EMDR Therapy for Chronic Pain
ABOUT
A GENTLE, EVIDENCED BASED APPROACH FOR CHRONIC PAIN, PAIN-RELATED ANXIETY AND TRAUMA
Introduction to EMDR for Chronic Pain
Chronic pain reaches far beyond physical sensations in the body, creating ripples of anxiety, fear and trauma tied to past pain experiences. These emotions and memories can become "stuck" in the nervous system, leaving you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and constantly on alert. This fuels what we call the pain-distress cycle—where pain triggers emotional distress, which then amplifies pain signals and reinforces pain pathways in the brain. Breaking this cycle often requires approaches that target not just the pain itself, but also the emotions and memories that have become intertwined with your pain experience.
This is where EMDR comes in. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) offers a unique approach to breaking this cycle by directly addressing how pain experiences are processed and stored in the brain. Originally developed for treating PTSD, EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories and distressing experiences, including those related to chronic pain. By addressing these components of pain, EMDR can help you develop a new relationship with pain, reduce emotional distress, and ultimately create new neural pathways that support healing and resilience.
How EMDR Works
EMDR draws on the brain’s natural capacity to heal by facilitating the processing of pain-related experiences, memories or unresolved trauma. During EMDR therapy, you and your therapist will work with specific "targets"—memories, thoughts, emotions, or experiences— linked to pain while you engage in gentle bilateral stimulation, typically through back-and-forth eye movements or tapping. This left-right activation helps your brain unlock and reprocess challenging memories and experiences in a way that reduces their emotional charge. For those with chronic pain, EMDR has proven not only to be successful in reducing pain-related anxiety and distress, but has also demonstrated effectiveness in reducing both the intensity and frequency of pain symptoms themselves.
The Process of EMDR Therapy
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EMDR therapy consists of several phases, with your therapist guiding you throughout the process. The first phase focuses on getting to know you—understanding your pain experiences, personal history, hopes, and goals for EMDR. Your therapist will then collaborate with you to create a customized treatment plan that identifies specific experiences or memories to address during therapy.
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Next, you’ll test out different bilateral stimulation techniques and learn tools to help you stay grounded throughout the EMDR process. Your therapist will guide you through calming practices—such as breathwork, guided visualization, gentle movement, and other forms of self-soothing—to find what works best for you. This foundational work ensures we have reliable ways of supporting you and your nervous system as we move into deeper therapeutic work and process any intense feelings or sensations that may arise along the way.
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The reprocessing stage is the heart of EMDR. During this part of the process, your therapist guides you through gentle bilateral stimulation—typically eye movements, tapping, or sounds—while you focus on specific aspects of your pain experiences or pain-related memories. Your primary task is to notice and stay present with whatever enters your awareness. There are no "shoulds," rights, or wrongs in EMDR! As you share what surfaces, you and your therapist will process these experiences and memories in a new way together. Many people are surprised by the profound shifts and insights they discover during the reprocessing stage. We’ll move at your pace and your therapist will be there to support you every step of the way.
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During this last stage of EMDR, we’ll recognize your growth and review the progress you’ve made. We’ll also chat about whether the work feels complete or if there’s additional work you’d like to do together. The reflection stage is truly a time to celebrate you - honoring the time, energy and commitment you’ve made to yourself through this work.
→ Pain-related anxiety, fear and emotional distress
→ Trauma related to pain onset, accident or injury
→ Medical trauma and anxiety
→ Intensity and frequency of pain and non-pain chronic symptoms (IBS, chronic fatigue, persistent vertigo and dizziness and more)
→ Persistent muscle tension and physical stress responses
→ Sleep disruptions
→ Other traumatic memories or experiences that may be contributing to chronic pain symptoms or chronic stress responses in the body
EMDR CAN HELP WITH:
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF EMDR INCLUDE:
→ Reducing anxiety and emotional distress related to chronic pain symptoms and experiences
→ Processing traumatic memories and emotions that may be amplifying pain signals
→ Disrupting the pain-fear-avoidance cycle
→ Reducing overall intensity and frequency of pain symptoms
→ Creating new neural pathways for pain processing
→ Enhancing nervous system regulation
→ Cultivating a sense of inner safety, calm and well-being
→ Addressing other emotional components of pain
Ready to Explore EMDR Further?
YOUR EMDR THERAPIST
Christine Archer, LMFT, LPCC, CYT
Christine Archer (she/her) is a psychotherapist and pain coach specializing in the use of EMDR to treat chronic pain, pain-related anxiety and trauma. In addition to practicing EMDR, Christine is an advanced practitioner of Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), having trained and worked under Alan Gordon and team at the Pain Psychology Center for several years. She is also an Internal Family Systems (IFS) practitioner and brings years of therapeutic yoga and breathwork training into her clinical work.
Having navigated her own experiences with chronic pain, Christine brings a deep sense of empathy and understanding to the therapy process. She now devotes her practice to helping others find more ease in their bodies and minds through EMDR Intensives and mind-body work.
EMDR for Chronic Pain FAQs
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Wonderful! Your next step will be to read more about our EMDR Therapy Intensives which you can do here. If our intensives are the right fit for you, we’ll get you set up for an initial consultation and get the process going from there.
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EMDR is an effective form of therapy for reducing the intensity and severity of many chronic pain symptoms. Some of the chronic pain conditions EMDR can help include: fibromyalgia, chronic back and neck pain, chronic pelvic pain, phantom limb pain, chronic headaches, migraines, and other neuroplastic pain symptoms.
EMDR can be particularly effective in treating chronic pain when the pain is connected to past injury or trauma, amplified by anxiety or stress, associated with negative memories or experiences, or accompanied by fear or avoidance behaviors. EMDR may also be beneficial for those with chronic pain conditions that have not responded to typical medical intervention or treatment. -
EMDR therapy facilitates the processing of traumatic memories and anxiety associated with pain through bilateral stimulation. This can reduce the emotional intensity of pain-related memories and symptoms and help develop new coping strategies. EMDR therapy can target both the physical sensations of pain and emotional responses to pain, potentially leading to reduced anxiety, hypervigilance and fear related to pain.
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Yes, EMDR has shown promising results for addressing chronic pain symptoms as well as pain-related anxiety and trauma. Studies [1, 2, 3] have demonstrated EMDR's effectiveness in reducing pain intensity as well as improving pain-related distress.
Additionally, EMDR remains the "gold standard" for trauma treatment, with over 30 years of research supporting its effectiveness in reducing trauma related symptoms and improving mental health outcomes. Given its strong evidence base, EMDR is particularly well-suited for addressing pain-related trauma and traumatic memories that often underlie and perpetuate many chronic pain conditions.
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While EMDR therapy is a gentle approach and generally well-tolerated, some people may experience temporary after-effects such as vivid dreams, heightened emotions, or tiredness following sessions. These effects are normal and typically subside as treatment progresses. Your therapist will ensure you have tools and resources to navigate any discomfort that may come up between sessions as well.
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While EMDR is generally safe, bilateral eye movements may not be appropriate for people with certain types of eye conditions, seizure disorders, or neurological conditions. If you are concerned about the use of eye movements in your treatment, other forms of bilateral stimulation can be discussed with your therapist.
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EMDR differs from traditional talk therapy in several key ways. It incorporates bilateral stimulation and requires less extended conversation and verbal processing during sessions. EMDR therapy also tends to process trauma and anxiety more rapidly than conventional talk therapy methods and incorporates a greater focus on the nervous system and body during treatment.