A Powerful Tool for Healing
EMDR Therapy for Children and Teens
For children and teens who have experienced trauma — whether a single event or ongoing stress — EMDR is a gentle yet powerful therapy that supports healing without requiring them to talk in detail about what happened. Instead, EMDR helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer feel overwhelming or stuck.
I adapt standard EMDR protocols to suit your child or teen’s developmental stage, attention span, and emotional regulation capacity, making the process feel safe and accessible. This approach is particularly effective for younger clients, as it reduces symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and emotional dysregulation — often without needing to re-live the trauma through talking.
How EMDR works with kids and teens
When children go through adversity, their brains can store these experiences in a way that impacts how they think, feel, and behave. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (BLS) — such as rhythmic tapping, tones, or eye movements — to activate both sides of the brain and help release these distressing memories. Over time, this helps shift beliefs like “I’m not safe” or “It was my fault” to more empowering ones like “I’m okay now” or “It wasn’t my responsibility.”
Because children often have fewer years of reinforcement behind these beliefs, EMDR can be particularly impactful — supporting faster and more embodied change.
Child-Friendly Techniques I Use in EMDR
To make EMDR engaging and developmentally appropriate for young people, I integrate a range of creative, sensory, and play-based strategies. Bilateral stimulation (BLS) is adapted using light-up wands, toys for visual tracking, tactile options like butterfly taps or tapping on drums, vibrating buzzers, tossing a ball, or following moving dots on a screen. Storytelling and metaphor-based approaches help externalise trauma and build empowerment. Creative activities are often used to support emotional expression and processing. Guided imagery featuring favourite animals, superheroes, or calming places are also incorporated to build a strong internal sense of safety.
Parental involvement is welcomed where appropriate, teaching parents how to support emotional regulation outside of sessions. Child-friendly worksheets and visual aids are used to explain each step of the EMDR process in an accessible and empowering way. Through this tailored approach, children and teens can begin to make sense of their experiences, release emotional burdens, and build greater confidence, resilience, and emotional safety within themselves and their relationships.