Who Owns Healing? Why I Question the Therapist-Only Model of EMDR

Have you ever asked yourself who gets to decide how we heal?  And why is it only certain people get access to certain healing modalities, as though these concepts are too complicated or dangerous in the hands of the patient?  All this confuses me, especially because of all things, EMDR?  

Was not invented by a doctor.  

Nor was she in any way related to the psychology industry.  Her name is Francine Shapiro, and while you may have seen her name written with the title "Dr." in front of it, know that Mrs. Shapiro was not a doctor of anything psychological.  She had a doctorate in literature, and eventually, a pseudo-doctorate for psychology from the Professional School of Psychological Studies in San Diego, which is an unaccredited university.  Her website describes her as "a visionary psychologist", which is total bullsnocky, because that is just blatantly untrue on many levels.  When she developed EMDR, she was just a woman with a doctorate in literature who was taking a walk in the park, and she noticed that moving her eyes back and forth seemed to alleviate distressing thoughts.  That's it.  

That's literally it.   

I mean, that's not completely it.  She did go about it the way that an actual psychological researcher would.  She then structured EMDR into a formal therapy, conducted studies, and worked to get it recognized within psychology by publishing peer-reviewed articles in psychology journals. Despite skepticism, her research and clinical outcomes convinced enough people, and EMDR became widely accepted. Eventually, some high-profile psychologists and trauma experts started supporting EMDR, which helped it gain legitimacy.  So essentially, she figured out EMDR, started testing it, and got published before she had any psychology degree (an remember, that it was an unaccredited degree at that).  Remember, this is the 1980's, when the world of psychology was way less regulated.  I highly doubt this would have gained any legitimacy if had been introduced now, if she went about it in the same way.  Today, she'd be seen as a "guru" or like Mel Robbins, someone who steals ideas and makes them her own (as she didn't invent "bilateral stimulation", that's always been a thing humans have done).  But rather than being taken seriously, she would have been just another self-help author.     

And that's what I want to change.  I want psychology to be given back to the people, by the people, for the people.  Because while EMDR (with eye movements) doesn't work on me, it works for millions of people.  And imagine if nobody would have figured it out?  PTSD would still be treated with medication only, because talk therapy can only do so much.  And here we have this thing, this form of "bilateral stimulation" that not only helps, but cures many people's strong emotional reactions to their traumas.  I can only imagine if it would have worked for me and my PTSD.  I wouldn't have had to suffer for so many years being terrified each and every single month.  I lost YEARS of my life to my trauma and I didn't even have to.  

But first, let's back up a little bit and talk about what EMDR and bilateral stimulation are.  

What are they?

Well, EMDR stands for "eye movement desensitization and reprocessing".  It's a way of moving your eyes back and forth, which is a form of bilateral stimulation, (though, that's not the only way) as a way to desensitize you to certain memories so your emotional reaction to them is minimal, if not gone completely.  And it works.  

But why?  

There are a bunch of theories as to why out there, but here are the two most cited ones and why I find flaws in them: 

• Stimulating Both Hemispheres: Bilateral stimulation helps both sides of the brain work together, allowing for better processing of complex emotions or traumatic memories.  (Why I find this theory flawed is that a lot of things stimulate both sides of your brain that you could do while reprocessing trauma, such as talking or creating art and listening to music, and in fact, almost nothing in daily life exclusively uses one side of the brain as the idea of strict left-brain vs. right-brain dominance is outdated—both hemispheres work together constantly, so I am pretty sure that this explanation as to why it works it outdated.)
• Activation of REM-Like Processing: It mimics the eye movements that occur during REM sleep, a phase where the brain processes memories and emotional information. This helps "reprocess" traumatic memories, reducing their emotional intensity over time.  (Why I find this theory flawed is that BLS is not limited to eye-movements, as you can use tapping or auditory sounds in each ear to achieve the same results, so why would we need to attribute this REM sleep, when eye movements aren't the only way to achieve results with EMDR?)

Why I think it works is because bilateral stimulation (which means alternating bodily stimulation) is the basis for all healing modalities in life for mammals.  Mainly, it's rhythm.  The back-and-forth movement, in many different ways (which I will list below) is what I think is the basis for why EMDR (and many other healing modalities) work as well as they do (and why humans find music healing, as well).  

Think about it, how do we soothe our babies?  We rock them, either in our arms, in their strollers, or in their baby swings.  And nobody teaches us that, it happens naturally. 

Autistic people often engage in self-soothing, repetitive movements known as stimming, and many of these movements naturally involve bilateral stimulation. Some common examples include:

• Rocking back and forth – This rhythmic movement engages both sides of the body and brain, much like the way babies are soothed.
• Hand flapping or clapping – The repetitive movement activates sensory input and can have a regulating effect.
• Tapping both sides of the body (e.g., thighs, arms, or fingers together) – This mimics some of the effects of bilateral tapping in EMDR.
• Walking or pacing rhythmically – This is a natural way to incorporate bilateral movement, much like the way BLS is used in therapy.
• Playing with objects that involve alternating hand movements (e.g., spinning things, squeezing a stress ball in each hand, or flipping something between hands) – Engaging both sides of the body can help regulate the nervous system.

But we humans aren't the only ones who use back and forth movement to soothe ourselves or others, either.  Many mammals are known for this as well: 

🐕 Dogs & Cats:

• When anxious, they often pace back and forth (bilateral movement).
• Kneading (cats) and "making biscuits" involve a rhythmic, alternating motion.
• Many animals self-soothe by shaking off stress (which engages both sides of the body).
• Running in a steady rhythm (like zoomies!) seems to release pent-up tension.

🐎 Horses:

• Walking and trotting rhythmically stimulates both hemispheres.
• Equine therapy is effective for trauma and PTSD—likely because the bilateral movement of riding regulates the nervous system.  (Equine therapy is also used for issues like MS and blah blah blah, which makes me wonder if other forms of bilateral stimulation would help them as well?)

🐘 Elephants:

• Elephants rock back and forth when stressed (similar to autistic stimming in humans).
• They also gently sway while standing, a behavior seen in both wild and captive elephants.

🐒 Primates:

• Monkeys and apes rock themselves when stressed or seeking comfort.
• Grooming behaviors follow rhythmic patterns that seem to relax the nervous system.
• Swinging on branches (bilateral movement) appears to have a calming effect.

🐬 Dolphins & Whales:

• They swim in a rhythmic, side-to-side motion, which may help regulate their emotions.
• Some captive dolphins show repetitive swimming patterns when stressed, almost like a self-soothing mechanism.

Though, for EMDR to work, it's not just a back-and-forth movement that makes it work, it's also at the same time actively thinking about your trauma, accessing your emotional response to it, and then reprogramming your brain to find a new way feeling about it.  But doing these things without rhythmic movement (and in my opinion, trancework--the deeper the better), they will not have the same effect, and the healing of the client could be impeded.  Which is why talk therapy isn't as affective as any type of therapy that that include bilateral stimulation.  

Plus, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) follows a structured 8-phase protocol designed to help individuals process and integrate traumatic memories without becoming overwhelmed. Here’s how it works:

The 8 Phases of EMDR

1. History-Taking & Assessment

• The therapist gathers information about the client’s past, present, and future concerns.
• Identifies target memories for processing (traumatic events, distressing experiences, or negative beliefs).
• Assesses current coping skills and emotional stability to ensure the client is ready for trauma work.

2. Preparation (Stabilization & Coping Skills)

• The therapist teaches the client coping strategies to manage distress.
• Introduces grounding techniques (like deep breathing, mindfulness, or a safe place visualization).
• Ensures the client feels safe before engaging with trauma.

3. Assessment (Identifying the Trauma Target)

• The client identifies:
  • The specific traumatic memory to work on.
  • The negative belief attached to the memory (e.g., “I am not safe” or “It was my fault”).
  • A desired positive belief (e.g., “I am safe now” or “I did the best I could”).
  • The emotions and body sensations linked to the memory.

4. Desensitization (Reprocessing the Trauma)

• The therapist guides the client through bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sounds).
• The client recalls the traumatic memory while following the bilateral stimulation.
• This process loosens the emotional grip of the memory.
• The client lets the mind go where it needs to—other memories or emotions may surface naturally.
• The process continues until the distress level associated with the memory significantly decreases.

5. Installation (Strengthening Positive Beliefs)

• The therapist helps the client replace the negative belief with the desired positive belief.
• More bilateral stimulation is used while focusing on the new positive belief to strengthen it.
• The goal is to shift the emotional meaning of the memory.

6. Body Scan (Checking for Residual Trauma)

• The client scans their body for any lingering tension or discomfort related to the memory.
• If any distress remains, additional bilateral stimulation is used to release it.

7. Closure (Ensuring Stability Before Ending the Session)

• The therapist ensures the client is emotionally regulated before ending the session.
• If the trauma is not fully processed yet, the therapist helps the client feel grounded before stopping.
• The client uses stabilization techniques (e.g., deep breathing, visualizing a safe place) to return to emotional balance.

8. Reevaluation (Checking Progress in the Next Session)

• At the start of the next session, the therapist checks:
  • Has the distress level of the processed memory changed?
  • Does the positive belief feel stronger?
  • Are there any new memories or emotions surfacing?
• If necessary, the therapist will continue processing until the memory is fully neutralized.

Key Aspects of EMDR’s Structure (which makes it different from talk therapy)

• It doesn’t require talking about the trauma in detail. The client just notices what comes up.
• The therapist follows the client’s process. The brain makes its own connections rather than the therapist directing how it unfolds.
• Bilateral stimulation keeps the client grounded while processing traumatic material.
• The goal is full resolution. The memory becomes neutral, no longer triggering distress in daily life.

So, now that we got all of that out of the way, let's get back to my point.  

Why I Think EMDR & Other Healing Modalities Aren't Just for Therapists

Back in 2001, I was suffering.  A LOT.  In fact, I was suffering for many, many years after that day I had to have an emergency D&C a week after my son was born.  Every month, I would get my period, and I would have to spend the entire week (yes, my periods were seven days long) completely immobile, afraid to even get up and use the toilet, for fear of having it happen again.  And guess what?  It DID happen again.  More than once.  And back to the ER I went.  Eventually, after 2011, they gave me my first Mirena IUD and that eventually stopped my issues.  What I didn't know was at the time, was that I needed a hysterectomy.  The IUD gave me horrible side effects, raising my blood pressure the moment I had it inserted (I had never had high blood pressure and my BP went immediately back to normal the day I had a hysterectomy with my second IUD, fourteen years later--a month ago as of this writing).  I had had pretty severe cysts form on my ovaries, one which burst, sending me back to the ER again (the pain was worse than childbirth), something that could have hurt me worse than what I got the IUD for.  Also?  I have brown spots all over my face.  Like, huge brown spots (and I am an English-Irish white girl), which is called "melasma".  And, to top it all off, I gained thirty pounds with each insertion.  That's sixty pounds I gained in total.  I did lose it all before I got my hysterectomy, but only through very strict dieting and only a year before it was removed.  

I lost a quarter of every single month for ten years straight.  That's twelve weeks in a year.  That's one-hundred and twenty weeks of my life.  That's a total of two years, and four months.  Granted, my trauma took more from me that that.  That's only counting the years after I came out of my horrible PTSD fog that lasted at least for a year after it happened.  I have had other anxiety issues that took WAY more than that from me.  But this was a true medical emergency that gave me PTSD in the true sense, something I would think EMDR could have maybe helped me with.  

But I didn't even know it existed.  I had no idea.  And the therapists at that time in my town didn't use it, either.  It wasn't until the late teens that I even noticed anyone around here actually using it or having it done on them.  

Had Francine Shapiro written a book on this?  I may have gotten help.  But she didn't at the time.  She was more worried about the psychology community getting their hands on it instead.  And while yes, that was important, she didn't think about how many more people could benefit from knowing how to use this technique than just getting it from their therapist.  

Because think about it: a) most therapists for a long time thought it was pseudo-science (and some still do), so you'd have to find a therapist that actually believed it would work, and b) many therapists do it wrong (mine did!! and that was in 2017).  If she would have shared it with the people, she could have helped to actually save people from having their lives stolen from their horrible PTSD symptoms.  Instead she immediately URGED the psychological community to gatekeep this.  And why?  I can only assume it was for the prestige.  She wanted everyone to see her as a real psychologist, even though she couldn't even try to get a real doctorate in psychology from an accredited university. The fact that she pursued a non-accredited doctorate and then immediately worked to have EMDR recognized as a specialized therapeutic method—one requiring licensed professionals—does raise questions to me about her motivations.

Now, Francine did eventually write books on this.  But apparently, they aren't actually helpful.  One book called "Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy" is a total lie.  This is NOT a self-help book, and doesn't NOT teach you EMDR.  Here are some reviews:  

• Dan R. says "As someone in grad school to become a therapist, I was extremely underwhelmed by this book. While I find EMDR potentially promising, this book has virtually ZERO information about techniques that can be used on a "self help" basis. This is in fact a self help book, but the only thing it contains is about 150 one-page stories about patients that used EMDR successfully. It felt like I was reading a giant marketing pitch by the creator of EMDR to use her therapy. I did not appreciate this amount of anonymous feedback from client EMDR procedures because it doesn't relay any knowledge at all, what I WOULD appreciate is a book that contains any true facts, procedures, or techniques whatsoever.  I will be reading her hardcover next (meant for therapists). Let's hope it's more than a giant review of EMDR and actually has useful information for treatment. This "self help" book was a waste of time and money."
• Carly says "This book seemed like a bunch of made-up stories from "patients". I was bored and did not learn anything! I wish I could return this book and I will just ask Google about EMDR." 
• Carol says "I have no idea why this book received so many positive reviews. For one, the description is very misleading, implying that this book will teach you how to use EMDR therapy. It does not. However, the author waits until page 148 to tell you that. It says clearly on page 148 that, "EMDR needs to be conducted with the care of a trained and licensed therapist." It teaches you other self-help techniques which, in my opinion, are pretty useless. If you are interested in psychotherapy that you actually can learn and use on your own, try "Self-Therapy" by Jay Earley. His techniques are highly effective and useful, and he provides a detailed outline for how to use this therapy process on your own, without the supervision of a therapist."  (I will add, that book is about IFS and it's amazing!!)
• Irish Gypsy says "I was excited to read this book and then mid-way through the frustration kicked in with the monotony. Some of the examples of clients in the book seemed a little far-fetched to me, but that's beside the point. I finally decided to skip to what I thought was in the book, which was the EMDR procedure, but there is no procedure in this book. Highly annoying, waste of time and money."
• Whitney says "Husband thought the book was neat at first showing examples of how the therapy works. However the author does keep talking about herself and the accomplishments.... We do not care so much about her as much as figuring out how to address past traumas that may have effects on our future. Hard pass on this book."
• Hannah Higgens says "I’m sure EMDR works but she really dragged this out with multiple unbelievable stories. Then she goes on to say child molesters should be “understood.” Really difficult read as a victim myself. I had to throw it out after that. I tried to get through it but couldn’t. Don’t bother with this book."
• Martha L. Johnson says "This book misrepresents what it provides. It does not give any of the eye movements which is what EMDR therapy is, from my understanding. It provides techniques that are common and have been presented by thousands of other books, classes, teachers, etc. A true disappointment."

I could go on, but it doesn't seem to end.  The 1-star reviews are astounding.  AND they seem to coincide with my assumption of what was behind her motivations.  It seems as though Francine Shapiro was more enamored with selling books, then giving people actual treatment, or with a title that actually delivers what it says it will.  She just wanted to trick people into purchasing her book.  

Well, what about her other books? 

Well, in 1995, she did publish a book called "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic principles, Protocols, and Procedures".  But it was only meant to be purchased by clinicians at the time and was not written for the regular person.  I just purchased it for $1.53 on Amazon, so I will come back here to review what it says after I read it.  

I know today there are LOTS of books and blogs out there who have made EMDR available to the layperson, but I feel that most techniques should be available a LOT sooner than the 30+ years it took EMDR to be out in the world.  

And with that in mind, you can find many healing techniques and practices on my blog that you can use to help yourself heal from trauma, phobias, anxiety, depression, and so much more.  I believe that information should be FREELY accessible to everyone, whether through books, blogs, videos, or otherwise.  Especially information on healing (as long as it doesn't hurt anyone).  

And that's it for now.  I am sure I may write more on this later, but for now, I hope you have a safe, and happy rest of your day!