How EMDR Therapy Helps with Anxiety and Overthinking
EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-based psychotherapy initially developed to help people process traumatic memories.
However, it’s increasingly being used to help with anxiety, overthinking, and other stress-related disorders and research supports its effectiveness.
Here’s how EMDR therapy can help with anxiety and overthinking:
1. Reprocessing Distressing Thoughts
At the root of anxiety and overthinking are often unprocessed or unresolved experiences — whether major traumas or negative experiences (like rejection, failure, criticism, or emotional neglect).
How EMDR helps:
EMDR guides your brain to reprocess those experiences in a healthier way, so they no longer trigger the same anxiety or obsessive thought loops.
2. Interrupting Overthinking Cycles
Anxious overthinking often involves repetitive thoughts about the past or future. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (through eye movements and vibrations alternating between the left and right sides) to engage both hemispheres of the brain.
Result:
This reduces the intensity and emotional charge of thoughts and allows the brain to “let go” more easily — breaking the cycle of overthinking.
3. Desensitizing Triggers
People with anxiety often have specific triggers that send their nervous system into overdrive. EMDR targets these triggers directly.
What happens:
You bring up the trigger or distressing image in a safe, guided way while using bilateral stimulation, which gradually desensitizes your response. Over time, what once caused anxiety should begin to feel neutral.
4. Rewiring Negative Core Beliefs
Overthinking and anxiety are often fueled by core beliefs like:
• “I’m not good enough”
• “Something bad will happen”
• “I can’t handle it”
EMDR helps install more adaptive beliefs, such as:
• “I did the best I could”
• “I can handle challenges”
• “I am safe now”
This shift in the belief system coupled with finding more safety and resiliency in the body, reduces the likelihood of overanalyzing or obsessing to find control.
5. Working with the Nervous System
EMDR can help regulate the nervous system, shifting people out of fight-or-flight and into a calmer, more balanced state. This physiological regulation supports clearer thinking and emotional stability.
What It Feels Like in Practice
A typical EMDR session for anxiety would involve:
• Identifying a recurring anxious thought or memory
• Focusing on it while engaging in bilateral stimulation
• Letting your mind “go where it needs to go” as the therapist checks in
• Over time, the distress level reduces and new insights often emerge
People often report:
• Feeling lighter or less reactive
• Reduced urgency to “figure everything out”
• Greater emotional distance from intrusive thoughts
Evidence & Research
Studies show EMDR is as effective as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) for treating anxiety and can work faster for some individuals.
It’s endorsed by organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and APA for PTSD and trauma — and more therapists now use it for generalized anxiety and panic.
Bottom Line
EMDR helps with anxiety and overthinking by:
• Reprocessing distressing thoughts and memories
• Breaking the loop of obsessive thinking
• Re-writing negative beliefs and replacing with healthier more adaptive beliefs
• Getting in touch with the body and observing the feelings and sensations accompanying the belief
If you’re considering EMDR for anxiety or overthinking, it’s best to work with a licensed EMDR-trained therapist such as Ashlea Lawrenson — Kelowna Trauma Therapist (RTC) who can tailor the approach to your needs.
Book a consultation today and explore how EMDR can support your healing journey.
