Frequently Asked Questions

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a psychotherapy approach designed to help individuals process distressing emotions and memories by using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, to promote adaptive information processing.

While EMDR is widely known for treating trauma and PTSD, it can also be beneficial for other conditions that cause emotional distress. This includes: Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Phobia and Fears, Anger, Stress, and Addictions. Millions of people around the world have used EMDR successfully to permanently manage these conditions.

When compared to other methods of therapy (psychoanalysis, cognitive, behavioral, etc), EMDR has been rated as far more effective in scientific studies and by medical practitioners. Clients experience faster healing which is more effective and longer-lasting. In some studies, the effects of EMDR were demonstrated to last for months, even years, after treatment ended.

EMDR has been used successfully by millions of people to treat conditions that cause emotional distress, including Trauma, PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression.

While most people find EMDR to be fast-acting and effective, a small number may experience a temporary increase in emotional distress before improvement occurs. These responses are typically short-lived and are part of the healing process.

Information on EMDR is widely available online and from trained professionals in your area. There has been extensive research done on the effectiveness of EMDR for mental health conditions, such as PTSD, Depression, and Addiction.

Check out the "What is EMDR" section for more FAQs about EMDR.

Yes, thousands of people have already done EMDR on their own!

Learn how with this free eWorkbook (Download eWorkbook)

Definitely! Virtual EMDR was designed for people with no prior experience of EMDR. The program is intuitive, easy-to-follow, and comes with full instructional videos and case examples.

If you require help getting started, add on an affordable 1:1 Coaching session for personalized support, or find an EMDR practitioner near you using our "Find a Therapist" Directory.

Virtual EMDR follows the same established EMDR protocols backed by scientific research, and tried-and-tested by millions of people worldwide.

Some benefits of Virtual EMDR, when compared to therapist-led EMDR, include:

• Availability: Virtual EMDR is available any time any day, without waiting or scheduling an appointment. So you can get instant relief as soon as your symptoms pop up.
• Anonymity: Virtual EMDR offers full anonymity, so no one needs to know you are getting help – ever.
• Affordability: Virtual EMDR costs less than a single therapist session for UNLIMITED access.

Yes, many of our clients use Virtual EMDR to support their sessions with a therapist.

For example, you can use Virtual EMDR at home on the days or weeks when you do not have a therapist appointment. You can also use Virtual EMDR when unexpected triggers happen and you need support immediately.

After your Virtual EMDR sessions, you can download your autosaved Session Worksheets and share them with your therapist.

Yes, Virtual EMDR can be used in conjunction with medication and complementary therapy, including traditional talk therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Many people also find support in counseling, support groups, mindfulness practices, and lifestyle modifications.

If you are currently undergoing treatment, consult your therapist or physician to ensure a coordinated treatment plan.

Virtual EMDR is designed to be a self-guided program which can be used without the help of a therapist.

If you get stuck or need extra help, you can purchase a personalized 1-on-1 60 minute Coaching Session. You can also find an EMDR therapist in your local area or from our "Find a Therapist" Directory.

Virtual EMDR is currently available only in English. We plan to offer other languages in future.

If you are new to EMDR, set aside 30 minutes for your first session. This allows you more time to get familiar with the process and questions. You’ll generally find that you’ll require less time as you do more sessions. In fact, the majority of Virtual EMDR sessions take 40 minutes or less.

No special equipment is required! All you need is a set of headphones, and a computer or large-screen tablet.

Virtual EMDR should not be used on Mobile Phones or smaller Tablets, as they do not allow for sufficient eye movement bilateral stimulation.

Everyone's situation is different. It is not possible to provide guidelines on the number and frequency of sessions that you will need. As you start your treatment, you will get familiar with the changes you experience after each session.

Continue working on each issue until it no longer causes you emotional distress when you think of them. Virtual EMDR helps you track your pre- and post-session Emotional Distress Rating, so you can see the progress you are making over time.

Many emotional issues will require more than one Virtual EMDR session to resolve. This is especially if they are complex or long-standing.

It may not be ideal to do back-to-back sessions of Virtual EMDR. Strong emotions can be brought up during the session, and you need to allow these to subside fully before starting another session.

With Virtual EMDR's unlimited access, take the time you need to absorb the benefits of each session before starting the next one.

Results will vary from person-to-person, and even from session-to-session. In general, most people report experiencing a positive result after each session.

In a study of over 10,000 Virtual EMDR sessions, users self-reported that their Emotional Distress Rating decreased by 3 points (on a 10-point scale) after the session. However, do not compare yourself to others. Take pride of the progress you are making in managing your emotions more effectively.

Try Virtual EMDR completely free for 3 days to see if the program works for you. If you do not feel a noticeable difference after your session, cancel within 3 days – and pay absolutely nothing. You can cancel by logging in to your Profile > My Account.

If you want to continue, you do not need to do anything. Your credit card will be charged automatically.

We hope that every person will find Virtual EMDR invaluable in their healing and wellness journey. We offer a 3-day free trial so you can try Virtual EMDR before you make a purchase. Our company policy is to not offer refunds outside of this trial period, but we sometimes consider refunds after the 3-day free trial on a case-by-case basis. It is infrequent that we give these refunds, but you can contact us and let us know what we can do better.

Subscriptions to Virtual EMDR automatically renew upon expiry. You can turn off auto-renew on your Profile page at any time, or you can contact us to cancel your subscription.

If you know someone who is struggling with Trauma, PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Grief, or other emotional pain, you can send them the priceless gift of healing – with Virtual EMDR!

Send a 1-month Gift Subscription here Gift Subscription.

Virtual EMDR is proud to offer free access (1-3 month) to all military, first responders, and other providers under our “Give back to those who give” community initiative. Email us with details of your service.

Our mission is to make EMDR treatment accessible to everyone. If you need Virtual EMDR but cannot afford it, please Email us and let us help. We provide discounted or free access in exchange for positive Video testimonials - just Email us.

We also regularly send out coupons to our mailing list. Click here to get on the list.

We are here to help. If you have any questions or feedback about Virtual EMDR, please Contact Us .