Can EMDR Therapy Treat Eating Disorders?
EMDRIA member Cassie Krajewski talks about EMDR therapy as a compassionate and comprehensive treatment approach for eating disorders.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing versus cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of inpatients with obesity, binge eating disorder, and traumatic experiences: a randomized controlled trial (Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome)
A two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) was run to test the hypothesis that a 4-week EMDR intervention was more effective than a parallel CBT intervention in the treatment of inpatients with obesity and BED who experienced at least a traumatic event.
A pilot randomized controlled trial of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy for adults with binge-eating disorder (International Journal of Eating Disorders)
This study was the first pilot randomized controlled trial to examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of EMDR therapy in the treatment of core binge eating disorder (BED) symptomatology.
Therapists’ attitudes and exclusion criteria for prolonged exposure and EMDR in patients with eating disorders and PTSD (European Eating Disorders Review)
A significant proportion of patients with eating disorders (EDs) also meet criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Guidelines recommend exposure-based treatments for PTSD, including prolonged exposure (PE) and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR). Investigating therapist-related factors could lead to improve their use when ED and PTSD co-occur.
The effect of eating disorders and trauma day treatment in women with eating disorders and childhood maltreatment history: A pilot study (Child Abuse and Neglect)
This paper reports on the effectiveness of a day program that includes EMDR for women with eating disorders (ED) and a childhood maltreatment history on symptoms of EDs, PTSD, CPTSD, and dissociation.
Dissociative and traumatic experiences in people with eating disorders (Current Opinion in Psychiatry)
This review synthesizes existing literature on the prevalence, assessment, and treatment of dissociation, focusing on its manifestation in eating disorders and explores dissociation, its relationship with trauma, and its role in emotion regulation.
Dissociation as a Key to the Treatment of Severe Eating Disorders
Learn to identify dissociative parts in eating disorders and apply EMDR therapy to address chronic, treatment-resistant cases and their underlying trauma.
EMDR for eating disorders and body schema disorder: An update (Intech Open, 2025)
This chapter discusses EMDR therapy for eating disorders, underlying theory and a narrative case study.
Alexithymia, dissociation and emotional regulation in eating disorders: Evidence of improvement through specialized inpatient treatment (Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy)
67 female eating disorder inpatients (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder) were treated with EMDR and other methods.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for the treatment of eating disorders: A systematic review of the literature (Mental Health Science)
The study aimed to systematically evaluate the current evidence regarding the use of EMDR therapy in the treatment of eating disorders (ED), ED symptomatology, and body image concerns.
Comparison of the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), transcranial direct current brain stimulation (tDCS) and combined therapy on perceived stress and food craving in women with binge eating (Journal of Modern Psychological Research)
A study comparing EMDR therapy, transcranial direct current brain stimulation, and combined therapy as a treatment for food cravings and perceived stress in women who binge eat.
Comparison of the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), transcranial direct current brain stimulation (tDCS) and combined therapy on perceived stress and food craving in women with binge eating (Journal of Modern Psychological Research)
A study comparing EMDR therapy, transcranial direct current brain stimulation, and combined therapy as a treatment for food cravings and perceived stress in women who binge eat.
