What Are the Most Common Reactions to EMDR Therapy?
You want to heal from what happened, but you’re not sure what EMDR therapy actually feels like — and that uncertainty makes the whole thing harder to step into. That’s completely normal. Most people want to know what to expect before starting EMDR therapy, including what reactions or side effects might occur during treatment.
While every nervous system responds a little differently, there are some very common reactions I see in my EMDR practice. My goal here is to walk you through those reactions in a clear and reassuring way, so you can make an informed choice about whether EMDR is the right fit for you.
Common reactions to EMDR therapy may include:
fatigue after sessions
emotional waves such as sadness, anger, or grief
vivid dreams related to therapy themes
new insights emerging between sessions
temporary increases in anxiety or emotional sensitivity
physical sensations connected to memories
Every EMDR Therapy Session Is Different
Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee exactly how you’ll respond to EMDR therapy. In my experience as a psychologist, no two people—or two sessions—are ever the same. EMDR activates your brain’s natural healing system, helping you reprocess stored memories, sensations, and emotions so your nervous system can integrate them in a healthier way. Because each person’s trauma history and coping style are unique, your experience will be, too.
That’s also why I recommend avoiding an EMDR session the day before something important, like a big presentation or interview. Some people feel tired or emotionally raw afterward, while others feel calm and energized. There’s no “right” response — only what’s right for your nervous system in that moment.
Before we get into the common reactions I see, some people have general questions about EMDR. If you’re interested in a “deep dive” into each of the Eight Phases of EMDR, you can start here and move through the remaining phases. If you’re curious about how an EMDR session generally goes, click here. Sometimes, people don’t want to share the specific details about the trauma - the great thing about EMDR is that you actually DON’T have to share those details! Some people are curious about the eye movements, tapping, or tones used in EMDR. These are forms of bilateral stimulation — gentle, alternating inputs that help your brain connect both hemispheres while reprocessing memories. It’s not hypnosis; you stay fully aware and in control the entire time. You can click here to learn a little more.
Another reason reactions vary from person to person is because EMDR therapy works with your brain’s natural information processing system. Trauma memories are often stored in a fragmented way, with emotions, body sensations, and images that never fully integrated when the event occurred. EMDR helps the brain reconnect those pieces so the memory can be stored in a more adaptive way. As that integration happens, it’s normal for the nervous system to temporarily react while things are reorganizing.
Before EMDR processing begins, therapists spend time helping clients prepare for these kinds of reactions. In Phase 2 of EMDR therapy, we develop grounding and stabilization tools that help your nervous system stay regulated while memories are being processed. If you’re curious about how therapists prepare clients for this stage of treatment, you can read more about the EMDR preparation phase here.
Is EMDR Therapy Dangerous?
Many people considering EMDR therapy wonder whether it could make symptoms worse or feel overwhelming. This is a reasonable question, especially when trauma treatment involves revisiting difficult memories.
Serious adverse reactions are rare when EMDR is provided by a trained clinician who follows the full protocol and prepares clients before trauma processing begins. Temporary increases in emotions or trauma-related symptoms can sometimes occur early in treatment as the brain begins processing difficult experiences, but these reactions are usually short-term and tend to decrease as therapy continues.
Studies examining psychotherapy overall estimate that adverse events occur in roughly 5% of clients receiving therapy, though these are often not systematically monitored in research. When researchers specifically examine trauma-focused treatments for PTSD, including EMDR therapy, deterioration rates are typically below 1%, and temporary increases in symptoms early in treatment are not associated with worse long-term outcomes.
In practice, EMDR therapists spend time preparing clients with grounding and stabilization skills before trauma processing begins. This preparation helps ensure that clients can stay regulated and move through the process safely.
Are There Side Effects From EMDR Therapy?
Some people describe the short-term reactions to EMDR therapy as “side effects,” although therapists typically refer to them as normal processing reactions. Because EMDR activates the brain’s natural information processing system, it can temporarily bring up emotions, body sensations, or memories connected to the experience being worked through.
Common short-term side effects may include fatigue after sessions, vivid dreams, emotional sensitivity, or new insights that appear between sessions. These reactions are usually temporary and tend to decrease as the brain completes the processing of the memory.
Most people find that once the brain finishes integrating the experience, the distress connected to the memory becomes significantly reduced and easier to manage.
Most Common Reaction to EMDR: Fatigue
You’ll probably yawn during your EMDR session, and I won’t be offended at all! Many people notice they get sleepy or feel like taking a nap afterward. It’s intense emotional work you’re doing, and your body feels it.
EMDR can feel like a mental marathon. Even though you’re sitting still, your brain is working hard to connect thoughts, sensations, and memories that were once held apart by trauma. That deep integration takes energy, and it’s completely normal to feel tired once your system starts to settle.
Some people describe feeling “emotionally hungover,” mentally clear but physically drained. This fatigue isn’t a setback; it’s a sign of progress. Your brain is literally reprocessing old material, and your body needs time to catch up. I usually recommend planning a quiet evening after EMDR, skipping intense activities, and letting yourself rest. (Maybe an overshare - but when I was seeing my own EMDR therapist, I would swing by Rubio’s on my way home for nachos, put my pajamas on ASAP and watch mindless television for a few hours.)
Most people don’t realize just how connected their emotions and bodies are until they experience this. So don’t fight the urge to rest or go to bed early that night. Think of it as post-workout fatigue for your nervous system — evidence that healing is happening.
Emotional and Physical Reactions to EMDR
You can probably guess what some of the other reactions to EMDR therapy are! Many people get tearful (and then apologize - and then I remind them this is one of my occupational hazards and it’s ok!). Most people experience a range of emotions including anger and grief. Sometimes people feel nauseated or feel physical tension in their bodies. Often people will come back the next week and describe how the “floodgates” of grief were opened, but they describe it has a cleansing experience as well.
Other common reactions include vivid dreams, mental “downloads,” or new insights that appear days after the session. Some people notice they’re more emotionally sensitive or reactive for a few days (think of it as having lower emotional bandwidth) — crying more easily, feeling raw, or noticing physical sensations in new ways. This is a normal part of your system continuing to process between sessions.
Some clients report mild headaches, lightheadedness, or tingling sensations as energy and emotion release through the body. These typically pass within 24-48 hours. In rare cases, I’ve seen it last up to 72 hours. Hydrating, resting, or journaling can help your body complete the integration process. You may also notice your relationship to the traumatic memory start to shift, it might feel further away, less vivid, or lose some of its emotional charge. That’s EMDR doing what it’s designed to do.
Reactions Between EMDR Sessions
One thing many people don’t expect is that processing can continue after the session ends. Your brain may keep working on the material for several days while the nervous system integrates what happened during EMDR.
Clients sometimes notice new insights, memories, or emotional shifts that appear between sessions. Others report vivid dreams, unexpected moments of clarity, or realizing that something that used to trigger them suddenly feels less intense. This is often a sign that the brain is continuing to process the memory in the background.
Because of this ongoing processing, I usually recommend taking things a little easier for a day or two after EMDR. Rest, hydration, journaling, or gentle movement can help your nervous system complete the integration process.
For therapists who want structured ways to help clients track these experiences between sessions, I’ve created a Between-Session Reflection Sheet for EMDR Therapy that helps clients record emotional shifts, dreams, and insights that appear after processing.
Less Common Reactions to EMDR Therapy
Less common reactions include a physical re-experiencing of part of the trauma. So far, all of my clients that have had this happen have said it’s not nearly as intense as when it originally happened. A few examples would be feeling like you can’t breathe if you survived someone attempting to strangle you, or a sense of paralyzation if we are processing a target where you were drugged (typically in combination with some form of sexual assault).
What’s important to remember is that your body stored the physical aspect of the memory and the body is releasing some of the physical aspects of the trauma memory. People tend to be particularly fatigued after these sessions because of the strong physical and emotional trauma that was released - and your body needs time to heal.
In rare cases, clients may notice temporary increases in anxiety, vivid dreams, or brief dissociation (feeling spacey or detached). These are not signs of danger but rather signals that we may need to adjust pacing or resourcing to keep you grounded. I always remind clients: EMDR should never feel unsafe — we can slow down, pause, or return to stabilization at any time.
You might also notice heightened sensitivity to sound, light, or stressors for a short period afterward. This is your nervous system recalibrating. Grounding exercises, breathwork, or gentle movement can help re-regulate your body. And while these reactions can sound intense, most clients describe feeling lighter, clearer, and more at ease once the body has completed the release.
If reactions ever start to feel overwhelming, it usually means we need to slow the pace of processing and spend more time with stabilization or preparation strategies. EMDR therapy should always feel manageable, even when difficult emotions arise. Your therapist can pause processing, return to grounding tools, or shift the focus of treatment to help your nervous system settle again.
Clinicians who work with complex trauma or dissociation sometimes benefit from tracking patterns that emerge during EMDR treatment. Tools like the Dissociation Pattern Tracker for EMDR Therapy can help therapists identify when additional preparation or pacing adjustments may be helpful.
Research-Informed Reactions to EMDR
Clinical research and client surveys have reported several short-term reactions to EMDR therapy, including emotional intensity, fatigue, vivid dreams, temporary increases in distress, and physical sensations such as nausea or tingling. These reactions are generally mild and tend to resolve quickly with therapist guidance and appropriate self-care.
Researchers studying EMDR have also looked carefully at the possibility of adverse effects. Like most effective trauma therapies, EMDR can temporarily increase emotional activation while the brain processes difficult memories. However, research consistently finds that serious adverse events are rare when EMDR is delivered by a properly trained clinician who follows the full protocol and ensures adequate preparation and stabilization before processing begins.
In clinical trials, the most commonly reported reactions include temporary increases in emotional intensity, fatigue after sessions, vivid dreams, and short-term distress while memories are being reprocessed. These reactions typically resolve within a few days as the nervous system completes the integration process.
What Research Says About Reactions to EMDR Therapy
Research on psychotherapy overall suggests that adverse events occur in about 5% of clients receiving therapy, although these events may be underreported because many studies do not consistently monitor them.
When researchers examine trauma-focused treatments for PTSD, including EMDR therapy and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, deterioration rates are much lower, generally below 1%. Importantly, temporary increases in symptoms early in treatment were not associated with poorer treatment outcomes.
Research examining EMDR therapy specifically suggests that adverse reactions are rarely reported and not consistently measured across studies. When reactions are documented, they most commonly involve temporary increases in emotional distress or PTSD symptoms while memories are being processed.
This pattern makes sense when we consider how EMDR works. Trauma memories are often stored in interconnected networks that include images, emotions, body sensations, and beliefs about ourselves or the world. When EMDR activates these networks so the brain can reorganize them, people may temporarily experience emotions, body sensations, thoughts, or new insights related to the memory. In most cases, these reactions decrease naturally as the brain continues processing and integrating the experience.
Most clients ultimately report significant relief, a sense of distance from traumatic memories, improved emotional regulation, and greater clarity - evidence that the brain has successfully processed the event and stored it in a healthier way. Over time, memories that once felt overwhelming often begin to feel more distant, less vivid, and easier to think about without intense emotional distress.
For therapists who want structured ways to explain these reactions to clients, I’ve created the Clinician Guide: Explaining Trauma Memory and EMDR to Clients, which provides a simple framework for helping clients understand how trauma memories are stored and why EMDR reactions occur.
Therapists also often provide clients with guidance about what reactions are normal after EMDR and when it may be helpful to reach out for additional support. The EMDR Quick Reference: Normal Reactions vs When to Contact Your Therapist helps clients distinguish between expected processing reactions and situations where additional support may be helpful.
Why Short-Term Discomfort Can Happen During EMDR Therapy
Many people fear that once we open up “pandora’s box,” they won’t be able to put themselves back together again. The thing is, we’re not shoving things back into pandora’s box. We are healing you from the trauma you endured. Yes, there may be times where you think that you won’t stop crying - but you will, and I’m there to help you through it. I’m here to hold space for you, to honor your experience and to be your safety net if you need it. Ultimately, you’ll feel an all encompassing sense of relief and you won’t be held back from reaching your potential.
Clients often describe this as feeling “like a weight has lifted” or “finally being able to breathe again.” Even if the process brings temporary discomfort, the emotional freedom that follows makes it worth it. This is not about reopening wounds, it’s about allowing them to finally close in a healthy way.
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting what happened. It means remembering without reliving it.
While most of the information above is written for people considering EMDR therapy, therapists also need structured ways to support clients through these reactions. Clinicians who work regularly with EMDR therapy often use structured preparation tools to help clients build stabilization skills before processing begins. Resources such as the EMDR Preparation Capacity Assessment & Stabilization Planning Tool and the EMDR Preparation Techniques Checklist can help therapists evaluate readiness for processing and strengthen preparation strategies when needed.
For therapists who want a complete set of preparation and stabilization resources, the EMDR Preparation & Stabilization Toolkit includes assessment tools, clinician guides, and client handouts designed to support Phase 2 of EMDR therapy and help clinicians manage reactions between sessions.
Therapists who want both training and practical tools can also explore the EMDR Phase 2 CE + Preparation & Stabilization Toolkit, which combines the continuing education course with the full set of preparation resources.
If you’re considering EMDR therapy, understanding these reactions can make the process feel far less mysterious. Most reactions are temporary signs that your brain is actively processing and healing. If you feel like you’re ready to put the past in the past, click here to book a free 15 minute video consultation for online EMDR Therapy and PTSD treatment in California, Nevada & Idaho.
Research References
Hoppen, T. H., Lindemann, A. S., & Morina, N. (2022). Safety of psychological interventions for adult post-traumatic stress disorder: Meta-analysis on the incidence and relative risk of deterioration, adverse events and serious adverse events. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 221(5), 658–667. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2022.111
Klatte, R., Strauss, B., Flückiger, C., & Rosendahl, J. (2025). Adverse events in psychotherapy randomized controlled trials: A systematic review. Psychotherapy Research, 35(1), 84–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2023.2286992
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols and procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
van Schie, K., & van Veen, S. C. (2026). Adverse effects of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy: A neglected but urgent area of inquiry. Current Opinion in Psychology, 67, 102155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2025.102155
