Cancer, trauma and ongoing threat: Clinical considerations for EMDR practice

An article based on personal clinical experience of adapting EMDR therapy for people living with cancer, exploring what it means to work with rauma when the threat may still be present.

Article Abstract

“Working in a cancer setting as a clinical psychologist, I have often been struck by how frequently trauma threads through the cancer experience – from the moment of diagnosis, intensive treatments, and living with difficult side effects to the uncertainty of living with an ongoing threat, including ongoing fears of recurrence that may persist long after treatment has ended (Lebel et al., 2016). Although there is a growing evidence base supporting EMDR for cancer-related trauma, its application within psycho-oncology remains relatively limited compared to other trauma contexts (Capezzani et al., 2013).

In this piece, I reflect on my experience of adapting EMDR therapy for people living with and beyond cancer, exploring what it means to work with trauma when the threat may still be present. Research has increasingly recognised that a cancer diagnosis and its treatment can be experienced as traumatic, with a significant minority of patients meeting the criteria for post-traumatic stress symptoms (Kangas et al., 2002; Mehnert & Koch, 2006).

This piece represents my personal reflections on working as a clinical psychologist using EMDR to help people affected by cancer. I aim to explore the nuances of this area of work, focusing on what is unique about being diagnosed with cancer and experiencing the treatment. I aim to bring a trauma lens to what is often seen as a physical and medical experience, where the psychological impact of diagnosis and treatment can be lost. I hope to share here what I have learned in terms of what can make EMDR challenging in this context and how it can be best adapted to meet the needs of people with cancer.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open Access

Barnes, H. (2026, Winter). Cancer, trauma and ongoing threat: Clinical considerations for EMDR practice. EMDR Therapy Quarterly. https://etq.emdrassociation.org.uk/2026/03/07/cancer-trauma-and-ongoing-threat-clinical-considerations-for-emdr-practice/