The Unseen Spectrum: EMDR with High-Masking Autistic Clients
EMDRIA member Christine Molina talks about subtle presentations of autism and how EMDR therapy can help.
The timing of attentional distraction matters in facilitating extinction of trace fear memory (Experimental Neurobiology)
Research results show that attentional distraction facilitates trace fear extinction, and proper timing is a necessary condition for a sensory stimulation to effectively facilitate trace fear extinction.
Contain The Case: Conceptualization from Neuroscience, Through an Anti-Racist Lens
An EMDR case conceptualization framework integrating neuroscience, containment, and anti‑racist, culturally responsive practice.
Treating trauma memories reduces the distress of related memories (Journal of EMDR Practice and Research)
This study’s findings suggest that treating trauma memories can reduce the distress level of related memories, with a greater effect when treating earlier memories.
Bilateral rhythmic stimulation as a possible modulator of meningeal lymphatic flow: A regulatory T cell-centered neuroimmune hypothesis of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience)
This study proposes that bilateral rhythmic stimulation in EMDR may influence long-term brain and behavior changes by altering autonomic balance and neuroimmune interactions—particularly involving regulatory T cells—offering a testable framework for future research.
Effects of virtual reality eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy for adolescents with major depressive disorder: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study (European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry)
This study found that 12 sessions of virtual reality–based EMDR therapy significantly reduced depression symptoms and improved cognitive function in adolescents with major depressive disorder, likely by positively changing brain network connectivity.
Integrating EMDR with tDCS in obsessive–compulsive disorder: An opinion paper (Journal of EMDR Practice and Research)
This opinion paper proposes a therapy strategy combining EMDR with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to target trauma-related psychological processes and restore neural processes.
Keeping Up with EMDR, the Brain, and Neurobiology: From Brain Parts to Brain Networks
Bridger, Jen and Caleb bring us up to date on the evolving world of neurobiology and how EMDR therapist can apply this new knowledge.
DRAFT – CHECK BACK MARCH FOR PEER REVIEW It is not the shimmy, it is the shift: Differential effects of valence shift type and stimulation mode during a simulated EMDR session in PTSD patients and healthy controls (Health Sciences – Preprint)
Mechanism-of-action studies on EMDR have so far focused mainly on the presumed active component of bilateral stimulation (BLS). In this pilot study, a further potential working mechanism was examined for the first time, involving stimulation-induced changes in emotional valence.
Testing Wong’s theory on the flash technique with published timing data for healthy subjects (Journal of EMDR Practice and Research)
This study uses currently available timing data on spontaneous blinking to examine mechanisms of action for the flash technique (FT) in healthy subjects.
Exploring inter-subject variability in the emotional domain to characterize typical and atypical neural responses in longitudinal settings: Insights from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing rehabilitative treatment (Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation – Preprint)
This study found that looking at differences between individuals’ brain responses can reveal meaningful brain changes after therapy, showing that EMDR reduced brain variability in people with multiple sclerosis alongside improvements in depression, even when standard analyses showed no change.
Investigating intersubject neural variability in fMRI during emotional processing to assess EMDR treatment effects on depression in multiple sclerosis (Journal of the Neurological Sciences)
This study utilized fMRI imaging as a way to investigate and measure underlying neural plasticity for emotional processing deficits such as those found in people with Multiple Sclerosis who experience depression.
