[header] How to prepare yourself for emdr therapy [title] Know what to expect. [step] Emdr therapy is not a one-time treatment. It utilizes an eight-phase approach to psychotherapy, and requires the patient to recall painful memories while the therapist guides her through a series of eye movements. 
Each set of eye movements lasts approximately 30 seconds, and is designed to replicate the mechanisms that take place during rapid eye movement (rem) sleep. Emdr therapy helps patients deal with a traumatic past, but it can also help cope with present circumstances and even plan for future events.