Miley Cyrus Says EMDR Saved Her Life: What is EMDR Therapy And Can It Help You Too?
- Sasha Larson, LMHC
- Jun 14
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 26
In a recent interview with People Magazine, multifaceted artist/pop icon Miley Cyrus shared she did EMDR therapy to process trauma and heal from the past. She said that EMDR “saved my life” and even cured her stage fright. So what is this type of therapy that was so life changing and healing?
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a specialized type of therapy that helps people heal from trauma and painful life experiences by reprocessing memories. EMDR uses dual attention bilateral stimulation (usually eye movements, but sometimes tactical taps or auditory tones) to help activate the brain’s information processing system and allow memories to be processed more adaptively.
EMDR utilizes a three pronged approach:
Reprocessing painful memories (the past)
Addressing current triggers (the present)
Identifying desired responses for potential challenges (the future)
How does EMDR work?
Just like our bodies can heal from physical injuries, our minds can also heal from psychological wounds. In the case of a physical injury like a cut, your body responds by sending blood cells to close the wound. But if something blocks that healing like repeated injury or a foreign object, the wound may become irritated and have difficulties healing properly until the blockage is removed.
EMDR shows that a similar pattern happens with emotional healing. The brain is wired towards mental health, but a distressing event or trauma can cause a kind of blockage. These painful memories can get “stuck” in the brain and cause distress. EMDR helps remove the blockage, so that the natural healing process can resume.
Trauma is stored differently in the brain, so the brain has difficulty metabolizing it. With EMDR, we recreate the memory to help reprocess it through the brain and move it along the “emotional sewage network” to activate the natural healing process. It is similar to the mechanisms of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep that help process the residue from the day. EMDR moves the trauma from the limbic system (emotional part of the brain) to the neocortex (the higher-level cognitive functioning part of the brain) to help the mind reprocess it. It’s your own brain that does the healing.
What is EMDR used for?
EMDR is widely recognized as an evidence-based form of treatment for PTSD by the World Health Organization, American Psychological Association, and the Department of Veteran Affairs.
While it is most commonly associated with treating PTSD, it can also be used for a wide variety of concerns such as:
Low self esteem
Anxiety and panic attacks
Depression
Grief and loss
Phobias and fears
OCD and intrusive thoughts
What do sessions look like?
EMDR sessions can be quite a bit different than traditional therapy sessions. Once you and your therapist decide you are ready for EMDR, you will work on identifying specific memories to reprocess related to the issue you want to work on. One by one, you will begin reprocessing each memory as your therapist guides you through sets of eye movements. The therapist takes more of a “backseat approach”, making sure the reprocessing keeps moving, while the client is in control. Once you are finished reprocessing a memory, you will find the memory does not feel as emotionally charged as before, and you may even have different images, thoughts, feelings, or beliefs that come up around the memory.
Is EMDR right for me?
If traditional therapy hasn’t brought the changes you’re looking for or if you want a trauma-specific approach that focuses on the root cause of suffering rather than current stressors, EMDR might be a good fit for you.
EMDR may be a good option if:
You’ve tried talk therapy but haven’t seen much progress
You want to target specific traumatic experiences or painful memories
You’re ready to process what’s underneath and shift how you see yourself and the world
On the other hand, EMDR may not be the best fit if you’re looking for more verbal support from your therapist and help navigating current life stressors. Some people prefer EMDR to specifically focus on healing from trauma and painful life experiences, while other people prefer therapy to be a more comprehensive space to process life stressors, receive support, and heal from trauma.
In all, Miley Cyrus has helped shed light to the powerful healing that can come from EMDR. EMDR can help you heal from painful life experiences to start living in the present. If you've found that you want to try something new and get to the root of your pain, EMDR may be able to help. As an EMDR therapist in Tampa, FL, I have helped many people heal from trauma and get past their past. (Click here to learn more about me!). If you're ready to explore whether EMDR may be a good fit for you, feel free to reach out today to schedule a consultation or set up an appointment and take the next step towards growth and healing.
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