How Effective is EMDR with Adolescents?

Read the first blogs in this series:
What is EMDR? Is it as powerful as they say?
What can I expect from EMDR therapy? A session to session guide.
How is EMDR different from talk therapy?
How effective is EMDR therapy with anxiety and depression?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a very effective therapy that treats most mental health diagnosis and conditions.

EMDR and Teenagers

If you’ve been following along with our blogs, you know that EMDR is effective for a wide variety of treatment concerns. The same is true for children and adolescents, we just make some modifications to be developmentally and age appropriate.

What is considered a traumatic experience for minors?

The experiences that would be traumatic for adults are also traumatic for adolescents- weather events, acts of violence and abuse, and grief. Other events that may be benign for adults, can be difficult for kids – experiences with peer pressure or bullying, bad dreams, school incidents or absence of control.

Due to ongoing neurodevelopment, teens often process sensory and emotional information much faster than adults. At the same time, they lack the historical context to predict positive outcomes, possess minimal environmental autonomy, and struggle to grasp logical consequences. Consequently, minor everyday stressors are magnified into overwhelming events.

Signs your child is struggling and could benefit from therapy

Here are a few guidelines that may indicate that your child is struggling:

• Regressive behavior – Behaving childlike, using comfort items
• Unable to regulate emotions – Whining, unable to reason with
• Changes in school participation – Change in grades, not doing homework, skipping and resistance to school, withdrawing from clubs and activities
• Activities of daily living – poor hygiene, no longer do certain tasks for themselves, changes in eating habits
• Safety concerns – behaviors or talk about hurting self or others
• Sudden shift happens after a significant event – If they are unable to bounce back after some time passes

Ways your therapist will adapt EMDR therapy for adolescents

Therapists that work with the adolescents will often integrate some elements of play therapy with the use of more adult approaches. Including creative arts (paint, coloring, clay) as well as playing board games is a quick way to create a connection. It also allows the brain to distract to some degree, making difficult conversations a little safer and easier.

The therapist will still follow the same phases as with adults. In preparation phase, your child will learn more emotion regulation skills , such as breathing exercises and creating a calm place. Processing phases are done in longer spurts than children and shorter than adults. We are typically able to use the same methods as we would with adults.

The role of parents/caregivers in EMDR

Support from parents is imperative to a successful therapeutic relationship. You know your teen better than anyone else, even if it doesn’t feel that way. You are a vital component to your child’s success in therapy. If you have any questions or concerns about the process, please ask your therapist to explain further.

Letting the therapist know specifics about your concerns and any events that you are aware of helps the therapist design the treatment plan and know which memories need to be addressed and in what order. Letting your adolescent know that you have shared your observations, reasons for therapy or trauma they experienced, often helps them to feel more comfortable with opening up themselves. Following a session, you are always welcome to ask your teen about therapy, however if they don’t want to talk about it don’t push them. They will open up as they are ready. The therapist will always keep you informed of any safety concerns or certain dangerous behaviors as they are disclosed to them.

Another important component is tracking changes between sessions. You will have the best information as to any behavioral changes such as eating and sleeping habits, general mood participation in their life. Adolescents are able to self-report and share insights, however they don’t always recognize what is important. Anything significantly out of the ordinary should be reported to the therapist immediately.

What does the research say about EMDR’s effectiveness with teenagers?

EMDR has been shown to be effective in reducing PTSD symptoms in minors (Sutton et al, 2025; Rodenburg et al, 2024). Another study finding that symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety were alleviated and maintained at follow-up, and at a higher rate as compared to other therapies. Science Direct also notes how fast EMDR works.

How do I Find a Qualified EMDR Therapist?

When looking for a qualified EMDR therapist, the first place to look is on the EMDRIA website. The EMDR International Association is the body that regulates both how EMDR is trained, and the therapists that wish to move up the credentialing process. There are companies that offer EMDR trainings, however they do not hold the same rigorous expectations, including supervised practice. Make sure your therapist has EMDRIA approval before moving forward.

There are several levels of EMDR therapists:

• EMDR in training: Currently participating in the 50 hours of training. This includes lecture, video and live demonstrations of key principles, and practicing with another trainee while an experienced EMDR therapist observes and gives live feed-back. They are also participating in 10 hours of group sessions, where they share their use of EMDR, review lecture material and learn from their peers’ experiences.
• EMDR trained: Completed the 50 hours or training, the 10 hours of group and a post-test demonstrating their knowledge. No further actions are necessary to keep this status.
• EMDR certified: After becoming EMDR trained, these therapist continue their learning by taking at least 12 hours of advanced trainings, have an additional 20 hours of oversight with a higher level EMDR therapist (including audio tapes of actual sessions), and have completed a minimum number of processing sessions. Certification must be renewed every 2 years, an additional 12 hours of advanced trainings is required at each renewal.
• EMDR Consultant in Training (CIT): After becoming certified, they continue to learn by taking another 12 hours of advanced training and have more processing sessions completed. They are also required to have a minimum of 20 hours of oversight from an Approved Consultant (the next levelup). The Approved Consultant will evaluate the CIT’s ability to correctly guide and support newly trained therapists in their use of EMDR with their clients. The audio/video used here will be of the CIT offering consultation to the therapist that is either in training or trained.
• EMDR Approved Consultant: Once all the above requirements are met, the therapist will now have the title of Approved Consultant. This credential requires 12 hours of advanced training and renewal every two years.
• EMDR Trainer: This is the highest level of credentialing for an EMDR therapist. There are believed to be less than 250 trainers in the United States. In addition to being an Approved Consultant, the trainer has to go through a rigorous screening process. The curriculum has to meet very specific criteria about content and length of time spent on topics, the in training practicum experiences, even how the learning management system works. They are also required to answer a series of questions around how they handle certain situations, learner engagement, and being culturally sensitive and aware. Trainer status is renewed every 2 years by answering the training specific short essay questions.

If you have further questions about EMDR, either as a therapist or as a potential client, please reach out to Heather Dunn, EMDRIA Approved trainer, at heather@bluehorizoncounseling.com.

Summary

There is a lot more to EMDR, it requires a minimum or 60 hours in supervised training to be credentialed. This overview is designed to help you feel more prepared before starting EMDR for yourself. Admittedly, it does seem odd that experiencing BLS could have such a significant effect. It has been tested over and over again for 40 years, with strong results supporting this therapy.

Each phase is just as important as the next and need to be done thoroughly and in order. The most common mistakes that new or inexperienced EMDR therapists make is not doing the groundwork. Phases 1 and 2 are imperative to ensure the processing is emotionally safe and tolerable for the client. Unfortunately these phases are often rushed through. Additionally, you want to make sure your therapist is intentional about which memory to start processing through. Starting with an intense trauma, especially if the client is ill prepared, can have significant long-term impacts. It’s often advised to start with a smaller memory as the client gets comfortable with the process, and the therapist can evaluate their ability to stay regulated.

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At Blue Horizon Counseling we have several therapists that are passionate and qualified in EMDR therapy. We also offer consultation for EMDR therapists that are looking for additional support as they continue to learn and grow.

You’re Not Alone. Our Therapists are here to help, in Pearland, TX.

Hang in there. This won’t last forever, even if some days feel like it might. You’re planting the seeds for future blossoms. All our therapists at Blue Horizon Counseling offer sessions both in person and via telehealth.  Find the right therapist for you. We accept most major insurance plans.

Written by Heather Dunn, Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, specializing in trauma, dissociation and EMDR. Heather has been practicing for over 20 years and enjoys sharing her knowledge and helpful tips.

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