EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – a therapy method developed for treating trauma.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an effective method for treating trauma.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movements, tapping) to process traumatic memories. The method helps the brain process stuck memories.
Who is EMDR suitable for?
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): the Finnish Current Care guideline (updated 30 June 2026) lists EMDR among first-line psychotherapies
- After-effects of other traumatic experiences
A professional always assesses whether it suits you.
Duration
The length depends on the situation and is agreed with the therapist.
How does EMDR therapy proceed?
EMDR is a structured method that proceeds in stages. First the therapist finds out about your situation and background and goes through how the method works. Before traumatic memories are processed, you practise ways to calm yourself. Only after this is the memory processed with the help of bilateral stimulation, and finally the effect of the processing is assessed.
You do not have to tell everything in detail, and you can stop if it becomes too heavy. The processing can bring up strong emotions also between sessions, so it is worth talking about this with the therapist beforehand.
Where can I find an EMDR therapist?
Ask the therapist directly whether they have training in the EMDR method and experience in treating trauma. EMDR is a method, not a separate professional title, so the therapist's basic training and right to use the psychotherapist title should be checked separately.
Kela reimbursement and further information
If EMDR therapy is carried out as rehabilitative psychotherapy, Kela may reimburse it when its conditions are met. The conditions, required statements and how to apply are on Kela's website: Rehabilitative psychotherapy. You can check a psychotherapist's right to use the title in the JulkiTerhikki register.