What Is EMDR?

Kyle Lincoln
Aug 3
12 min read

Updated: Aug 12

Forest with text — Cover for *7 Days Inside: EMDR* "What Is EMDR and How Did It Start?"

Episode Summary

In the premiere of 7 Days Inside: EMDR, Kyle opens up about what led him from frustration in emergency room mental health care to discovering a revolutionary approach to trauma therapy. Learn about the accidental discovery of EMDR by Dr. Francine Shapiro, the science behind Adaptive Information Processing, and how trauma memories can shift from overwhelming experiences into manageable parts of your past. Plus, Kyle and co-host Kellyn guide listeners through the “Light Stream” technique—a foundational EMDR resource to manage emotional distress.

Disclaimer: The content shared in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not replace professional EMDR training, certification, or therapy. For official training or resources, please visit EMDRIA.org.

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Episode Transcript

Transcript, Introduction (Part 1)

[Kyle]: Hi everyone, and welcome to the first episode of our new series, 7 Days Inside: EMDR. I'm Kyle Lincoln, a counselor based in Salem, Massachusetts, specializing in trauma treatment, and I'll be your guide through this seven-episode journey. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and over the next seven weeks, we’ll explore exactly what it is, who it’s for, and what makes it so effective. Joining me is my co-host, Kellyn.

[Kellyn]: Hi, everyone! I'm so glad to be here. I handle billing and marketing for Kyle's practice, and my role on the podcast is to ask questions, keep our conversation clear, and learn right alongside you. I learned a lot from our last series, and I'm ready to dive into EMDR.

[Kyle]: It’s great to have you. Before we dive in, I want to share the vision for this series. I wanted to create a resource for two groups of people: first, for anyone who is simply curious about EMDR and wants to understand it better.

Also, this series is designed to support those of you who are already in EMDR therapy, especially if you’re in the early stages. My goal is to help you build a really solid foundation during Phase 2, to prepare you for the deeper work of memory reprocessing that lies ahead.

[Kellyn]: That’s a great goal—so it’s part education, part support for the journey. With that in mind, how is each episode structured?

[Kyle]: Great question. Every episode will follow the same three-part structure.

In Segment One, we’ll explore a central theme or "throughline." Today’s throughline is my personal journey—how and why I came to practice EMDR in the first place.

In Segment Two, we'll introduce and translate one essential EMDR concept or word. Today, we’ll be breaking down the "Adaptive Information Processing" model.

And in Segment Three, we’ll introduce and practice a hands-on Phase 2 resourcing exercise. These are the foundational skills that help you prepare for memory work. Today’s exercise is called the Light Stream technique.

[Kellyn]: Awesome. A clear roadmap. Let's jump in.

Transcript, Kyle’s EMDR Journey (Part 2)

[Kyle]: So, people often ask me how I got into EMDR, and honestly, the journey was a winding one. It really started back when I was a student, and I became really interested in attachment theory, and especially what can go wrong when a person doesn’t have a secure childhood attachment to a caregiver. I started to think of attachment disruptions and deficits as a kind of trauma. So, you can say I’ve always been interested in how to treat trauma.

Fast forward to after grad school, I started my clinical career doing psych evaluations in emergency rooms. I was meeting people at their absolute lowest point, but what I’ll underline is how I saw the system was failing them. They'd come in with these deep trauma histories, and we’d sedate them, maybe stabilize them, and then send them right back out. We weren't helping them heal. Just consider patients whose trauma stems from the first time they were hospitalized. Maybe they were given 4-point restraints. Maybe it happened against their will. Maybe what they saw was like just the Hollywood renditions of hospitalization that are frankly terrifying to watch. I really had a moral crisis every time I hospitalized someone with a story like that because it was asking them to step back into their worst traumas. I just kept thinking… there has to be a better way.

[Kellyn]: That must’ve been so disheartening—seeing people who were actually getting worse by the help you were giving them.

[Kyle]: Right. And it’s interesting you say that, because there’s often a parallel process. The people I came to treat felt helpless in their trauma, and as a clinician, I was starting to feel helpless right alongside them.

[Kellyn]: So what was the turning point for you?

[Kyle]: The first big shift was reading The Body Keeps the Score. It was like a lightbulb went off, confirming what I was seeing every day: just talking about trauma doesn't always work. Sometimes it makes things worse. I knew I didn’t want to be a therapist who shied away from that; I wanted to learn how to walk into it with my clients, but safely.

Then a professor told me about EMDR. She mentioned an incredible intensive program in the Netherlands treating severe PTSD in just four days. It sounded impossible.

[Kellyn]: Four days? I can see why you'd be skeptical.

[Kyle]: I was, so I bought a plane ticket. I flew to the Netherlands and sat in on four live EMDR sessions. I don't speak Dutch, so I literally had my phone on my lap with Google Translate running. And what I saw… it changed everything. I watched people reprocess their most painful memories and come out the other side, not retraumatized, but released.

I think the myth that circulates is that people with PTSD are like old Vietnam fields with active mines in them. It’s just better to avoid triggering subjects and let things be. Who wants to open a wound if you’re not even sure how to heal it? I’m convinced that until counselors get special training in trauma, treating it is the scariest kind of thing to treat.

So, I knew right then I couldn't go back to doing therapy the old way. I flew home, signed up for an EMDR training the very next weekend, and that was the start of everything.

[Kellyn]: Wow. So your story is how you found it, but that makes me wonder—where did EMDR actually come from in the first place?

[Kyle]: That’s a great question, and the origin story is pretty famous in the therapy world. It was discovered in 1987 by Dr. Francine Shapiro. She was walking through a park, feeling distressed about something, and she noticed that as her eyes darted back and forth, the intensity of her distressing thoughts started to decrease.

[Kellyn]: Just from walking and looking around?

[Kyle]: Exactly. She was a psychologist, so she got curious. She started experimenting with it, first on herself and then with her clients, and developed a formal process. That accidental discovery in a park became the basis for the structured therapy we use today.

[Kellyn]: So from a walk in the park to this intensive program in the Netherlands. That's quite an evolution. Okay, that helps frame it. So now, map it out for us... what is EMDR, officially? What does this form of therapy even look like, and why is it so effective?

[Kyle]: That's the million-dollar question. So, EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. The core idea is this: when a traumatic event happens, the memory gets stored in the brain incorrectly, like a corrupted computer file. When that memory gets triggered, your brain and body react as if the event is happening all over again.

[Kellyn]: Okay, so the memory isn’t filed away in the 'past' folder; it’s still sitting on the desktop, active and ready to open.

[Kyle]: Exactly. So in a session, I’m not going to ask a client to talk about the trauma in detail for an hour. Instead, I’ll ask them to hold a piece of the memory in their mind, and while they do, I’ll guide them through what we call "bilateral stimulation"—usually by having them follow my fingers with their eyes, back and forth.

[Kellyn]: So while they're holding this difficult memory, their eyes are moving. What does that do? It sounds a little strange, I have to admit.

[Kyle]: It sounds and looks a little strange, but what we believe happens is that the bilateral stimulation helps the brain's own information processing system get back online. It unlocks the stuck memory, allowing the two sides of the brain to communicate and finally process it. The client is just observing the process as their brain makes new connections.

[Kellyn]: So you’re helping the brain do its own filing. The "Reprocessing" part of the name.

[Kyle]: You got it. The brain starts to understand, on a deep level, 'This is over. I survived.' And that leads to the "Desensitization" part—the memory loses its emotional charge. You don't forget it happened, but it no longer feels like an open wound. It becomes just a story from your past, not something that hijacks your present.

[Kellyn]: That’s a really helpful way to understand it. Thank you for walking us through that. It feels like a solid foundation for the rest of this series.

[Kyle]: Absolutely. And it all comes back to a core belief: people are far more resilient than we think. The capacity to heal is wired right into us. We just need to reboot the system sometimes.

Transcript, Essential Concept, Adaptive Information Processing or AIP (Part 3)

[Kyle]: In every episode, we’ll take a few minutes to introduce one essential concept that helps prepare you for EMDR reprocessing. These are the building blocks of how EMDR works. Today’s concept is Adaptive Information Processing, or AIP. This is the model EMDR is built on.

[Kellyn]: Not gonna lie, that sounds technical—what does “adaptive information processing” even mean?

[Kyle]: Great question. AIP is the model that guides EMDR therapy. It says that psychological healing happens when the brain is able to link a disturbing memory with more useful, adaptive information. That’s what we mean by “processing.” Most of the time, the brain processes automatically. You have a hard day, you talk to a friend, you get a good night’s sleep—and your brain files memories away. You still remember it, but it no longer has emotional weight. According to the AIP model, the reason the brain is able to process something automatically is because it has used adaptive information along the way.

[Kellyn]: So what exactly counts as “adaptive information”?

[Kyle] Adaptive information can be anything really, anything that helps your brain respond in a healthy, accurate, and flexible way. It might come from what someone says to you, from something you’ve learned over time, or from a sense of meaning that settles into place. For example, after a disagreement with a friend, adaptive information might sound like, “We were both tired,” or “This doesn’t mean the friendship is over.” That helps your brain move on.

[Kellyn] Okay… so let’s say I got a flat tire on the highway. I’m pulled over, traffic’s flying past, I’m panicking a little. If I’m trying to figure out what the adaptive information is in that moment… maybe it’s something like, “I can handle this,” or “Help is coming,” or even just, “I know what to do next.”

[Kyle] That kind of information helps your brain respond in a more regulated way. Even if in the moment you feel stuck and you’re saying to yourself “I’m totally helpless” . . . “That is a disaster,” processing the memory later in light of adaptive information like “I’m safe now” … “That felt awful but I got through it” helps your brain file the memory as something that’s over—something you handled.

[Kellyn] So, then what happens when the brain doesn’t have that?

[Kyle] That’s where things get stuck. If the experience is too intense, too fast, or too confusing—and there’s no way to make sense of it—the brain holds onto it in a raw, unprocessed form. And the meanings that get attached in that moment might not be helpful.

So, instead of “I made a mistake,” the brain might store “I ruin everything.” Instead of “I felt scared,” it becomes “I’m never safe.” Those are examples of maladaptive information—beliefs that feel true in the moment, but keep us stuck long after the moment has passed.

We say EMDR uses the model of AIP, because it brings up unprocessed memories and facilitates the processing to unstick those memories.

[Kellyn] So the information helps the brain finish the experience?

[Kyle] That’s right.

[Kellyn] Like a disagreement with a coworker that felt intense in the moment, but a few days later, you’re over it?

[Kyle] If you are over it, it’s because of adaptive processing.

[Kellyn] I think I get it. EMDR creates the conditions for your brain to finally do what it could not do in the moment: process the memory and link it with more adaptive information.

[Kyle] You said it better than I could have!

Transcript, Skill-Building Exercise, Light Stream Visualization (Part 4)

[Kellyn]: Okay, so we’ve talked through the structure of EMDR… eight phases, and preparation comes early… and today we’re staying in that Phase Two space with another skill, right?

[Kyle]: Yes. This one’s called the Light Stream technique. Like the last two exercises we tried, this is designed to help your body shift into a calmer state—but it works a little differently. Instead of focusing on your breath or building a cue word, this one uses guided imagery to help you soften physical tension and emotional overwhelm.

[Kellyn]: So this isn’t just about relaxing—it’s about helping the body let go of something?

[Kyle]: That’s right. Sometimes distress shows up in the body as tightness, heaviness, or a stuck sensation. The Light Stream helps you notice that and imagine movement—a shift. It gives the nervous system a chance to re-pattern what it’s holding.

If you’re listening somewhere safe—where you’re not driving—go ahead and get comfortable. You can close your eyes if you want, or just lower your gaze.

Take a slow breath in…

and out…

Now bring your attention to your body. See if there’s a spot that feels heavy, tight, or unsettled. You don’t need to analyze it—just notice.

[Kellyn]: Okay, got it.

[Kyle]: Good. Now imagine that sensation as a shape. What shape would it be? What color? What size? Does it have a temperature? Does it have a texture? There’s no right answer. Just go with what your mind gives you.

[Kellyn]: Mine looks like a spiky red star right behind my ribs.

[Kyle]: That’s perfect. Now picture a gentle light coming from above. Choose a color that feels healing or peaceful—maybe a soft gold, a cool green, a warm blue. Let that light move slowly through the top of your head and down toward that shape.

Let it make contact with the star, or whatever shape you’re seeing. And just watch what happens. Does the shape change? Does it melt, shift, get lighter, or smaller?

Take another slow breath in…

and out…

Let the light keep flowing. You don’t need to control it. Just notice what changes.

And as you watch that shape shift or dissolve, remind yourself:

You are allowed to feel better.

You are allowed to rest.

You do not have to carry everything by yourself.

(Pause)

When you’re ready, bring your attention back to the room. Move your hands or feet. Take a look around.

[Kellyn]: I think this one felt different from the first two—more about imagining a shift than creating one physically, if that makes sense?

[Kyle]: It makes perfect sense. With breathing and calm state exercises, you’re often starting from the outside in—changing your breath or posture to affect your state. The Light Stream works the other way. It helps your body respond to something imagined, which can still create real, physiological change.

[Kellyn]: I can see myself using this when I feel something building physically—like tension or dread—and I want a way to soften it without thinking I need to distract myself instead, like by looking at my phone.

[Kyle]: That’s a great application for this technique. I could see it definitely creating a gentle sense of release—like an exhale for the parts of you that are holding tight.

And just like with the other skills, the more you practice it when you’re not in distress, the easier it becomes to use when you really need it.

Transcript, Wrap-up (Part 5)

[Kellyn]: So, Kyle, as we wrap up this first episode, can I ask something that’s been on my mind this whole time? … Why even go through trauma treatment at all? Like, trauma is really painful, why stir things up?

[Kyle]: That’s a really important question. And honestly, most people who’ve been through trauma are already survivors. They’ve figured out how to live with it. But trauma has this way of showing up again and again—when you’re not expecting it. It steals energy. It keeps you on alert. You’re always working hard, even when nothing’s wrong.

[Kellyn]: So it’s for people who are tired of feeling tired?

[Kyle]: Sometimes that’s why people seek out treatment. People come to EMDR not because they can’t function, but because they’re tired of functioning through it all the time. And it’s not fair that they have to carry it, especially when they didn’t ask for it.

[Kellyn]: But they still have to be the one to deal with it.

[Kyle]: Yeah. And that’s hard. But EMDR offers a kind of shortcut—not in the sense of skipping the work, but in doing the right kind of work. Instead of coping forever, it helps your brain file the memory differently. That memory might still be there—but it won’t grab the wheel every time you hit a bump.

[Kellyn]: So it’s like getting your time back?

[Kyle]: That’s how I think about it. EMDR is like starting a training program. It’s structured. It takes commitment. But if you have space in your life to try it, the effort you put in now can pay off for years to come.

[Kellyn]: And if someone’s not sure?

[Kyle]: Then this series is for them. Over the next six weeks, we’ll explore how EMDR works, who it’s for, what a session feels like, and how you know if you're ready. You don’t have to commit. Just keep listening.

[Kellyn]: That’s it for today’s episode. Thanks for joining us on 7 Days Inside: EMDR.

[Kyle]: We’ll see you next week.

Resources for What Is EMDR?

EMDR Preparation Skills Checklist. I designed this checklist is a tool to help you practice and master the grounding and resourcing skills that form the foundation of EMDR therapy. Consistent practice helps these skills become second nature, allowing you to access them whenever you need to feel more stable and calm. Use this log to track your practice and make notes to discuss with your therapist.

Light Stream Coloring Exercise. Use colors on a body outline to turn abstract feelings of tension into a concrete image that you can actively soothe and release.