EMDR Adelaide

26/10/2026

EMDR therapy is a well-supported, evidence-based treatment for PTSD and trauma-related conditions. Its structured approach and growing body of research make it a valuable psychological treatment. However, the application of EMDR therapy is no longer limited to PTSD. Research has increasingly explored its use in treating other mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, panic disorder, substance and alcohol use disorders, and difficulties associated with loneliness.

Although the strength of evidence varies across these conditions, EMDR therapy offers a broader therapeutic approach by addressing distressing life experiences, maladaptively stored memories, and their ongoing influence on emotional, cognitive and behavioural functioning.

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25/10/2026

"The PTSD Treatment Decision Aid will help you learn about effective treatment options for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It will give you the facts you need to make an informed decision."

The PTSD Treatment Decision Aid is designed to help you learn about and compare different treatment options for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

25/10/2026

Case Study: Successful EMDR Therapy for Cumulative Trauma and Multiple Traumatic Events.

A paramedic with more than 17 years of professional experience received psychological support over a few years to address the cumulative impact of repeated distressing experiences in their personal and working life.

At the beginning of treatment, questionnaires recorded mild anxiety and severe depressive symptoms. Assessment following a recent work incident also showed severe event-related distress, while their PTSD questionnaire responses met the relevant symptom-cluster criteria.

Therapy began with preparation and grounding. EMDR therapy then addressed an early significant memory, the most distressing work-related memory and a more recent incident.

Later assessments recorded encouraging changes. Anxiety reduced from mild to minimal. Depressive symptoms moved from severe to mild and, at a subsequent assessment, into the minimal range. Distress associated with the work incident fell below the questionnaire’s clinical threshold. At a later assessment, their PTSD questionnaire responses no longer met the symptom-cluster criteria previously identified.

During subsequent follow-up, symptoms fluctuated but, overall, remained below the clinical range. These improvements represent assessment results at particular points within a longer course of care, highlighting the importance of monitoring progress over time.

This case documents meaningful improvement during treatment that included EMDR therapy for cumulative trauma and multiple traumatic events. It reflects one person’s experience; another person’s treatment journey and outcomes may differ.

*Shared with the client’s consent. Identifying details have been omitted.*

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24/10/2026

22/10/2026

Processing means making sense of an experience: understanding what happened, connecting it with what you already know, and learning from it. This involves your thoughts, emotions and body reactions.
Reprocessing means working again with a past experience that still affects you. In the explanatory model of EMDR Therapy, this helps the memory connect with what you know and understand now, so its meaning, emotional impact and associated body reactions can change.
For example, someone who was repeatedly mistreated as a child might:
Before reprocessing: Know intellectually, “It wasn’t my fault,” but still feel ashamed, frightened or responsible.
After reprocessing: Begin to experience, “I was a child. I deserved care. What happened does not make me a bad person.”

22/10/2026

Throughout my practice, I have come to recognise that talking about trauma alone may not be sufficient for some people, particularly those who have experienced multiple traumatic events. This understanding led me to undertake training in the theory and practice of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, an approach focused on helping people reprocess traumatic memories and reduce their lasting emotional impact.

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08/10/2026

Depression severity alone should not automatically be considered a reason to delay trauma processing or require a lengthy stabilisation phase.
However, readiness must still be assessed individually, including su***de risk, capacity to remain engaged, cognitive functioning, substance dependence and other destabilising conditions.

05/10/2026

Memory can be understood as containing nine interconnected components: images, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and beliefs. When a memory is activated, some or all of these components may be triggered, even when we do not consciously recall the whole event.

02/10/2026

A summary of several recent EMDR therapy research articles highlights the importance of distinguishing between stabilisation, improvement in PTSD symptoms, and an actual reduction in dissociation. Trauma-focused therapy may reduce dissociation in people with PTSD and borderline personality presentations; however, comparable evidence for dissociative identity disorder (DID) remains extremely limited. Neither dissociation nor psychosis should automatically be considered a contraindication to EMDR therapy. Both require individualised assessment of readiness, appropriate clinical modifications, and ongoing monitoring of treatment outcomes.

23/09/2026

With successful EMDR therapy, you may begin to recognise patterns in your behaviour ( thoughts, emotions and physical sensations). You might catch yourself mid-reaction, mid-avoidance or mid-excuse. That moment of awareness gives you space to choose how to respond, rather than reacting automatically.