EMDR for Children and Adults with PTSD

7 comments

1. I think you make great points about the structure of EMDR and its appeal across various developmental stages. One thing that stood out to me is the eight-phase model – Rousseau et. al (2025) talk about how these phases serve as a framework to keep EMDR based in trauma-informed principles like safety and reclamation, and framing this as a structured, phase-based intervention makes sense to me and balances out some of the misconceptions that it’s “just eye movements.” I also liked how you discuss the nuance in the application of EMDR, which reflects Van der Kolk’s (2014) concept that traumatic memories can present as sensory pieces, especially in younger people whose ability to verbalize internal senses can be underdeveloped. For that sort of group (children), reducing reliance on verbalizing things can make EMDR feel less burdensome. On the other hand, adults often describe EMDR as letting them integrate dissociated events of their trauma – similar to the participant you quoted who described their experience of memories “becoming a whole.” (Van der Kolk, 2014). That transition from fragmentation reflects Van der Kolk’s broader ideas on trauma’s imprint on the mind and body, and why reprocessing can feel transformative. I also think your acknowledgment that EMDR is not universally/equally effective is very important, as Van der Kolk (2014) has argued that trauma is individual and no single treatment can work for every survivor because trauma affects neurobiology, memory, and meaning so distinctly differently in everyone. In some ways, EMDR can challenge the field to accept a sort of both/and way of thinking – it can be effective for some, sort of helpful for others, and inefficient for another group – similar to any other intervention in trauma-informed practices. You do a great job of using the literature to discuss bigger questions of effectiveness and accessibility, and I really liked your perspective on the benefit of limiting at home EMDR for kids, as it made me reflect on the themes we’ve been discussing about safety, containment, and responsibility in care. Super interesting!

   Ref.
   Rousseau, D. et al. (2025). Module 6 Content [Blackboard.
   Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.

2. I think you have a really insightful post here, and I especially liked how you expanded on the benefits of EMDR for children. I think EMDR is such a great and therapeutic option for children, especially because it is something that doesn’t involve touch, like some aspects of yoga, for example, might, and it doesn’t involve a type of “fear” factor that theatre might involve either, because I know some juvenile justice systems use that for impacted youths as well (van der Kolk, 2014). Theatre, as a form of therapy, can make getting up in front of a crowd seem really scary despite the benefits that we’ve seen from it in The Body Keeps the Score by van der Kolk (2014) where I think we see some kids strive in group settings and some, generally, who may not. That is where I find, like you said, EMDR to be especially important. EMDR takes a lot of the pressures away that “typical” forms of therapy might have or that, even, school or home life might have. EMDR is a one-on-one session between a patient and a therapist where the patient benefits from these “eye movements” and mentally putting traumatic memories and experiences into a larger perspective so that they can better process it so that these traumas no longer weigh on them in such a significant way (van der Kolk, 2014). But, like you said, it is relatively new, but now that I think of it, I would like to see the practice in a multitude of different contexts. Like in the juvenile justice system for example, because it would be really interesting to see how significant of an impact it may have on some of these youths when we consider what a lot of them have gone through up until the time of their incarceration. What a great post! Very thought provoking!

   References:
   van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781101608302

3. Your blog post does a great job breaking down EMDR in a way that feels accessible while still capturing how complex the therapy really is. I appreciate how you highlight the differences in how EMDR can support both children and adults, especially noting that kids may benefit from not having extra “homework” attached to the treatment. That point really stood out, because it reminds us how important it is to tailor trauma interventions to developmental needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. I also like that you acknowledge the ongoing debate around EMDR’s effectiveness, its rapid rise in popularity sometimes hides the fact that it’s still relatively new and not fully understood. Even so, the examples you shared, including van der Kolk’s description of a client experiencing their memories as “a whole instead of fragments,” show why so many people see EMDR as transformative. Your post strikes a nice balance between curiosity and openness, recognizing that while EMDR isn’t perfect or universally effective, it offers a meaningful path toward healing for many individuals, especially those who struggle to articulate their trauma in traditional talk therapy. Great post!

4. I enjoyed reading your blog post, especially since I also chose EMDR as my topic and I think you made some excellent points. Your post gives a clear and balanced overview of EMDR therapy especially how its structured phases allow people to process their trauma in a controlled way. I found your point about children benefiting from the lack of homework to be particularly interesting as a way of reducing stress and increase productivity. I also liked how you noted the debate about its effectiveness, especially considering therapy is ever-evolving.

5. I liked how you were able to break down EMDR and how it works with different age groups. You did a great job explaining the phases clearly and I believe that one of the biggest strengths for kids is that there is no homework. This motivates kids to keep the tough emotional work contained to a safe environment. Adults can also revisit trauma with a different mindset. Van der Kolk has a few good quotes where they highlight how EMDR can help people process things that might feel scattered or have been feeling disconnected for years. Even though EMDR is something that is still being debated, you were able to acknowledge both sides. It isn’t going to work the same for everyone. There are people that respond well to the structure of it, while others might have a different approach.

6. I really enjoyed reading your post. I’ve often thought that novel therapies like EMDR struggle to secure adequate funding for rigorous clinical trials, especially when they lack a patentable or exclusive care model that would incentivize investment. Furthermore, when a treatment is both new and potentially applicable across many populations, it also becomes harder to study in a targeted way. And without a clearly defined group, establishing cause and effect and building the evidence needed to move a therapy into standard practice becomes much more challenging.

   Even so, the benefits you highlight are significant. The fact that EMDR can be completed entirely in-session, without relying on extensive patient homework or compliance afterward, is an advantage that should not be understated. Great post! I’m glad you brought attention to this again.

7. I feel like EMDR is really beneficial for PTSD patients because of its primary work to process sensory images that veterans have trouble processing and communicating. I think you made a good point about children using this treatment in a professional setting instead of at home; I feel like a licensed therapist will make them feel less isolated as children need co-regulators to process their trauma. Wanting to feeling whole instead of fragmented is a good reason to look into this treatment approach. Great post!

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