EMDR therapists’ use of empathic attunement: A grounded theory study

This grounded theory study investigated how advanced EMDR therapists perceive and utilize empathic attunement (EA) to inform clinical decision-making and develop a holistic understanding of clients.

Article Abstract

“Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an extensively supported treatment for trauma-related disorders and other conditions. While attunement or shared experience between therapist and client during EMDR is referenced in the literature, empirical research on this phenomenon is lacking. This grounded theory study investigated how advanced EMDR therapists perceive and utilize empathic attunement (EA) to inform clinical decision-making and develop a holistic understanding of clients. Thirteen EMDRIA-certified clinicians, each with at least 10 years of EMDR experience, participated in semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using iterative coding procedures described by Corbin and Strauss (2015). The analysis resulted in a grounded theoretical model in which therapists integrate clients’ verbal, exteroceptive (e.g., posture, facial expression, skin tone, and breathing), and interoceptive (e.g., the therapist’s own sensations and affect) cues within a shared awareness. Participants described using this information to make real-time clinical decisions. Empathic attunement was characterized as a bidirectional process in which therapists and clients mutually influence each other’s psychophysiological states. Although participants conceptualized EA through diverse theoretical frameworks, their reported experiences were notably consistent.”

Article Access

Open Access

Herman, J. S. (2026). EMDR therapists’ use of empathic attunement: A grounded theory study. [Doctoral dissertation, Tennessee Technological University, 32675694]. https://www.proquest.com/openview/51e330c51a4121863789a4a8d0e555e8/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y