Learn more about the benefits and challenges that EMDR therapists experience when using online EMDR services. We asked EMDRIA members for video or written responses to the following questions:

“What significant benefit have you experienced when delivering EMDR therapy via telehealth?” 

“What significant challenge have you faced and successfully navigated while providing EMDR therapy via telehealth?”  

  NOTE: Play the video and click on the ‘CC’ icon in the lower right-hand corner for closed captioning on the videos. *** Jasmine Adams, LCSW “What I enjoy about EMDR telehealth is witnessing therapy participants who once felt limited by systemic barriers, people with disabilities, rural residents, caregivers, or those weighed down by stigma, and find sanctuary in their own homes/session space. When therapy participants get to set up their space so that their entire system is attended to and get to speak their truth without the struggle of travel or judgment, I feel humbled. This also allows therapists who have their own disability realities, like myself, to provide services that are more manageable for their system’s needs. Telehealth also allows us to connect across cultures and languages, bridging gaps and honoring lived experiences. In those moments, I see healing flourish unconfined by geography or mobility. It reminds me that equity in trauma care is not a dream but a reality we can create together, one secure video session at a time.”   *** Dr. Cecily Batiste Dawson, LPC-S “The greatest benefit I’ve experienced with EMDR via telehealth is how readily available it makes EMDR therapy. For so many of my clients, access used to be a barrier because of location, lack of transportation, or packed schedules. Telehealth has removed those roadblocks. Now, clients can engage in EMDR from wherever they are, without having to rearrange their lives to make healing a priority.  It’s made care more consistent and sustainable. I’ve had clients log in from their cars during lunch breaks, from home while managing chronic pain, or while traveling for work. None of which would have been possible with traditional in-person therapy. And yet, the depth and effectiveness of EMDR remain intact. Making trauma work more accessible without compromising quality has been a game-changer for me, and more importantly, for the people I serve.”    *** Stella Bhagwat, Ph.D. Benefits: “For clients:     *** Jeannie Campbell, LMFT “I do EMDR both in person and via telehealth because people online deserve to experience healing as much as the person who can drive to my office. The only difference I’ve found between in-person and telehealth sessions for EMDR is perhaps fewer BLS options online (i.e., they are likely unwilling to purchase a tapper or buzzer to use with one of the BLS websites), but even so, it’s just as powerful a modality! The biggest challenge is the technology, but I’ve had telehealth clients do BLS while biking on a Peloton, or walking around their neighborhood. When all technology fails, a client can simply tap themselves, or even pick two points and move their eyes themselves. The possibilities are endless, and the results are the same. I spend a little extra time on the logistics of BLS, the methods they prefer, but all in all, I’ve not found any difference that a little creativity can’t master.”   *** Alicia Ceynar, LPC  Benefit: Clients can receive the benefit of EMDR at their work location, at home, in their car (stationary at work or home, safe, private). Pets are super helpful for resourcing, dual attention, etc. I keep it simple and use tapping for all clients except for one client. Tapping allows for resourcing, attachment, dual attention, and more. The one client that does not use tapping puts sticky notes on the sides of their ipad to expand the range of eye movement for the Shapiro standard BLS.     Challenge: Phones overheating or internet outage. I teach clients the pattern of tapping, pausing, and breathing. When we are back online, they may have completed a set of BLS or we are at least able to pick up where we left off. I also have a backup electronic ready to go on my end for quick re-engagement.      “As a newer EMDR therapist, I’ve been amazed by how quickly clients are able to process long-held traumas—even over telehealth. Many of my clients initially express skepticism, but I’ve developed a way of explaining the EMDR process that helps them feel safe, informed, and open to trying it. Once we begin, the shifts are often fast and deeply meaningful. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch clients experience relief from memories they’ve carried for decades, all from the comfort of their own space. Telehealth has made EMDR more accessible, especially for clients who might feel overwhelmed by in-person sessions or who live in remote areas. It’s a powerful reminder that healing doesn’t have to be limited by location.”   “I love doing EMDR on telehealth! Telehealth allows me to provide high-quality care to folks in our semi-rural community or who live outside of our area. I enjoy allowing clients to use their pets or their own preferred comfy things for regulation and resourcing during sessions, which we can’t do with them in the office. Probably my favorite reason though, is that I find when clients are in charge of their own BLS/DAS due to telehealth (self-tapping or audio tones), I’m able to be so much more attuned to them and their process since I’m not having to manage physically conducting their BLS/DAS.”     Benefit: “I’ve been able to reach clients that otherwise would have difficulties coming in-person.” Challenge: “The largest challenge is when referrals don’t trust telehealth services. Frankly, I found it best to refer them out since there are plenty of referrals that prefer telehealth.”      *** Lisa Jones, LPC “I will say I have found EMDR to be just as effective via telehealth as in person. I use bilateralstimulation.io as a platform. The clinician can control the speed, the color of the dot, and the stopping and starting. I have also used tapping; where the client taps through BLS on camera.”   *** Dr. Arielle Jordan, LCPC “One surprising benefit of doing EMDR through telehealth is that the healing often feels more real and grounded. I have seen clients process deep trauma while sitting in their own space, wrapped in a familiar blanket, sipping tea, and feeling safe in a way an office cannot always provide. It is not just about convenience. It helps regulate the nervous system. It honors cultural and personal needs. And it works. I have watched clients go deeper, faster, because they feel safe where they are.”   *** Aurora Luna Walss, LMFT Challenge: “The most important challenge I have found in EMDR online therapy is forming a strong therapeutic bond in people with complex trauma. Because their trust in others has been harmed throughout their life, these individuals struggle to rely on a therapist they see on a computer and with whom they are unsure they can connect in a space other than a face-to-face setting. Therapists need to develop strategies to improve communication with these clients, especially at the beginning of the process when a sense of security, stabilization, and emotional regulation skills are needed in phases 1 and 2. Providing psychoeducation, maintaining close contact, and being available to build rapport are essential when offering EMDR online therapy.” Benefit:   *** Viviana McGovern, LMFT “One significant benefit I’ve experienced is how telehealth reduced emotional overwhelm for clients during EMDR. Many feel safer processing trauma in their own environment, which often leads to greater openness and regulation during reprocessing. For some, being physically distant also helps lessen the intensity of avoidance of fear-based shutdowns, especially in early phases. I’ve seen clients settle more quickly into bilateral stimulation and express themselves more freely, sometimes even saying things they admit they wouldn’t have in person. Additionally, the convenience and privacy of telehealth have improved consistency and attendance, particularly for clients juggling caregiving roles or anxiety-related barriers.”   *** Maria Luisa Molina, LCSW  Benefit: “One significant benefit of delivering EMDR via telehealth is that clients can engage in trauma work from the comfort of their own space, enhancing their sense of emotional and physical safety. Familiar environments, with access to grounding items like pets, weighted blankets, or calming scents, allows clients to regulate more effectively during sessions. This setting can make trauma processing feel less intimidating. For some, especially those with complex trauma, home can feel more predictable than an office, which supports nervous system regulation and builds trust.”  Challenge: “A significant challenge I’ve faced is managing dissociation. To address this, I focus on a strong preparation phase using somatic and polyvagal techniques, and helping clients recognize how dysregulation shows up in their body. Clients are encouraged to practice these strategies to ensure they meet their unique needs. These intentional steps have helped clients feel safer, more empowered, and deeply supported during EMDR sessions.”    *** Christine Mulholland, LMFT “From my experiences since the onset of pandemic in 2020, providing telehealth EMDR therapy to a range of client ages, neurodivergence, culture, family backgrounds, the benefits have outweighed the drawbacks.  The primary benefits have been regarding engagement of curiosity and agency with what client has available to them in their environment-  use of different objects for BLS  or DAS (stress ball, thera-band looped under thighs or under feet), butterfly hugs, what I call “loving arms” elbow taps, walking in place, pressing out alternately with arms. Options if accessing therapy from their car, using metronome sound on my end to set pace for eyes to follow against front fender of parked car.  Exploring these options with clients also engages natural resourcefulness and curiosity, all part of the AIP model.   Also, the resourcing/phase II prep work can be used with BLS to reinforce engagement in beneficial daily habits outside of session.”

 

*** Tiffany O’Connor, LPC “I have had the experience of doing Telemedicine EMDR.  EMDR is an amazing intervention.  It has been both successful and challenging when doing online.  One thing I notice is that when the therapist is removed from the room, the client can feel both secure and comfortable in their environment much quicker; however, they can also default to their old coping strategies and dissociations easier. I do a lot of somatic and expressive art therapy sessions along with cognitive behavioral therapy prior to engaging in EMDR to allow me the opportunity to understand my client better.  This also helps me recognize things they may tend to do to disengage and ways we can use interweaves that are helpful to them in sessions.   *** Becky Olson, LMHC “I started using telehealth during COVID-19. I was pretty nervous and not feeling confident facilitating EMDR through telehealth despite the 7 years of in-person experience. However, seeing the same quick results over telehealth quickly squashed those insecurities.  In my experience, EMDR via telehealth is just as effective as in-person therapy except it’s more convenient for clients to attend appointments.”   *** Rosario Ortigao, LMHC “Providing online-only EMDR treatment became my life, during and since Covid. I am a certified EMDR practitioner who has not been afraid of trying different protocols with different populations (adults, children, couples). I had never realized it was possible to let go of my long-standing private office and work virtually, from home, until I was forced to try it. Today, my clients and I are happy, benefitting from virtual EMDR, which we find as effective as face-to-face treatment, from the comfort of our own homes (or another designated, convenient location).  We get a great deal done:  healing and better care of ourselves, i.e., we don’t have to fight traffic and are able to take longer breaks before the next thing.

The biggest challenge for me, and several of my clients, has been technology; sometimes inevitable, like a power failure.  But even that has been successfully overcome.  Role-modeling stretching possibilities, flexibility, patience, calmness, understanding, while facing a challenge together, has been an opportunity to problem-solve, build resilience, and rapport.”

  *** Erin Pritchard, LPCC-S “How can I choose just one benefit?! Telehealth EMDR has leveled the playing field – truly making EMDR therapy accessible to all. Clients have access to connecting with resources in real time that aren’t possible in the office – pets, people, the scents, sounds, and comforts of home.

 To be honest, the biggest surprise for me is that client outcomes are the same whether we do EMDR virtually or in-person. I love knowing the quality of care and effectiveness of protocol is not compromised moving to a telehealth format.”

  *** Oraine Ramoo Benefit: “I’ve noticed a meaningful shift in how my body responds to the emotional weight of my clients’ stories and emotions. My body feels less overwhelmed and less physically impacted by the heaviness they sometimes carry, allowing me to stay more grounded, present, and energized during sessions. It’s like I have a little more space to hold what they bring without absorbing it. While in-person sessions remain deeply powerful and offer a unique energy exchange, I’ve found EMDR therapy to be incredibly effective in the virtual setting. This format seems to create a sense of safety and distance for both therapist and clients, enabling clients to process difficult material with surprising depth and resilience. In some ways, the screen creates a gentle buffer that helps clients feel safer and more in control, often allowing the work to go even deeper.”   *** Evangelina (Gina) Reynoso, LMFT “I am not a fan of video, but I do probably 50% of the EMDR session via telehealth. So far I have not had any challenges. I made sure that my patient has enough resources before we start BLS. I inform the patient that this treatment is for her/him and the pace needed. It is not about me. I reassure the patient that I will be by his/her side all the way.  I explain the rules and they can stop me at any time. I monitor every movement and reaction and we talk about any possible challenges at the end of the session. I find it very helpful, especially when my patient’s residence is a considerable distance from my office. I do prefer to do it in person of course, as for me there is more control and the clinician is able to read the entire room, not only what the screen allows me to see.”   *** Heloisa de Barros Ferreria Schauff “The main benefits of having telehealth EMDR sessions are:

• It improves punctuality, it is timesaving, avoids transit & parking expenses and it is environmentally friendly.
• There are clients that live abroad and prefer having therapists speaking their own language and understanding their culture, which facilitates the treatment.
• There are clients that feel better in their own environment.

After years of doing telehealth EMDR, I confirm that the therapy efficacy is the same as traditional setting.”

  *** Masha Shapiro, LMHC Benefit: “One significant benefit I have experienced delivering EMDR via telehealth is how it allows clients to process traumatic memories in the comfort and safety of their own environment. For many, being in a familiar space reduces anxiety, increases their sense of control, and helps them feel more grounded during sessions. This can be especially beneficial for clients who may feel vulnerable or overwhelmed in traditional clinical settings. The sense of agency that comes from choosing where and how they engage in therapy often empowers clients to participate more fully in the EMDR process, which in turn can deepen the effectiveness of their trauma processing. Additionally, telehealth has significantly improved accessibility. Clients who might otherwise face barriers such as transportation, childcare responsibilities, physical health limitations, or even social anxiety, are now able to engage in therapy more consistently. And with trauma work — especially EMDR — consistency is key. Maintaining a regular schedule supports the continuity of processing and the integration of new, adaptive information, which can be disrupted if sessions are missed or delayed. I’ve also found that telehealth creates space for a different kind of relational attunement. In many ways, the therapeutic alliance is strengthened when clients feel more at ease, and the shared experience of working across screens can foster a sense of mutual adaptability. While telehealth certainly has limitations — such as navigating technical difficulties or not always having access to the full range of somatic cues — I’ve seen firsthand how it can be a powerful, flexible tool for trauma healing when facilitated thoughtfully and ethically.”   *** Carla-Renee Sherwood Benefits: “The significant benefits that I have noticed is the continuity of care. I work with clients internationally and so if they move house, move countries for work, or go on holidays overseas, or I am travelling for work trainings, then we can continue our sessions, so in this way it works very well! It is easier to access, people don’t have to drive (especially after a heavy session) or park to access appointments.” Challenge: ‘The biggest challenge I face is when clients have poor internet connection (I only have long termers so this is not about the education at the beginning) which can be disruptive so if the sound is poor we will mute the telehealth platform and I will ring the client and put them on speaker phone so we have ‘live’ voice time, otherwise we have to switch to a phone call and we would then NOT do reprocessing Phases 3-6.”   *** Dr. Irene Siegel, LCSW    

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Additional Resources

If you are a therapist interested in the EMDR training:

• Learn more about EMDR therapy at the EMDRIA Library
• Learn more about EMDR Training
• Search for an EMDR Training Provider
• Check out our EMDR Training FAQ

If you are EMDR trained:

• Check out the EMDRIA Let’s Talk EMDR Podcast
• Check out the EMDRIA Focal Point Blog
• Learn more about EMDRIA membership
• Search for EMDR Continuing Education opportunities

If you are an EMDRIA™ Member:

• Learn more about EMDR Consultation
• Find clinical practice articles in the EMDRIA Go With That Magazine®
• Search for articles in Journal of EMDR Practice and Research in the EMDRIA Library