Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is an established psychotherapy developed in the late 1980s to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It involves the use of repetitive eye movements or other bilateral stimulation to aid in the reprocessing of traumatic memories. It is unique in that it does not require extended exposure to or discussion of distressing memories and may result in symptom resolution in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies. In the decades since its initial development, a wealth of high-quality evidence has suggested that EMDR is a safe and effective treatment for trauma- and stress-based conditions, resulting in its inclusion in various treatment guidelines. This article reviews the theory behind how EMDR works, how it is conducted, the evidence supporting its use in the treatment of PTSD and its approved indications and contraindications.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an established psychotherapy that utilises repetitive, bilateral stimulation, such as saccadic eye movements, to treat the symptoms associated with traumatic experiences. Much of the attention EMDR has received has focused on its use in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has resulted in its inclusion in several treatment guidelines. There is, however, emerging evidence that suggests a promising role for EMDR in managing a wide range of other mental and physical health conditions. High-quality studies demonstrate the efficacy of EMDR in managing conditions such as anxiety disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder and chronic pain. Preliminary studies have also investigated its use in conditions such as bipolar disorder, eating disorders, substance misuse, psychotic disorders and sleep disturbances. The major studies exploring these applications of EMDR, outside of PTSD, are reviewed in this article.

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychological therapy that addresses trauma, stress and emotional distress. It has been successfully used in the management of various psychiatric disorders. This article shows that it may also be safely used to manage the psychological distress arising from a variety of physical health conditions and in so doing, reduce the illness burden from conditions such as various cancers, traumatic childbirth, tokophobia, pre-eclampsia, myocardial infarction, haemodialysis in end-stage renal disease, and acute postoperative pain. It can be a stand-alone treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum and tinnitus. The article examines the rationale and evidence for its use in these conditions and suggests areas where more research is needed. Adding EMDR therapy to the range of available interventions in general hospitals has the potential to improve the health and well-being of patients in these settings.

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), a therapy initially developed by Dr Francine Shapiro for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, has broadened its scope to include other forms of stress and trauma, even showing promise for physical health conditions. This commentary on a series of three articles on EMDR in this journal outlines the therapy's underlying theoretical model, adaptive information processing (AIP), which involves trauma-focused case conceptualisation. It also introduces the work of the EMDR Council of Scholars, which identified three categories of treatment: EMDR psychotherapy, EMDR treatment protocols and EMDR-derived techniques. Finally, it considers EMDR training and credentialing and the aim of current leaders in the EMDR community to solidify EMDR's standing as a scientifically validated, front-line trauma therapy, while honouring Shapiro's legacy of striving to end the cycle of violence, especially in low- and middle-income countries.