Can you do EMDR on yourself?

Who this is for

I'm Noel. I wanted to try EMDR, but I couldn't afford the sessions, and I couldn't travel to get them. So I built a way to practise bilateral stimulation at home, wherever you live. It's for you if:

• Sessions cost too much, or no one nearby offers them.
• There's a waitlist, or it's too far to travel. No appointment needed.
• You'd rather not open up to a person. You decide what to share.
• There's no single memory to work with. Your focus can be a feeling, a body sensation or a trigger.
• You're new to this. No experience needed.

What a home practice looks like

1. Choose one focus. Start with something that feels light, around a 2 or 3 out of 10, not the hardest thing you carry. Mend's free preparation worksheet helps you choose it and plan how you'll wind down.
2. Follow the ball. Let your eyes follow the ball from side to side without moving your head. Turn on the alternating tones if you like.
3. Go in short runs. Pause between them, take a breath and notice what's there. Pause or stop whenever you want.
4. Wind down. Look around the room, name a few things you can see, and note anything you noticed. Leave it there for today.

All you need is ten quiet minutes, a screen and, if you want the tones, headphones.

What to expect the first few times

There's no right way for it to feel. Some people notice their thoughts drift from one thing to the next. Others feel very little. It can be very gentle. You're not doing it wrong, and you don't have to make anything happen.

Try it free today

• The guided video. A recorded voice and the moving ball walk you through three parts: your focus, the belief you'd rather hold, and a closing check-in. It's free on YouTube, or ad-free here when you enter your email.
• The butterfly hug. No screen needed: cross your arms, rest each hand near the opposite collarbone, and tap slowly, left then right, for 30 to 60 seconds.

Want to be talked through it?

Mend's plans add a computer-generated voice guide. It talks you through each part, answers your questions as you go, like what to focus on or how fast to go, and slows or pauses the ball when you ask.

• Complete, US$39 a month: voice included, 31 voices, four sessions a month of up to 30 minutes each. No ChatGPT needed.
• Connected, US$19 a month: runs on your own ChatGPT Plus or Pro, billed separately, with 9 voices.

Both renew monthly, and you can cancel any time. We recommend one session a week. There's no free trial.

Before you start

Mend isn't EMDR therapy, it doesn't diagnose anything, and it isn't crisis support. If a session leaves you feeling worse, or you find it hard to stay present, stop and talk to a qualified practitioner. Don't practise while driving or operating equipment.

Ready when you are

Not sure you're doing it right? Get talked through every step, at home, on your schedule.

Choose your plan