Concierge mental health · UK
EMDR — NICE-recommended trauma therapy, by an accredited practitioner.
A proper course of EMDR by an EMDR UK & Ireland Association-accredited therapist — in person or online, with the pacing your case actually needs.
Why patients choose us
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An EMDR-accredited therapist, matched to you
Not a generic counsellor with a weekend course. An EMDR UK & Ireland Association-accredited practitioner with real trauma experience.
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Stabilisation first for complex trauma
For complex PTSD (ICD-11) we build resources and safety before touching the memory. Pacing is the whole game.
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Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic or therapist, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private EMDR costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges for private EMDR-accredited therapists across the UK. NHS Talking Therapies is free but with a waitlist. We confirm firm figures within one working day.
In short
A 60-minute private EMDR session: £70–£120, weekly for a 6–12 week course.
| Option | Indicative range | Session length | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMDR session (60 min, private) | £70–£120 | 60 min | Weekly |
| EMDR session (90 min, private) | £100–£160 | 90 min | Weekly |
| Initial assessment | £90–£150 | 60–90 min | One visit |
| Course: single-incident trauma (6–12) | £500–£1,800 | 6–12 wks | Weekly |
| Course: complex trauma (20–50+) | £1,500–£7,000+ | 5–12 mo | Weekly |
| NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT self-referral) | Free | Waitlist | Weeks–months |
Prices vary by therapist, city, session length and whether sessions are in person or online. Bupa, AXA, Vitality and Aviva usually cover EMDR under the mental health benefit for accredited practitioners.
The problem
The right therapist, the right protocol, the right pace.
EMDR is quietly one of the most poorly matched therapies in the private market — untrained practitioners, wrong protocol for complex trauma, and pacing that overwhelms. We fix all three before you start.
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Not sure EMDR is the right fit?
Trauma-focused CBT is also NICE first-line. Sometimes a combined approach makes sense. We say so before you commit.
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Worried about being overwhelmed?
Stabilisation and resource-building come first for complex trauma — proper pacing, not a race to the memory.
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Want it done properly?
An EMDR UK & Ireland Association-accredited practitioner with real trauma experience, in person or online.
The 8-phase protocol
From history-taking to re-evaluation — Shapiro’s eight phases, in order.
One clinician from first message to review — including the between-session monitoring diary.
Phase 1 · Before treatment
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · In sessions
60–90 minutes, weekly
Phase 3 · After
Between-session monitoring
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Symptoms, what happened, whether the trauma is single-incident or ongoing.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, or a combined approach — plus whether NHS Talking Therapies or private is the sensible route.
- 03
Before
We arrange the therapist
Usually within one to three weeks for private. A named EMDR-accredited practitioner, in person or online, and an indicative cost.
- 04
In session
Phase 1–2: history and preparation
The first one to three sessions map your history, build resources (safe place, containment) and explain the model.
- 05
In session
Phase 3–6: processing the memory
Assessment, bilateral stimulation, installation of a positive belief, and a body scan. 60–90 minute sessions.
- 06
In session
Phase 7–8: closure and review
Each session closes with you back at baseline. The next session begins with a re-evaluation of what shifted.
- 07
Between
Between sessions and beyond
A simple diary tracks dreams, memories and shifts. Six to twelve sessions for single-incident trauma; longer for complex.
Single-incident trauma: 6–12 sessions. Complex trauma: 20–50+ sessions over many months.
When it helps
When EMDR is the right step.
The presentations we see most, plus the one red flag that means EMDR is not the first move.
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PTSD (single-incident trauma)
An assault, accident, medical event or bereavement — flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance more than a month on.
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Complex PTSD (ICD-11)
Prolonged or repeated trauma — childhood abuse, coercive relationships — with self-organisation difficulties.
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Phobias and panic
Specific phobias, driving anxiety after an accident, dental or medical phobia, panic linked to a triggering event.
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Birth trauma and perinatal
Traumatic birth, loss, or NICU experience — EMDR is well-tolerated after the acute period settles.
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Depression with a trauma trigger
Depressive episodes anchored to a specific event or loss respond well when the memory is processed.
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Chronic pain with trauma component
Persistent pain with a trauma history — an adjunct to standard pain care, not a replacement.
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Grief and complicated bereavement
When grief becomes stuck — unfinished conversations, sudden loss — EMDR can help the memory settle.
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Red flag: current ongoing trauma
EMDR is not offered as a sole intervention in active abuse. Safety and stabilisation come first — we say so.
Delivery options
EMDR comes in more than one shape.
What each option actually involves — and which fits which case, from a single-incident trauma to complex childhood work.
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In-person EMDR
The traditional format. Therapist-led eye movements, tactile tappers or auditory tones in a quiet consulting room.
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Online EMDR (remote delivery)
Video sessions using an on-screen moving dot or self-tapping. Established during COVID, still widely used and effective.
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Standard 8-phase protocol
Shapiro’s original model — history, preparation, assessment, desensitisation, installation, body scan, closure, re-evaluation.
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EMDR for complex trauma
Longer stabilisation phase, resource-building, and a paced approach — often 20–50+ sessions over many months.
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EMDR + trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT)
Both are NICE first-line for PTSD. Sometimes combined or sequenced when one alone does not clear the picture.
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EMDR for children and young people
Age-adapted from around 7. Uses drawings, story-telling and shorter sets. NICE-approved for CYP with PTSD.
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Group and intensive EMDR
Multi-day intensives compress a course into a week — useful for those who cannot commit to weekly sessions for months.
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Assessment only
An honest first conversation about whether EMDR, TF-CBT or something else is the right fit — no obligation.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of EMDR therapists, we picked them.
Accredited EMDR practitioners across the UK — in person and online. Not listed publicly. Introductions are made privately once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every therapist in our network.
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EMDR UK & Ireland Association-accredited practitioners
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HCPC or BACP/BABCP/UKCP registration alongside EMDR training
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Documented experience with complex trauma when needed
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Willing to work alongside your GP, psychiatrist or care team
Safety and cautions
What to expect — honestly.
EMDR is a well-evidenced, safe therapy in the right hands. The things worth planning are pacing, dissociation risk, and knowing what to do if things spike between sessions.
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Intense processing between sessions
Vivid dreams, emerging memories and temporary symptom flare are common in the first weeks. Your therapist will prepare you for this.
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Pacing matters in complex trauma
Going too fast risks decompensation. A stabilisation phase — sometimes weeks or months — is not a delay, it is the treatment.
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Not a sole intervention in ongoing trauma
NICE is clear: EMDR is not offered alone during active domestic abuse or ongoing danger. Safety comes first.
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Dissociation needs experienced hands
Unstable dissociation without prior work is a caution, not a bar. It just means the right therapist and a longer runway.
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Active psychosis is a relative caution
Current psychotic symptoms need psychiatric input first. EMDR can follow once the picture is stable.
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Suicidality needs a safety plan
Active suicidality is not a bar to EMDR but does require a written safety plan and, usually, a wider care team.
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Comparable to TF-CBT, often shorter
NICE and Cochrane place EMDR alongside trauma-focused CBT for PTSD — often reaching benefit in fewer sessions.
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Accredited therapist selection matters
A weekend course is not the same as full EMDR accreditation. We match you to a properly trained practitioner.
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Red flags between sessions
A sharp rise in suicidal thoughts, new dissociation or a crisis needs same-day contact with your therapist or NHS 111.
Reading your therapy notes
Your EMDR notes in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever therapist you see, the summary they share with you (and, with your consent, your GP) tends to keep to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Therapy language uses shorthand — SUD, VOC, targets — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to walk you through the summary before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Presenting problem and formulation
Why you came — PTSD, phobia, complex trauma — and how your therapist understands it in EMDR terms.
- 02 Targets
Target memories and treatment plan
The specific memories being worked on, in what order, with negative and preferred positive cognitions.
- 03 Progress
SUD and VOC scores across sessions
Subjective Units of Distress (0–10) and Validity of Cognition (1–7) — how the numbers move over time.
- 04 Impression
Outcome, closure and any onward referral
Read this first: what shifted, what remains, and whether follow-up, medication or a wider team is suggested.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Bupa, AXA, Vitality and Aviva usually cover EMDR under the mental health benefit for accredited practitioners. Session limits and pre-authorisation vary — we confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about EMDR.
Quick answers on how it works, cost, NHS access, side effects and complex trauma.
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What is EMDR and how does it work?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a NICE-recommended trauma therapy. While you briefly hold a distressing memory in mind, the therapist guides you through bilateral stimulation — eye movements, taps or tones — which appears to help the brain reprocess the memory so it no longer triggers the same distress.
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Is EMDR NICE-approved for PTSD?
Yes. NICE guideline NG116 (2018) recommends EMDR or trauma-focused CBT as first-line treatment for adults with PTSD more than one month after a traumatic event. It is also considered for children and young people from around age 7.
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How many EMDR sessions will I need?
For single-incident trauma, typically 6–12 sessions of 60–90 minutes. Complex or repeated trauma often needs 20–50+ sessions over many months, with a stabilisation phase before the memory work begins.
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How much does private EMDR cost in the UK?
Roughly £70–£120 per 60-minute session, or £100–£160 for 90 minutes. A course for single-incident trauma is often £500–£1,800; complex trauma courses run to several thousand. NHS Talking Therapies is free but with a waitlist.
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Does EMDR work online?
Yes. Remote EMDR — using an on-screen moving dot, self-tapping (the butterfly hug) or alternating tones — was established during COVID under EMDR Remote Delivery Guidelines and remains widely used with good outcomes.
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Is EMDR safe if I have complex PTSD?
Yes, when delivered by an experienced therapist with a proper stabilisation phase first. For complex PTSD (ICD-11), resource-building and safety come before memory processing, and the whole course is longer.
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Can I get EMDR on the NHS?
Yes. NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT) accepts self-referral in England and offers EMDR for PTSD. Waitlists vary. For complex cases, Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) can provide it.
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What are the side effects of EMDR?
Intense emotional processing during and between sessions, vivid dreams, and a temporary flare of symptoms are all common early on and usually settle. In complex trauma, pacing too fast can cause decompensation — which is why therapist selection matters.
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When should I contact my therapist or a doctor urgently?
A sharp rise in suicidal thoughts, new or worsening dissociation, or a mental-health crisis between sessions all need same-day contact with your therapist, your GP, or NHS 111.
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Will private health insurance cover EMDR?
Bupa, AXA, Vitality and Aviva usually cover EMDR under the mental health benefit when delivered by an accredited practitioner. Cover, session limits and pre-authorisation vary — we confirm before booking.
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