EMDR Therapy for OCD
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by persistent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) that an individual feels driven to perform to reduce distress. Over time, these cycles of obsessions and compulsions can dominate daily life, cause emotional exhaustion, and undermine self-confidence.
Understanding OCD and the Rationale for EMDR Therapy
Although the standard first-line treatments (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention, or ERP) are evidence-based and effective for many, some clients continue to struggle or relapse.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy has traditionally been used for trauma and PTSD, but its framework, particularly in how it processes maladaptive memory networks, offers potential in addressing OCD at a deeper level. The premise is that some intrusive thoughts or compulsive urges may be linked to unresolved distressing experiences, early memories, or dysfunctional belief systems that underlie the obsessive cycle. In this way, EMDR therapy for OCD seeks not to simply suppress symptoms but to reprocess the emotional and cognitive roots of the obsessions and compulsions. Integrating EMDR into an OCD treatment plan can help clients gain insight, reduce emotional reactivity, and diminish the compulsion to perform rituals.
How EMDR for OCD Works: Phases, Adaptations, and Techniques
EMDR follows an eight-phase protocol from history taking and client preparation to reprocessing and integration, but applying it to OCD requires certain adaptations and careful planning. In typical use, EMDR addresses past traumas; when working with OCD, clinicians often select as targets the worst or most triggering obsessional or compulsive episodes (for instance, a memory associated with shame, or a moment when the urge became overwhelming).
One adaptation is the “Distancing Technique” developed by Krentzel and Tattersall, which is specifically tailored to OCD. This method encourages clients to create psychological distance from intrusive thoughts, helping them observe obsessions without fully merging with them, while still reprocessing underlying emotional wounds. Another strategy is “flash forward” protocols (imagining worst-case outcomes of not following compulsions) combined with bilateral stimulation, enabling clients to process anticipatory anxiety around uncertainty.
Because OCD is by nature dynamic and can re-emerge rapidly, EMDR therapy for OCD often includes supplementary homework and real-world monitoring. Clients are asked to note moments when obsessions or compulsions flare, and bring these emergent experiences into sessions for in-the-moment reprocessing. The therapist may also use imaginal exposures (akin to ERP) as part of the reprocessing material. The key is that bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or audio) is integrated with these exposures to help the brain reprocess distressing loops more adaptively.
It is important to emphasize that EMDR for OCD is not yet a frontline, stand-alone evidence-based treatment. Existing studies are preliminary, often case reports or small series, so EMDR is better conceptualized as an adjunctive or alternative approach when traditional methods alone prove insufficient. In practice, many clinicians incorporate EMDR into a broader, integrative OCD care plan (including ERP, medication, acceptance strategies, or cognitive therapy).
Benefits, Challenges, and Clinical Considerations
Benefits
- Deeper processing of emotional roots: EMDR allows a person to reprocess emotional or traumatic content linked to the development or reinforcement of obsessive and compulsive patterns, beyond mere symptom control.
- Rapid symptom relief: Because EMDR can accelerate the integration of painful memory networks, clients may experience relief in emotional reactivity or obsessive distress more quickly than with talk therapy alone.
- Increased insight and flexibility: Over time, reprocessing helps clients adopt more adaptive beliefs (e.g., “I am not defined by my thoughts”), which can reduce the compulsion to act on obsessions.
- Emotional regulation and resilience: EMDR builds capacity to tolerate uncertainty, intrusive thought discomfort, and emotional distress, which is crucial for long-term maintenance.
Why Choose EMDR Therapy for OCD at Humantold
At Humantold, we believe in treating the whole person, not just symptoms, and aligning care with client complexity and context. Our team includes clinicians trained in EMDR and experienced in integrating trauma-informed frameworks with anxiety and OCD treatment.
We approach EMDR therapy for OCD with care, tailoring each plan based on the client’s history, insight, and current symptom presentation. We begin with a thorough assessment and psychoeducation, ensuring clients understand how EMDR therapy for OCD works and how it fits into their broader therapeutic journey. We blend EMDR with other modalities, such as cognitive approaches, behavioral exposure, acceptance strategies, or relational work, to build a cohesive, personalized path to recovery.
Because EMDR can bring up intense emotional material, we prioritize client safety, stabilization, and pacing. Our clinicians support clients through processing by maintaining grounding, resource development, and stabilization strategies. Throughout the treatment, we track progress carefully, integrate session feedback, and adjust the protocol to reduce overwhelm or dropout.
Further, we encourage clients to bring forward any emergent obsessional experiences (between sessions) so they can be addressed in real time, a practice that aligns well with OCD’s dynamic nature. In offering EMDR for OCD, we aim not just for symptom reduction but lasting change, resilience, and a return to agency.
What Our Clients Are Saying
Real change starts with feeling heard—and that’s what our clients find at Humantold.
© 2025 Humantold Psychotherapy Services
Designed By Digital Drew SEM