDRIA Approved Therapist & EMDRIA Consultant, who has contributed to EMDR research, development, and recognition of this therapy in the UK. She was an EMDR training facilitator and a former board member of the EMDR Association UK.

EMDR therapy is a structured psychotherapy method designed to help people process and integrate distressing past memories. It relies on the brain’s intrinsic capacity to heal itself, called the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) System. EMDR therapy has been widely researched and is recommended for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as recommended by major organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Psychological Association (APA). Besides PTSD, EMDR has limited evidence in other conditions such as anxiety disorders, phobias, pain conditions, and prolonged grief disorder. 

Read more about it: EMDRIA

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is a type of trauma psychotherapy that helps the brain process difficult or traumatic experiences. It is based on the idea that our minds naturally try to resolve distressing experiences, but sometimes overwhelming events get “stuck” and are not properly processed. These unprocessed memories can then cause ongoing emotional and psychological difficulties.

EMDR therapy works by helping the brain reprocess these memories so they can be integrated in a healthier way. Over time, this allows the emotional intensity to reduce and the memory to feel more like something in the past, rather than something still happening now. Research over the past few decades has shown that EMDR is an effective treatment for trauma.

The therapy focuses on three key areas:

• past experiences that are still affecting you
• present triggers or situations that cause distress
• and building more positive, adaptive ways of responding in the future

A distinctive part of EMDR is the use of bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, tapping, or sounds), which helps the brain process and integrate these memories more effectively.

Watch this short explanation of EMDR Therapy (Dubai)

What is EMDR Therapy Effective For?

EMDR Therapy is mainly applied for trauma recovery.  Many symptoms—such as anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, or attention difficulties—are driven by persistent and repetitive neural patterns formed in response to stress or trauma. However, EMDR Therapy has the most evidence base for Post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Some of the trauma-related conditions that EMDR might help are: 

EMDR for C-PTSD

Research shows that EMDR is effective not only for single-incident PTSD but also for complex PTSD (C-PTSD).

Emerging research shows it is also effective in complex PTSD, including individuals with long-standing childhood trauma and attachment disruptions.

Studies by leading researchers such as Ad de Jongh demonstrate that EMDR can significantly reduce symptoms of complex trauma, often without the need for prolonged stabilization phases. By helping the brain reprocess distressing memories, EMDR supports deep and lasting healing at both a psychological and neurobiological level (Ad De Jongh)

EMDR for Anxiety disorders and panic

It is important to emphasize that panic/anxiety presentations can be trauma-linked.

While EMDR is best known for PTSD, research shows it is also effective in treating anxiety disorders and panic symptoms, particularly where these are linked to earlier distressing or overwhelming experiences.

EMDR works by helping the brain process the underlying memories and triggers that drive anxiety and panic, rather than only managing symptoms (Yunitri et al, 2020)

What happens in an EMDR Therapy Session? 

The process to expect in an EMDR therapy session is outlined here:

History taking

The therapist will ask you for information about your background, current struggles, current support systems, and previous and current coping mechanisms. 

Preparation

Before you work on anything difficult, the therapist will support you in preparing to work with what is traumatic. This includes teaching you a safe-place imaginal exercise, grounding techniques, resource work, and ways to access the right support between sessions. Preparation also includes collaboratively agreeing on the memories that need to be addressed and the order in which to start. Preparation also involves explaining the theory of EMDR and testing the appropriate type of bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movements, tapping, auditory tones). 

Processing without overwhelm

Memories are approached gradually, one at a time, at a pace that feels manageable. Each memory is processed to completion, which means the emotional charge is rendered to zero or minimal. This then leads to installing the new perspective or belief that has emerged and to scanning the body for any remaining disturbances. 

In-between EMDR therapy Sessions 

EMDR Therapy can bring emotional intensity between sessions. In the early stages of therapy, this can be intense but subsides over time. To manage this, being aware of it, letting family or friends know of this possibility, using the safe place exercise regularly, and using other grounding techniques can help. 

The EMDR therapist follows an eight-phase structure that includes history-taking, the preparation phase, assessment of the memory, processing of the memory, installation of preferred beliefs, a body scan, closing the session, and re-evaluation. 

Common questions asked about EMDR

Many people come to EMDR with understandable concerns or uncertainty. These are some of the most common questions asked about EMDR therapy.