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Home / Therapy approaches / EMDR Therapy
Evidence-based therapy approach
EMDR Therapy in Bangladesh
EMDR helps the brain reprocess painful memories so they lose their charge — a leading treatment for trauma and PTSD. Work with a licensed, EMDR-trained psychologist online across Bangladesh, or in person in Dhaka.
★ 4.8 Google35,000+ sessions60+ licensed psychologists
EMDR at a glance
- Typical length
- Often 6–12 sessions for one event, longer for complex trauma
- Each session
- 60–90 minutes
- Style
- Structured, eight phases, at your pace
- Talking needed
- You do not have to describe every detail
- Strongest evidence
- PTSD and trauma, recommended by the WHO
- Format
- Online or in person, Bangla or English
Meet the psychologists →In plain language: EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) helps your brain “file away” a stuck traumatic memory properly. Using guided eye movements or other rhythmic left-right stimulation, the memory is revisited safely until it no longer feels raw and overwhelming.
The basics
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a structured therapy designed to help people recover from trauma and distressing life experiences.
When something overwhelming happens, the brain can fail to process the memory normally. It stays “stuck” — with its original images, body sensations and emotions intact — so that a reminder can make you feel as if it is happening again. EMDR helps the brain finish processing that memory, so it becomes an ordinary part of your past rather than a live wound.
During EMDR you briefly bring a difficult memory to mind while following a back-and-forth movement or tapping guided by your psychologist. This bilateral stimulation appears to help the brain reprocess the memory. Over sessions, the memory stays in your history but stops carrying the same fear, shame or panic. You do not have to describe every detail out loud, which many people find easier than pure talk therapy.
A structured path
How EMDR works: the phases
EMDR follows a clear, staged process. Your psychologist moves at your pace and never rushes.
Preparation
Learning grounding and calming skills first, so you feel steady before any processing.
Assessment
Identifying the image, belief and body sensation linked to a target memory.
Desensitisation
Reprocessing the memory with bilateral stimulation until distress falls.
Installation
Strengthening a positive, adaptive belief in place of the old one.
Closure & review
Returning to calm at the end of each session and checking progress over time.
Why people choose it
What are the benefits of EMDR?
Less talking required
You do not have to narrate every painful detail, which can make trauma work more bearable.
Often faster for single traumas
For a specific traumatic event, EMDR can bring relief within a focused course of sessions.
Targets the root, not just symptoms
It works on the stuck memory itself, not only the reactions it triggers.
Strong evidence for PTSD
EMDR is recommended internationally as a first-line trauma treatment.
Lasting change
Once a memory is reprocessed, it usually stays settled.
Can work online
Trained psychologists can deliver EMDR over secure video when suitable and safe.
Choosing well
Is EMDR right for me?
A good fit if you
- are troubled by memories of a specific event, such as an accident, an assault, a sudden loss or a frightening medical experience
- notice flashbacks, nightmares or strong reactions to reminders
- find it hard to talk about what happened in detail
- feel stuck with beliefs like “I am not safe” or “it was my fault”
Another approach may suit first if
- you are in crisis or feel unsafe: call 999 or go to the nearest hospital
- you are struggling to stay safe day to day, for example with frequent self-harm urges or heavy drinking or drug use: steadying skills usually come first, often with DBT
- the main difficulty is ongoing worry or low mood without a clear memory behind it: CBT may fit better
- you are looking for help for a young child after a frightening event: play therapy or trauma-focused CBT
Not sure? A psychologist can assess what suits you best, you do not have to choose a method yourself.
Inside the work
What EMDR sessions involve
The core elements you will experience, always at a pace you control.
Building safety first
Grounding and resourcing skills so you can stay steady before any memory work.
Choosing a target
Selecting a specific memory, image or belief to reprocess.
Bilateral stimulation
Guided eye movements, tapping or tones while briefly holding the memory in mind.
Noticing what shifts
Letting new thoughts, images or feelings arise as the memory reprocesses.
Returning to calm
Every session ends with grounding, so you leave settled.
Where it helps
What conditions can EMDR help treat?
EMDR is best known for trauma, and helps with several related concerns.
Trauma & PTSD
The concern EMDR is most established for — single-event and complex trauma.
Grief & loss
Processing painful memories tied to bereavement.
Anxiety & panic
When fear is rooted in specific frightening experiences.
Phobias
Reprocessing the original event behind an intense specific fear.
Distressing memories
Accidents, medical events or abuse that still feel raw.
Low self-worth from the past
Shifting deep negative beliefs formed in early difficult experiences.
Who can help
Psychologists and psychiatrists you can talk to about EMDR
These licensed psychologists can assess whether EMDR suits you and, if a specialist fits better, refer you to the right colleague. Not sure who to choose? We will match you.
Saima Akther Jui
From ৳2,500BCPS-verified
Dr. Afsana Benta Anowar
From ৳2,500
Jinat Jahan
From ৳2,400
Shaheen Nafisa Siddique
From ৳4,500
Mesbahul Islam
From ৳3,500BCPS-verified
Tamima Tanjin
From ৳3,500BCPS-verified
Salma Parveen
From ৳4,500BCPS-verified
Hazera Khatun
From ৳3,500BCPS-verified
Dr. Tarun Kanti Gayen
From ৳4,500BCPS-verified
Ishrat Shermin Rahman
From ৳4,000BCPS-verified
Nazme Ara
From ৳3,000BCPS-verified
Samsun Nahar
From ৳2,200BCPS-verified
Choosing safely
Questions to ask an EMDR therapist
- What EMDR training and supervised experience do you have?
- Why do you think EMDR fits my particular situation?
- How will we make sure I feel safe and grounded during sessions?
- Can EMDR be delivered online safely for my needs?
- What alternatives should I consider if EMDR is not the right fit?
- Can it be adapted to my language, culture and circumstances?
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to talk about all the details of my trauma?
No. A key feature of EMDR is that you do not need to describe every detail out loud. You hold the memory in mind while your psychologist guides the processing, which many people find easier than pure talk therapy.
Is EMDR evidence-based?
Yes. EMDR is recommended internationally as a first-line treatment for PTSD and has strong research support for trauma.
How many sessions will I need?
For a single traumatic event, a focused course can help; complex or repeated trauma usually takes longer. Your psychologist will plan this with you and prioritise safety.
Can EMDR be done online in Bangladesh?
Trained psychologists can deliver EMDR over secure video when it is suitable and safe for you. Suitability is assessed first, in Bangla or English. In-person sessions are available in Dhaka.
Is EMDR safe?
With a trained psychologist, EMDR is safe. Sessions begin with grounding skills and always end with returning you to a calm, settled state.
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
Book based on your concern, and an EMDR-trained psychologist will assess your situation and explain whether EMDR — or another approach — is likely to help.
Read more
Related articles & guides
Practical, Bangladesh-specific reading from the Chum blog on this topic.
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD): Signs, Causes and HealingRead article →Trauma Triggers and Flashbacks: How to CopeRead article →How Trauma Therapy Works: Healing After TraumaRead article →Best Psychiatrists in Dhaka: Chum’s BMDC-Registered Doctors (2026)Read article →PTSD & Trauma: Signs, Causes & Recovery in BangladeshRead article →সাইকোলজিস্ট বনাম সাইকিয়াট্রিস্ট: পার্থক্য কী এবং কার কাছে যাবেন?Read article →
Ready when you are
Painful memories can lose their hold
Tell us as much or as little as you want about what happened. We will match you with a licensed psychologist experienced with trauma, online across Bangladesh or in person in Dhaka, and you set the pace.
