Deborah Silveria Ph.D. – Focus: Clinical Psychology and EMDR
Deborah Silveria Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and LMFT. She works at the Amen Clinics, in Costa Mesa, California. She specializes in complex trauma. She has been practicing EMDR since 1996 and has traveled to areas providing EMDR after disasters (Haiti, San Bernardino terrorist attacks). Dr. Silveria is a Trainer for EMDR Trauma Recovery Network and a facilitator for the EMDR Institute. She is also an Approved Instructor in Critical Incident Stress Management for the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. She is the EMDR consultant and program coordinator for a week-long retreat for first responders with PTSD.
EMDR: Rewiring Trauma Through the Brain’s Native Healing Rhythm
In the video “What is EMDR? – Your Best Brain, Your Best Options,” Dr. Deborah Silveria explains Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy — a structured, research-backed approach to helping individuals process and heal from trauma and deeply held negative beliefs.
EMDR unfolds across eight structured phases, beginning with establishing a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship and mapping out key memories that influence present behavior. From there, guided eye movements — which mimic the brain’s REM sleep processing — facilitate the integration and resolution of these “stuck” traumatic memories, reducing their emotional charge (American Psychological Association).
EMDR is not limited to PTSD. Dr. Silveria recounts real-world examples — such as mass shooting survivors overcoming paralyzing triggers — where EMDR helped reframe negative beliefs and restore functional resilience. It can also be used for phobias, anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges, and is widely adopted by first responders and military personnel who face complex and repeated trauma (Seidler and Wagner 1515). In many cases, EMDR has provided results when other therapies had not.
Effectiveness Backed by Research
Multiple studies confirm EMDR’s strong clinical impact:
A meta-analysis found that EMDR and trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are comparably effective in treating PTSD symptoms (Seidler and Wagner 1515–1522).
A review of clinical trials from 1991 to 2022, covering 1,213 participants, confirmed EMDR’s strong efficacy for PTSD treatment (Watts et al. e541–550).
A 2018 meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials (n = 675) confirmed EMDR’s effectiveness in reducing PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, often matching or exceeding CBT (Snyder and Trang 2021).
A 2023 meta-analysis showed EMDR’s significant effectiveness in reducing addiction severity and co-occurring trauma symptoms in individuals with substance use disorders, with an effect size of d = 0.654 (Logsdon, Cornelius-White, and Kanamori 21–32).
Global endorsements of EMDR for PTSD include the World Health Organization, the Australian Psychological Society (Level I evidence), the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense, and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (“Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing”).
How EMDR Works: Disarming the Traumatic Memory
At the heart of EMDR is the brain’s Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model: trauma-related memories become “stuck” and intrusively active. EMDR helps these memories be integrated into normal memory networks where they no longer provoke distress (Health.com).
Guided bilateral stimulation (through eye movements, taps, or tones) during memory recall is thought to replicate the brain’s REM processes, accelerating emotional processing and memory reconsolidation (Cadence Psychology Studio).
Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy
The structured EMDR protocol consists of:
History-taking & Treatment Planning — Identifying key memories and readiness for EMDR.
Preparation — Teaching emotional regulation tools, building a stable base.
Assessment — Focusing on a target memory and related negative beliefs.
Desensitization — Engaging bilateral stimulation while recalling the memory.
Installation — Replacing negative beliefs with positive alternatives.
Body Scan — Checking for residual tension or disturbance in the body.
Closure — Returning to present safety and calm.
Re-evaluation — Measuring progress and planning next steps (EMDR International Association).
This methodical progression ensures safety, clinician oversight, and continuity from session to session.
A Message of Hope and Agency
EMDR doesn’t just treat symptoms — it catalyzes neuroplastic change, empowering the brain to rewire and heal. As Dr. Silveria emphasizes, the brain can change. EMDR creates the pathway for restored agency, emotional freedom, and lasting resilience.
Works Cited
American Psychological Association. “What Are the Eight Phases of EMDR?” APA, 20 Nov. 2023.
Cadence Psychology Studio. “The 8 Phases of EMDR Explained.” Cadence Psychology Studio, 2023.
EMDR International Association. “The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy.” EMDRIA, 13 Aug. 2021.
“Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2025.
Health.com. “What Is EMDR Therapy?” Health, 2023.
Logsdon, Erin, J.H.D. Cornelius-White, and Y. Kanamori. “The Effectiveness of EMDR With Individuals Experiencing Substance Use Disorder: A Meta-Analysis.” Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, vol. 17, no. 1, 2023, pp. 21-32.
Seidler, G. H., and F. E. Wagner. “Comparing the Efficacy of EMDR and Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of PTSD: A Meta-Analytic Study.” Psychological Medicine, vol. 36, no. 11, 2006, pp. 1515–1522.
Snyder, M., and D. Trang. “Is EMDR Effective in Treatment of PTSD? Evidence-Based Practice.” Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 2021.
Watts, Bradley V., et al. “Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, vol. 74, 2013, e541-550.