01/05/2026
Talk Therapy vs. EMDR: What’s the difference?
Both talk therapy and EMDR are effective, evidence-based approaches.. they just work in different ways. 🤎
Talk therapy focuses on understanding thoughts, emotions, patterns, and experiences through conversation. It helps build insight, emotional awareness, coping skills, and meaning-making. For many people, talk therapy is supportive, grounding, and essential for building a sense of safety and trust.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) works more directly with how the brain and nervous system store distressing experiences. Instead of focusing on detailed retelling, EMDR helps the brain reprocess memories so they no longer feel as emotionally charged in the present. This can be especially helpful when past experiences continue to show up as triggers, body responses, or emotional reactions that don’t respond fully to insight alone.
In simple terms 🙌🏼 Talk therapy helps you understand your experiences 🌱 EMDR helps your nervous system process them.
Neither approach replaces the other. In fact, they’re often most effective when used together with pacing, consent, and clinical judgment guiding the work.
Healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. The right approach is the one that meets your nervous system where it is. 🙌🏼
