Can Christians Do EMDR Therapy?
Yes, Christians can absolutely do EMDR Therapy and still be a genuine follower of Christ.
However, if you’re not careful EMDR can absolutely open up the door for you to commit a very popular sin, and worsen your personal torment.
With popular figures like Prince Harry, Justin Bieber, & Cassie Ventura disclosing that they’ve undergone EMDR to help them improve their mental health, more and more people are looking at EMDR as a potential way to heal from their past, and cope with the present that continues to feel tense and worrisome for many.
When taking a look at what Christians need to know before participating in EMDR Therapy, it’s important that we first define our terms.
What Is A Christian?
A Christian is a person who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ and believes that He is their Lord and Savior who died for their sins (wrongdoings), so that they may be resurrected after death and have ever lasting life with God where there will be no death, mourning, crying, or pain.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR Therapy is a treatment that helps people change what they believe about themselves and the world around them so that they can have a more peaceful life. Traumatic experiences cause us to adopt beliefs that make life incredibly hard to deal with such as “I’m unsafe”, “I’m useless”, or even “I am unlovable”.
Changing these beliefs is done by asking the person to safely look at a past events that caused them to have these beliefs in the first place, while simultaneously (at the same time) doing an activity in the present to keep them grounded such as eye movements, tapping, or listening to an audio. This activity is bilateral meaning that it’s happening on both sides of the person’s body.
Eye Movement is the “EM” in EMDR and it’s one thing that someone can do to stay grounded during sessions while they are carefully thinking about a past trauma. Typically clients move their eyes from side to side or up and down diagonally during processing.
The “D” in EMDR stands for Desensitization (make less intense) and the “R” in EMDR stands for Reprocessing (process in an adaptive way where it doesn’t keep sending the message to your brain that you’re in danger).
So, why would one even question if a Christian can use EMDR?
Here are the top 3 arguments against Christians using EMDR Therapy that I’ve been told:
EMDR is “new age” or an “occult practice”
EMDR is hypnosis or spiritually unsafe.
Christians should only use God, prayer, and scripture to help them heal.
Let’s unpack these 3 arguments against Christians doing EMDR Therapy one by one.
Is EMDR “new age” or an “occult practice”?
According to dictionary.com “new age” is defined as “of or relating to a movement espousing a broad range of philosophies and practices traditionally viewed as occult (of or relating to magic, astrology, or any system claiming use or knowledge of secret or supernatural powers or agencies), metaphysical (concepts beyond the physical world), or paranormal (not scientifically explained, often involving something unexplainable in the physical world).”
EMDR is not “new age” because it does NOT involve any magic, astrology, or secret supernatural power. It’s based on scientific data and its founder Francine Shapiro is very clear that in EMDR it is your own brain that will be doing the healing.
Who created the brain? God did, when he knit us together in our mother’s wombs.
God is the creator of all things good (Genesis 1:31), and whenever we have healing it comes from Him (Psalm 103: 3).
Now let’s look at the claim that EMDR involves hypnosis.
Dictionary.com defines “hypnosis” as “an artificially induced trance state resembling sleep, characterized by heightened susceptibility to suggestion”.
In EMDR clients do NOT go into a trance like state, nor are they susceptible to suggestion. In fact clients are asked to do a grounding activity to ensure that they stay present and awake.
This is essential to EMDR, and as EMDR Therapists we are trained to say as little as possible in the sessions so we don’t disrupt the process.
Finally claim #3 states that Christians should not do EMDR, or mental health therapy in general because we don’t need more than God to heal.
In Matthew 11: 28 - 30, Jesus clearly states “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Does this mean that Christians can never seek help outside of God?
In Philippians 4: 4 - 6 God’s word states “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
The Word is clear that we as believers should always go to God if we are feeling burdened or anxious, but what does the Word say about going to other people for help?
Hebrews 10: 24 - 25, reminds us that we as believers need one another.
“And let us consider how we may motivate one another towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more you see the Day approaching.”
Humans need each other. We learn in the first book of the bible (Genesis) that it’s not good for man to be alone. We’re commanded to help each other and love our neighbors as ourselves.
The problem is some of us are only relying on therapy or other created things to heal us, and not on the ultimate Creator and Healer Himself. If we try to replace God with the things he created, we will always end up empty and disappointed.
It’s fine to talk to God first AND participate in therapy as long as that therapy you’re doing does not tempt you to commit a sin.
Now earlier in this blog I stated that EMDR can absolutely open people up to committing a very popular sin. A sin that I as a certified EMDR therapist, helped several people commit, before I was graced to see the deep error of my ways.
This sin is necromancy or communicating with the dead, and it’s typically committed in Phases 2 & 4 of EMDR Therapy.
EMDR contains 8 different phases:
History Taking/Treatment Planning, 2.) Preparation, 3.) Assessment, 4.) Desensitization 5.) Installation of Positive Belief 6.) Body Scan, 7.) Closure, 8.) Reevaluation
Phase 2 is the stage where therapists help clients develop all of the resources and coping skills they need to remain stable, calm, and grounded, and to successfully complete the rest of the treatment where the client’s traumatic memories are re-processed in a healthy way that helps them come to new adaptive beliefs. That reprocessing begins in Phase 4.
In Phase 2 clients are asked to participate in an exercise called Resource Development Installation. This is exactly what it sounds like; Resources such as confidence and courage, and are identified/developed and then installed into the client’s tool box to use during the next phases of EMDR, primarily Phase 4, and if necessary for the rest of the client’s life.
Some common resources that therapists recommend to clients outside of courage and confidence are protective figures, wise figures, or nurturing figures that can be present with the clients and offer them support while they are completing the reprocessing of their traumas.
This is where it gets dicey.
Some clients select deceased loved ones to be their protective figure, wise figure, or nurturing figure to be present with them as they process their traumas. I’ve even seen cases where people have called on their ancestors that they’ve never met to help them heal from the generational trauma that still has a chokehold on the client and their family.
In Christianity talking with the dead is an absolute NO.
Deuteronomy 18: 9 - 13 clearly states that necromancy or communication with the dead is an abomination/detestable to God and Ecclesiastes 9: 5 - 6 tell us that the dead do not know what the living are doing, and that they will never again have a part in anything that happens under the sun.
So if someone asks for a deceased loved one to guide them through a therapy session or provide them with support, this would be considered witchcraft in Christianity which is seeking knowledge or power outside of God through rituals, spells, and communication with spirits. Galatians 5: 19 - 21 clearly tell us that anyone who consistently does this kind of behavior will not inherit the kingdom of God.
God’s word says that deceased loved ones will never have anything to do with what happens to us that are still living, so if this is true, which I believe God’s word is, who are clients actually talking to when they are asking a deceased loved one to help them?
As a Christian and a licensed therapist I would say it’s best to stay away from this practice entirely. Just like with ouija boards, tarot cards, and psychic mediums, calling on the dead or completing any other sinful worldly practice, in an attempt to heal, will only lead to pain and death.
EMDR can be incredibly healing for many, but if not done correctly it can absolutely be demonic (outside of the will of God) and tempt Christians to sin by participating in practices that the Lord calls detestable.
To learn how to safely participate in EMDR Therapy as a christians check out my blog titled “What Is Christian EMDR Therapy?”.
If you live in Maryland and you’re interested in doing EMDR Therapy safely, and in a way that is non-sinful check out my website Ready For Healing and Book A Call to see if we’d be a good fit.
If you’re an EMDR Therapist and you’re looking to meet with an Approved EMDR Consultant, Apply For EMDR Consultation today.
