The most common question people ask before getting in touch is this: can EMDR really be done online?
It’s a fair question. EMDR involves eye movements, bilateral stimulation, processing difficult memories. It feels like the kind of therapy that needs a room — a therapist physically present, a finger to follow, a safe space you travel to. Doing all of that through a screen seems like it should lose something essential.
The short answer is: it doesn’t.
Online EMDR therapy works. The research supports it. Therapists and clients across the world use it with consistently strong outcomes. And for a significant number of people, working online isn’t just an acceptable alternative to face-to-face — it’s actually preferable.
Here’s why.
The scepticism is understandable — but the evidence is clear
Let’s address the concern directly, because it deserves a direct answer.
A randomised controlled trial found that video-based EMDR significantly reduced PTSD symptoms with no statistical difference from in-person treatment. A comprehensive review concluded that remote EMDR therapy shows equivalent efficacy to traditional EMDR when therapists maintain fidelity to the protocol.
A UK-based service evaluation at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board compared outcomes for patients receiving online versus in-person EMDR over a twelve-month period. People receiving online EMDR therapy had lower PTSD scores at the end of treatment than those seen in person. Read the full study here →
A 2025 chart review confirmed EMDR’s effectiveness for veterans in both in-person and telehealth formats — adding to a growing body of evidence that the medium matters far less than the quality of the therapy and the relationship within it. Read the study abstract here →
The conclusion is consistent across the research. Online EMDR therapy is not a compromise. It’s a clinically sound form of delivery that produces real results.
How the eye movements work on a screen
This is the most practical question people ask. And it has a straightforward answer.
During online EMDR therapy, bilateral stimulation is delivered in one of several ways. The most common is a moving element on screen — a dot or a point of light — that you follow with your eyes. This is delivered through specialist platforms designed specifically for online EMDR and works just as effectively as following a therapist’s finger across a room.
Alternatively, bilateral stimulation can be delivered through audio — alternating tones delivered to each ear through headphones. Many people find this form particularly effective, especially during processing.
A third option is self-tapping — alternating taps on your knees, thighs, or shoulders. It sounds simple. It works remarkably well. A lot of people come to prefer it.
Your therapist will discuss the options with you and find what feels most comfortable. There’s no one right way. The post on what happens in an EMDR session explains more about what bilateral stimulation looks and feels like in practice.
The same eight phases — nothing is skipped
Online EMDR therapy follows the same eight-phase protocol as in-person EMDR. Every phase. Nothing abbreviated, nothing adapted out of existence.
The history-taking and preparation phases happen through conversation — exactly as they would in a room. The assessment, desensitisation, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation phases all follow the same careful structure. The therapist’s skill in managing the pacing, staying attuned to what’s happening, and responding to what arises in the session is the same regardless of the medium.
What produces change in EMDR isn’t the room. It’s the protocol, the relationship, and the processing. All of those travel just fine through a screen.
The post on the eight phases of EMDR therapy gives a full breakdown of what each phase involves.
How safety is managed online
This is the other concern people raise — and it’s worth taking seriously.
EMDR involves processing distressing memories. What happens if something difficult arises mid-session and the therapist isn’t physically there?
The answer is that safety planning is built into the work from the very beginning. Before any processing starts, therapist and client discuss what to do if things feel overwhelming — grounding strategies, how to signal a pause, what to do between sessions if something surfaces unexpectedly. Crisis routes are made clear early. Support resources are identified.
The preparation phase of online EMDR therapy takes particular care to build stabilisation resources. Grounding techniques, safe place work, coping strategies — all developed thoroughly before the deeper work begins. This isn’t just good practice for online delivery. It’s built into the EMDR protocol itself. A therapist who spends time here is doing exactly what the approach requires.
Sessions close with a grounding phase every time — regardless of where the processing reached. You leave each session feeling settled and oriented in the present. Not still inside the material you’ve been working with.
For many people online actually works better
This isn’t just a consolation. It’s something a significant number of people genuinely find.
Research suggests that clients often feel more comfortable and emotionally open when engaging in therapy from their own homes — especially if they struggle with anxiety, physical illness, or social barriers to attending in person.
Think about what in-person therapy actually involves. Getting yourself there. A waiting room. Holding yourself together on the journey home afterwards. Being somewhere unfamiliar while processing something deeply personal.
Online removes all of that. You’re in your own space. Your chair. Your home. The environment you feel safest in. For a lot of people — particularly those dealing with trauma, anxiety, or anything that makes leaving the house feel effortful — that familiarity makes it easier to be open. Not harder.
No commute. No waiting room. No need to compose yourself for the journey home. Just 60 to 90 minutes in a private, comfortable space doing work that matters.
Who online EMDR therapy suits most
Online EMDR therapy works well for most people. A few situations where it’s particularly valuable.
People outside major cities. Access to EMDR-trained therapists varies significantly across the UK. Online removes the geographic barrier entirely — you can choose based on fit rather than proximity.
People anywhere in the world. This is how I work. Whether you’re in the UK, Europe, North America, Australia, or elsewhere — online EMDR therapy makes specialist support accessible regardless of where you are.
People with anxiety. The idea of travelling to an unfamiliar office can itself be anxiety-provoking. Working from home removes that layer. The post on EMDR for anxiety explores this further.
People with busy or unpredictable schedules. Sessions can be at times that actually fit your life — including early mornings, evenings, and weekends.
People who value privacy. No waiting room. No risk of being seen by someone you know. Just a private video call from wherever you feel most at ease.
People with physical health difficulties. Chronic illness, fatigue, or mobility difficulties can make in-person attendance impractical. Online EMDR makes consistent, regular sessions possible regardless.
What you actually need
The practical requirements are minimal. Worth spelling out clearly.
A stable internet connection is the most important thing — sessions involve video and sometimes audio bilateral stimulation, so reliability matters. A laptop, desktop, or tablet works best. A phone can work but a larger screen is easier for visual bilateral stimulation.
You need a private space where you won’t be interrupted for 60 to 90 minutes. That’s the one thing that requires planning — somewhere genuinely private. A bedroom, a study, a parked car if needed.
Headphones are useful but not essential. They improve audio bilateral stimulation and add to the sense of privacy.
That’s it. Everything else comes from your therapist, through the platform used for sessions.
The thing that actually matters
Here’s what the research consistently shows — and it’s the same whether you’re working online or in person.
The quality of the relationship between you and your therapist matters more than the method, the platform, or any other variable. The warmth. The trust. The sense of being genuinely heard and held. Those things travel through a screen just as well as they travel through a room.
What you’re looking for is a properly trained EMDR therapist you feel at ease with. The rest follows from that. The post on how to find an EMDR therapist online covers what good training looks like and what to ask before you commit.
The EMDR Association UK maintains a directory of trained and accredited practitioners — a useful starting point if you’re comparing options.
Ready to get started?
If you’ve been putting off EMDR because you thought online delivery was somehow less than the real thing — I hope this helps. It isn’t.
I work online with individuals across the UK and internationally — providing online EMDR therapy to clients wherever they are in the world. Sessions are 60 to 90 minutes, at a time that suits your life.
If you’d like to understand more about whether EMDR is right for your particular situation, this post on whether EMDR is a good fit is worth reading first. And the hub post on what EMDR therapy is gives a full overview of the approach.
I offer a free initial consultation — no pressure, no commitment. Just a conversation.
[Book your free consultation here] — online sessions available worldwide
Gareth Taylor is a Professional Accredited Member of the NCPS (PNCPS Acc.) and a qualified counselling supervisor. He is an EMDR-trained therapist working online with individuals across the UK and internationally, supporting people with trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, low self-worth, and a wide range of other presentations.
