EMDR for Complex PTSD
Many studies have shown Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) to be very effective for treating Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), but there are some additional considerations and elements of the treatment that are modified or added from treatment of single-event PTSD.
One modification that needs to be made to the EMDR sessions for treating complex PTSD is noting ‘any kind of dysregulation or disassociation. This can be accounted for early on, during the history-taking portion of the treatment.
When someone disassociates, they are separating themselves from their feelings or thoughts. This is more than walling-off emotions so that they can’t hurt you. It’s quite literally mentally disconnecting yourself from those feelings.
It’s not an uncommon occurrence for those with C-PTSD. The therapist might have to work with the client on their disassociation first before fully engaging in EMDR.’
Another modification to EMDR to consider when treating C-PTSD is the time frame for treatment. Because C- PTSD includes ‘many more thoughts, memories, and experiences, the time frame for treatment gets longer. The exact length of time will vary depending on the person and their individual needs.
The reason is simple, with complex trauma symptoms there are more traumatic events to work through. The word “complex” means that you were exposed to multiple (perhaps ongoing) traumatic experiences.
That much trauma will take time to unpack and sort through. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make progress. Through EMDR therapy you can help your brain to eventually “stand-down,” sort-to-speak, and not continuously sound the alert’ – even after multiple, repeated or sustained traumas.
Working through complex trauma may be hard at first, but it’s worth being able to finally resolve it and its symptoms. Of course, it’s important to acknowledge it may not be easy. And that’s why for some people participating in additional counselling before, or alongside EMDR, will improve your chances of success.
Tomorrow CAN be a new day.
Please remember, these are not medical recommendations. Be sure to work with a professional to find the best methods for you. EMDR should always be delivered by properly trained therapists.
How effective is EMDR?
Research has shown that EMDR can be very effective, very quickly in treating PTSD and C-PTSD.
Read about some of the research that has been done in this area here .
What happens in an EMDR session?
Find out more about the different phases of EMDR treatment and how the sessions will differ as you progress.
Things to know before starting EMDR therapy
It’s important for people to go into EMDR therapy with an full understanding of what the treatment requires and entails.
EMDR Treatment Case Studies
Universiteit van Amsterdam (UVA). (2017, June 29). PTSD in children quickly and effectively treatable within hours. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 23, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170629085311.htm
Carletto Sara, Borghi Martina, Bertino Gabriella, Oliva Francesco, Cavallo Marco, Hofmann Arne, Zennaro Alessandro, Malucchi Simona, Ostacoli LucaTreating Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and Relaxation Therapy Frontiers in Psychology VOL. 7 2016 Page 526 https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00526 DOI10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00526
Chen L, Zhang G, Hu M, Liang X. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing versus cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult posttraumatic stress disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2015 Jun;203(6):443-51. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000000306. PMID: 25974059.
Chen Y-R, Hung K-W, Tsai J-C, Chu H, Chung M-H, Chen S-R, et al. (2014) Efficacy of Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for Patients with Posttraumatic-Stress Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. PLoS ONE 9(8): e103676. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103676
Bisson, J., Roberts, N.P., Andrew, M., Cooper, R. & Lewis, C. (2013). Psychological therapies for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003388.pub4
Bradley, R., Greene, J., Russ, E., Dutra, L., & Westen, D. (2005).A multidimensional meta-analysis of psychotherapy for PTSD. American Journal of Psychiatry, 162, 214-227.
Lee, C.W., & Cuijpers, P. (2013). A meta-analysis of the contribution of eye movements in processing emotional memories. Journal of Behavior Therapy & Experimental Psychiatry, 44, 231-23
Seidler, G.H., & Wagner, F.E. (2006). Comparing the efficacy of EMDR and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of PTSD: a meta-analytic study. Psychological Medicine, 36,1515-1522.
Acarturk, C., Konuk, E., Cetinkaya, M., Senay, I., Sijbrandij, M., Gulen, B., & Cuijpers, P. (2016). The efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression among Syrian refugees: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Psychological medicine, 46(12), 2583-2593
Raymond W. Gunter, Glen E. Bodner, How eye movements affect unpleasant memories: Support for a working-memory account, Behaviour Research and Therapy, Volume 46, Issue 8, 2008, Pages 913-931, ISSN 0005-7967,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2008.04.006.
Comparison of two treatments for traumatic stress: A community-based study of EMDR and prolonged exposure, Ironson, B. Freund, J. L. Strauss, J. Williams
Scheck MM, Schaeffer JA, Gillette C. Brief psychological intervention with traumatized young women: the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. J Trauma Stress. 1998 Jan;11(1):25-44. doi: 10.1023/A:1024400931106. PMID: 9479674.
PTSD in children quickly and effectively treatable within hours
Here’s What You Need To Know Before Your First EMDR Therapy Session
Hello! Did you find this information useful?
Please consider supporting PTSD UK with a donation to enable us to provide more information & resources to help us to support everyone affected by PTSD, no matter the trauma that caused it
PTSD UK Blog
You’ll find up-to-date news, research and information here along with some great tips to ease your PTSD in our blog.
Thriving leadership programme
PTSD UK is building a new trauma-informed leadership programme Somewhere right now, a manager is sitting across from someone on their team who is clearly struggling. And quietly, they’re thinking: I don’t know what to say. They want to help.
PTSD Awareness Day 2026
PTSD Awareness Day 2026 This Saturday, 27th June 2026 marks International PTSD Awareness Day and we’d love for you to get involved and help us raise our voice, shout louder and drive towards our mission to help support EVERYONE affected
Things I wish I’d known
Things I wish I’d known – Guest Blog Hannah first connected with PTSD UK in 2023, when she shared her story on our blog and ran the Scottish Half Marathon for us. Three years on from the breakdown that led
Duty of Care Guest Post
Duty of Care: Living with PTSD While Researching It Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is hard enough on its own. Doing it while working in the very field that studies and treats it brings a tension few people talk
Partners of Police Officers
“I’m still here”: What partners of police officers want you to know about living with C-PTSD In this guest piece, Dr Deborah Hamer-Acquaah draws on her research with the spouses of serving police officers to explore what it’s really like
How running can help people with PTSD
How running can help people with PTSD Running won’t undo trauma, and it isn’t right for everyone. But for a growing number of people living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD and C-PTSD), it has become a real part of
Treatments for PTSD
It is possible for PTSD to be successfully treated many years after the traumatic event occurred, which means it is never too late to seek help. For some, the first step may be watchful waiting, then exploring therapeutic options such as individual or group therapy – but the main treatment options in the UK are psychological treatments such as Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprogramming (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Traumatic events can be very difficult to come to terms with, but confronting and understanding your feelings and seeking professional help is often the only way of effectively treating PTSD. You can find out more in the links below, or here.