EMDR
A NICE-recommended therapy that helps your mind process trauma — freeing you from painful memories.
How EMDR Can Help
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Traumatic memories
- Flashbacks & painful emotions
- Effects of physical or emotional abuse
- Anxiety following trauma
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a form of therapy that is extremely effective and efficient at dealing with traumatic memories — allowing your mind and body to process them properly, and freeing you from the painful emotions and flashbacks that can follow a traumatic experience.
Who can EMDR help?
EMDR is a particularly useful technique for addressing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It has proven very beneficial for people recovering from experiences such as physical or emotional abuse, rape and terrorist attacks — situations where the memory of what happened continues to intrude on daily life long after the event itself.
It can help when trauma shows up as flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, or a constant sense of being on edge; when reminders of the event provoke reactions out of all proportion to the present moment; or when a memory simply refuses to fade the way ordinary memories do.
How does EMDR work?
Traumatic experiences can overwhelm the brain’s normal ability to process what has happened, leaving the memory “stuck” — stored with all its original emotional intensity. EMDR uses guided eye movements while the traumatic material is brought carefully to mind, helping the brain to reprocess the memory so it can finally be filed away as something that happened in the past, rather than something still happening now.
The memory itself is not erased — but its emotional charge is defused. People typically find they can recall the event afterwards without being flooded by the fear, shame or distress that used to accompany it.
Is EMDR evidence-based?
Yes. EMDR has been extensively tested and is recommended under the NICE guidelines (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) for the treatment of trauma. At the Fairlee Wellbeing Centre it is used in conjunction with standard hypnotherapy, allowing your therapist to draw on both approaches as your treatment progresses.
How many sessions will I need?
EMDR is remarkably efficient compared with many talking therapies: usually five to eight sessions are sufficient. Your therapist will assess your situation at the first appointment and give you an honest indication of what to expect.
Each session lasts around an hour, in a calm, private and unhurried setting. You remain awake, aware and in control throughout — and you set the pace at every stage.
What Clients Say About Our EMDR
“Nick Johnson is amazing at acupuncture and massage. He has fixed me countless times and is worth seeing for maintenance too and stopping niggles becoming something bigger. The price is very reasonable and the treatment rooms are great. Friendly and helpful staff upstairs in the Pharmacy too. Highly recommend.”— tommc7
“I telephoned Fairlee and got amazing help from all and Nick Johnson has transformed my life. After many years of pain from too much back surgery and being near crippled, his combination of acupuncture and physio has done so much more than a spinal cord stimulator (now removed), pills and all other medical treatments. I now walk straight. The Team at Fairlee are all very friendly and helpful.”— David Wittich
“He identified all the 'knots' on my back and neck and worked on them for 45 minutes of deep tissue massage followed by acupuncture. Last night was the first night I slept. Today I am sore, but no migraine. Can't thank him enough. He knows exactly what he is doing and he works with the patient. Real gem in South West London.”— Evi Sif
Ready to Book Your EMDR?
Secure your preferred time — evenings and Saturdays included. New clients get 20% off their first treatment this month.