How Music is Changing EMDR Therapy: A New Approach to Healing Trauma
How Music is Changing EMDR Therapy: A New Approach to Healing Trauma
We already know that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful, evidence-based therapy for trauma and PTSD. But what happens when we personalize it even more—using music as part of the healing process?
A new study has explored exactly that. It introduces a version of EMDR enriched with sound and music—known as EMDR+. And the early results are promising.
Why EMDR+?
Trauma affects how we think, feel, move, and even how we process sound and touch. EMDR helps reprocess traumatic memories using bilateral stimulation (usually guided eye movements). But this study asked: what if we also included carefully chosen music to support that reprocessing?
Turns out, music does more than just set the mood—it can enhance engagement, emotional regulation, and memory integration.
What Is EMDR+?
EMDR+ combines the standard eight phases of EMDR therapy with:
Personalized musical selections (a “Reward Song” for calm, and a “Key Song” linked to the trauma memory),
Bilateral auditory stimulation (ping sounds alternating between left and right ears),
And audio-visual integration, using light and sound together to support sensory regulation.
Every sound was chosen intentionally. Patients completed a musical preference test (MAAS) to help identify the music that would feel calming and supportive, as well as music that could safely evoke the traumatic memory.
What Did the Study Find?
Twelve participants with trauma-related symptoms—many of whom were caregivers or healthcare workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic—took part in the study. Here’s what stood out:
Feasibility: 100% completed the full treatment, with no dropouts.
Safety: No side effects like nausea, dizziness, or headaches were reported.
Acceptance: Patients reported significant improvements in well-being, positive change, and reductions in anxiety and depression.
Effectiveness: On average, patients completed therapy in just 8.5 sessions—shorter than the typical 12-session EMDR protocol.
The effect sizes on standard trauma measures (SUD and VOC scales) were dramatic. In plain terms, people felt better—faster.
Why It Works
Music activates brain regions tied to reward, emotion, memory, and body awareness. By combining this with EMDR’s bilateral stimulation, EMDR+ helps:
Reinforce a sense of safety,
Improve the regulation of emotional and bodily responses,
Make the therapy feel more engaging and less intimidating,
And deepen the connection between therapist and client through a multisensory experience.
A Personalized Path to Recovery
Perhaps most importantly, EMDR+ makes the healing process more personal. Instead of using a one-size-fits-all sound or protocol, it meets each client where they are—emotionally, neurologically, and even musically.
This aligns with a growing movement in mental health care: personalized therapy, tailored to the nervous system, personality, and preferences of each individual.
EMDR+ isn’t just about adding music to therapy. It’s about using music strategically—to regulate the nervous system, enhance emotional safety, and support the deep, adaptive processing of trauma.
As we continue to explore the intersection of neuroscience, somatic therapy, and creativity, approaches like EMDR+ are leading the way in trauma recovery—quietly, powerfully, and personally.
For those interested in reading more about this topic, the complete article is available on ResearchGate.