EMDR Therapy in Dubai
Are you searching for EMDR Therapy in Dubai?
Work with an Accredited Consultant level EMDR Therapist Dr Millia with 25 years of Experience in Trauma Healing.
EMDR therapy with Dr Millia
Dr. Millia is a British-trained Consultant Psychiatrist and has been a Senior EMDR Europe Approved Consultant. She is an EMDR Specialist with over 25 years of experience. She was previously a Board Member of the EMDR Association UK, Training facilitator, and a European EMDR Consultant. She was also a researcher in the U.K. with extensive publications in Trauma and EMDR Therapy. She is a speaker and author of various articles and texts on EMDR Therapy.
- Over 25 years of trauma therapy experience
- Previous Board Member of the EMDR Association UK and Training Facilitator.
- Hosted many workshops and training events in EMDR Therapy
- Level 3 Advanced Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist
- A background in NHS psychiatry for complex trauma
- Training in treating expats and cross-cultural mental health in the UAE
Dr Millia brings a warm, intuitive, and deeply trauma-informed approach to her sessions.
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Why Seek an EMDR Therapist in Dubai?
EMDR therapy was developed in the late 1980s by the late Francine Shapiro. The therapy uses eye movements to help process painful traumatic memories and promote healing.
EMDR therapy is a powerful, evidence-based path to healing from trauma, PTSD, anxiety, grief and more. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR is a natural therapy focussing less on talking and more on processing—helping your mind naturally heal from psychological wounds.
EMDR Therapy offers a unique and effective way to heal without needing to talk in detail about the trauma.
What EMDR Can Help With?
- Phobias and irrational fears
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Grief and loss
- Childhood trauma
- Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
- Emotional flashbacks
- Distressing memories or recurring nightmares
- Also read more on: Depression therapy in Dubai
What are the key principles of EMDR therapy?
Firstly, as an EMDR therapist, the assumption is that we all have a inner resource that can help heal us naturally when we feel wounded. If we have a cut, we heal naturally. But if the cut gets infected, wounds don’t heal well.
Secondly, memories of painful experiences do not get fully processed if this natural resource within us gets stalled. The memories remain raw and fresh, as if the wounding happened just recently.
Thirdly, unprocessed raw memories keep replaying in our lives over and over again. The raw emotions, beliefs, pain, images, self-judgemental beliefs all get triggered in our current life, relationships, jobs and social life.
The past, present and the future gets interlinked so all three timelines are reactive to triggers.
For instance, if someone mistreats us, we quickly react angrily entering a fight mode. The present reaction essentially was replayed from past experiences of mistreatment and we then defend ourselves in the future so it never ever repeats again. This means we avoid situations that would trigger us ever again, but the price to pay is isolation and disconnection. Emdr therapy works on all three prongs of the protocol.
What to expect in-session with an EMDR therapist?
Prior to beginning EMDR Therapy, it’s essential to have a thorough assessment to ensure the therapy is suitable for your specific needs.
Many people call it EDMR Therapy. Also people believe Eye Movements is the only way to resolve traumatic past memories. However, many different techniques can be used alongside eye movements.
The EMDR Therapy Process:
- History and Assessment
- Preparation and Resourcing
- Building Internal Safety
- Targeting Disturbing Memories
- Reprocessing with Bilateral Stimulation
- Installing Positive Beliefs
- Body Scan and Closure
During the reprocessing stage, you’ll recall distressing memories in short bursts (approx. 24–30 seconds) while following visual, tactile, or auditory stimuli. Over time, the emotional charge linked to the memory decreases. Clients often report a shift in belief systems—moving from statements like “I’m worthless” to “I’m strong” or “I’m safe.”
This method allows the brain to reprocess trauma. An EMDR therapist will help the emotional intensity fade. Beliefs about yourself like I’m worthless, I’m unlovable, I’m not safe and so on that started from the memory begin to shift. New beliefs and new ways of looking at the future begin.
Many clients find their experience at our EMDR therapy to be life-changing and empowering.
How does the brain process trauma with EMDR?
While no single theory explains how EMDR works, research points to several mechanisms:
Working Memory Theory:
Recalling traumatic memories while focusing on bilateral stimulation taxes the brain’s working memory. This makes the memory feel less vivid and emotionally overwhelming.
REM Sleep Analogy:
Bilateral stimulation may mimic Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, a time when the brain naturally processes emotions. This could help integrate unprocessed trauma.
Dual Attention Theory:
By simultaneously holding a traumatic memory and a grounding sensory input, clients can safely reprocess experiences without feeling overwhelmed.
🎧 Listen to Dr. Millia’s podcast with Professor Ad De Jongh — as they discuss how EMDR works and the mechanism of action. [Click here to listen: 🎧 Listen here].
EMDR Therapy vs Traditional Talk Therapy
EMDR Therapy is commonly mispelt as EDMR Therapy or Eye Movement Therapy. Traditional talk therapy helps clients logicalise thoughts and emotions over time, but it may not reach deeply held trauma in the nervous system.
EMDR therapy offers a more direct path to emotional healing:
- Doesn’t require in-depth discussion of the trauma
- Helps change the emotional impact of traumatic memories
- Speeds up processing compared to many long-term therapies
Think of EMDR Therapy as your brain’s way of completing unfinished emotional processing—clearing out “stuck files” from the past.
Does EMDR Therapy work for everyone?
Not everyone benefits right away. In some cases, protector parts (as understood in Internal Family Systems therapy) may block access to painful memories. These protective mechanisms are the psyche’s way of keeping us safe.
If resistance is low, EMDR can reach core trauma memories and create deep healing. Complex trauma treatment can take lomger with sessions paced carefully to respect your internal system. Dr Millia also offers EMDR sessions online from Dubai.
Those with Neurodivergent challenges, like ADHD or Autism, require significant adaptations with EMDR therapy. Lack of progress with EMDR therapy, may also prompt curiosity whether there are underlying neurodivergent issues. These are especially challenging in women with ADHD due to heavy masking of ADHD symptoms.
How many EMDR Therapy sessions do I need?
The number of sessions varies. Single-event traumas may take 3–12 sessions. Complex trauma often requires more time and preparation. In many cases, EMDR works best when combined with other approaches, like Internal Family Systems Therapy to address deep-rooted parts and protectors.
Complementary Approaches: IFS Therapy + EMDR Therapy Dubai
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy was developed in the 1980s by Dr. Richard Schwartz, blending family systems theory with the understanding that the mind is made up of distinct inner parts.
IFS Therapy and EMDR Therapy are natural allies. For clients with internal conflicts or parts that resist trauma processing, IFS helps parts feel safe before EMDR begins. Explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) complements EMDR therapy.
As a Level 3 IFS therapist with over 25 years of experience in trauma therapy, Dr Millia will guide individuals through powerful healing journeys with integrity, compassion, and skill.
Publications & Podcasts by Dr Millia on EMDR Therapy
Dr. Millia has contributed to several publications that shaped complex trauma treatment for adults globally:
- EMDR Therapy in Specific Phobia of Vomiting (SPOV)
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Olfactory Reference Syndrome EMDR Therapy Protocol
- A Controlled Comparison of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Two Psychological Therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing vs. Emotional Freedom Techniques
- Research & Publication that informed NICE guidelines on PTSD
- Life satisfaction in people with post-traumatic stress disorder
Start Your Healing Journey
As an EMDR certified therapist in the UAE, Dr Millia is committed to providing a supportive environment for all clients. If you’re ready to find peace, clarity, and emotional relief, EMDR therapy in Dubai could be the path forward. Contact Dr Millia Begum to learn more about trauma therapy services in Dubai.
Read more on: How to Choose Therapies in Dubai?
Book a session today at the First Psychiatry Clinic in Dubai.
Contact Details
Dr Millia
- Consultant Psychiatrist; EMDR & IFS Therapist
- First Psychiatry Clinic
- Villa 975 Municipality 363856
- Al Manara, Umm Suqeim 2
- Dubai, UAE
- Office Number: +971 4 221 6000
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7CmfxHvqxnQs9DyL8
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IFS Therapy
EMDR Therapy
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