Can You Do EMDR Online?
When people find out I offer EMDR through telehealth, the first question is usually some version of: "Wait, can you actually do that online?"
The answer is yes. And it actually works really well.
What the research says
Before I get into how it works practically and my experience seeing clients benefit from it, it's worth knowing that online EMDR isn't just a workaround. The research supports it. A 2023 service evaluation published in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology compared online EMDR directly to in-person EMDR for people with PTSD and found no meaningful differences in completion rates, dropout rates, or outcomes between the two formats. Clients who completed EMDR online actually had slightly lower PTSD scores at the end of treatment. A 2020 service evaluation presented at the EMDR Annual Conference and published by the EMDR Association UK concluded that online EMDR is effective. EMDRIA, the EMDR International Association, has published formal guidelines for virtual EMDR delivery and tracks ongoing research supporting its effectiveness.
The short version: online EMDR works.
How online EMDR works
We meet on a HIPAA-compliant video platform, so you can see me clearly and I can see you. A good internet connection helps, though I've done sessions with clients on an iPad in a truck that went just fine. You don't need a perfect setup. You need a private space and a device with a camera.
The bilateral stimulation, the back-and-forth sensory input that is central to how EMDR works, looks a little different online, but not that different. And the most important thing is that it works.
When I first started doing EMDR online, I would move my fingers across the screen and clients would follow with their eyes, or clients would use self-tapping, crossing their arms in an X across their chest and tapping the opposite shoulder alternately. I saw real results with both of those approaches.
Now I use a dedicated platform that makes the process even smoother. I share a secure link, the client opens it on their device, accepts a couple of permissions, and we're ready. From there we can use a ball moving across the screen for eye movements, bilateral audio tones through headphones, or a combination of both.
The audio option has been a favorite for a lot of my clients. Many close their eyes during processing, which helps them focus and really take in the bilateral experience. For some people, there's something about removing the visual that allows them to go a little deeper. Others find they prefer the eye movements with the ball. What’s nice is that we can customize the experience to your preference.
What I've seen online EMDR help with
I want to be concrete about this, because there are still some ideas out there that online therapy is somehow a lesser version of the real thing.
Using these online approaches, I've worked with clients healing from past sexual abuse, processing the experience of watching a loved one die, navigating the lasting impact of parental divorce, learning to live with anxiety differently, and changing deeply held beliefs about themselves that were getting in the way of their lives.
That's not a lesser version of anything. Online EMDR can be just as transformative as in-person.
So is it right for you?
Online EMDR works best when you have a private space where you feel comfortable, a reliable internet connection, and a device with a camera. Headphones help, especially if you want to use the audio option.
If you've been curious about EMDR but assumed you'd have to find someone in person, you don't. The work can happen wherever you are.
If you're in Florida or Maine and want to talk about whether this might be a good fit, I'd be glad to connect.
