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How long does EMDR take?

EMDR – short for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – is a therapeutic approach that has gained significant traction and recognition for its effectiveness in treating trauma. One of the most common questions about EMDR is “How long does EMDR take?”. As with most therapy, the duration of EMDR therapy can vary widely and it depends on several factors. These include the complexity of the trauma, the individual’s response to the treatment, and the therapist.

Typically, a complete course of EMDR therapy needs 8 to 12 sessions. Some clients require fewer sessions. Others more. Each session typically lasts between 60 to 90 minutes. This general timeframe also varies depending upon the therapist’s assessment of client progress and the client’s readiness to move through EMDR’s phrases.

The usual first phase of EMDR involves the therapist conducting a comprehensive assessment of a client’s history, traumatic experiences, and current symptoms. This helps establish a therapeutic relationship, helps build trust, and allows the therapist to develop a treatment plan tailored to the individual’s needs.

After the assessment phase, the therapist and client work together to identify specific “target memories” or experiences that will become the focus of the EMDR treatment. These targets are usually memories associated with the distressing or traumatic event and that continue to cause emotional distress today. Each target typically requires several sessions to process fully, so the number of targets directly affects the overall length of therapy.

Also, the number of sessions required to process each target memory varies based upon the intensity of the trauma, the individual’s ability to tolerate emotional distress, and their unique responsiveness to EMDR techniques in general.

Throughout the course of EMDR-based therapy, the therapist will continuously adjust. They will monitor the client’s progress, revisit certain target memories, addressing new issues, and help build coping skills.

Knowing all of this, we can see that the answer to “How long does EMDR take?” is a bit complex. While 8 to 12 sessions is a good starting point, it is influenced by the client’s goals, rate of progress, client readiness to complete the treatment process, and the individual therapist.

Power Talk Therapy is an online group practice providing therapy to adults and couples throughout California. We specialize in therapy for anxiety, depression, and trauma. Please reach out today to discuss how our team can help you or your loved one.

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