EMDR vs. Talk Therapy: What’s the Difference?

People often ask me: “So, is EMDR just talk therapy with eye movements?” The answer is no — but there are overlaps.

In EMDR, we always spend time talking. I don’t just say “good morning” and jump into reprocessing. Each session starts with checking in: What have you noticed since last time? Have there been new triggers? How’s your sleep? We’ll also talk through what feels most important to focus on that day.

But the biggest difference is that in EMDR, we don’t just analyze the past — we actually help your brain reprocess it. For example, instead of simply noticing “I’m irritable with my spouse because my dad was depressed and critical,” EMDR helps your brain unstick those old painful memories so they no longer drive your reactions today. And if you don’t know the link between your present-day triggers and your past, EMDR therapy helps uncover those roots.

One of the most powerful EMDR therapy results is that you don’t have to work at avoiding triggers anymore. Once your brain processes and heals, the triggers themselves lose their grip. This may sound too good to be true, but I see it happening every day. A person, a place, or even a tone of voice that once stirred up anger, sadness, or fear no longer overwhelms my clients. Instead, they feel calm, neutral, and capable of handling situations that might once have taken days, weeks, or even years to recover from. This is what healing trauma with EMDR looks like.

Other therapies can be incredibly valuable. In fact, the coping skills and insights you’ve gained in previous therapies often become the foundation for EMDR. They prepare you to dive into the deeper work. But unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR’s goal isn’t to keep you in therapy forever — it’s to help you heal, so you can live fully.

If you’re ready to stop being triggered and want to experience the difference between EMDR and talk therapy, this may be the path forward.