EMDR: The Science Behind the Therapy

EMDR: The Science Behind the Therapy explores the latest clinical research and practical applications of EMDR therapy hosted by Andrew M. Leeds, PhD, Director of Training for Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute. This podcast highlights the latest contributions to EMDR research, practice and training. Each episode breaks down current studies, emerging protocols, and implications for clinical practice. Whether you’re an EMDR-trained therapist, a mental health professional, or simply curious about trauma treatment, this podcast brings you science-based insights you can trust.
 
In this month’s podcast we cover a series of recent reports from the journal of EMDR Practice and Research including two papers on EMDR therapy in addressing criminal thinking in judicial settings. Then we feature an interview with Abhi Jha the founder of MeasureBasedCare.com, a platform for automating measurement-based care with web-based tools available to EMDR clinicians.
 
References forthis episode at:https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/index_files/EMDR_Research_News_October_2026.html
 
Discover MeasureBasedCare.com

Read the latestEMDR Research blog: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/⁠
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EMDR: The Science Behind the Therapy explores the latest clinical research and practical applications of EMDR therapy hosted by Andrew M. Leeds, PhD, Director of Training for Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute. This podcast highlights the latest contributions to EMDR research, practice and training. Each episode breaks down current studies, emerging protocols, and implications for clinical practice. Whether you’re an EMDR-trained therapist, a mental health professional, or simply curious about trauma treatment, this podcast brings you science-based insights you can trust.
This episode examines the preliminary and promising evidence for using EMDR therapy to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Host Dr. Andrew Leeds considers current clinical problems: although exposure and response prevention (ERP) and SSRIs are established first-line treatments, many people have incomplete improvement, discontinue treatment, or remain highly symptomatic—particularly when trauma histories, shame, or poor insight complicate recovery.
The episode reviews case reports, case series, and controlled studies of standard and adapted EMDR approaches for OCD. Several small studies report meaningful reductions in OCD symptoms. One randomized feasibility trial found EMDR and ERP similarly tolerable, without establishing that EMDR is equivalent or superior.
Dr. Leeds interviews psychologist Gian-Paolo Mazzoni about integrating EMDR with CBT and ERP for treatment-resistant, trauma-exposed OCD. Later, he interviews Dr. Paula Krentzel and Jennifer Tattersall about the Distancing Approach, which combines EMDR-based procedures with adaptive coping statements that help clients recognize intrusive experiences as OCD symptoms rather than facts or intentions. The episode closes with emerging research directions and a call for larger, rigorous trials.

References for this episode at: https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/index_files/EMDR_Research_News_September_2026.html

C. Paula Krentzel and Jennifer Tattersall
OCD-Informed Therapist Competencies (FREE) and Training Information
https://www.krentzel-tattersall.com/

Read the latest EMDR Research blog: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/⁠
Find our EMDR therapy training programs: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/basic-emdr-training/⁠
Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/newsletter/⁠
Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewleeds/

EMDR: The Science Behind the Therapy explores the latest clinical research and practical applications of EMDR therapy hosted by Andrew M. Leeds, PhD, Director of Training for Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute. This podcast highlights the latest contributions to EMDR research, practice and training. Each episode breaks down current studies, emerging protocols, and implications for clinical practice. Whether you’re an EMDR-trained therapist, a mental health professional, or simply curious about trauma treatment, this podcast brings you science-based insights you can trust.
In this episode of “EMDR: The Science Behind the Therapy,” EMDR trainer and researcher Andrew M. Leeds, PhD, reviews cutting‑edge EMDR therapy research for trauma, PTSD, depression, and identity—from qualitative studies to major meta‑analyses of non‑pharmacological interventions. Clinicians will hear about EMDR with children and teens, disaster survivors, courtroom testimony, low‑resource settings, and a detailed critique of the 2025 APA Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD.

References for this episode at: https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/index_files/EMDR_Research_News_August_2026.html

Read the latest EMDR Research blog: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/⁠
Find our EMDR therapy training programs: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/basic-emdr-training/⁠
Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/newsletter/⁠
Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewleeds/

EMDR: The Science Behind the Therapy explores the latest clinical research and practical applications of EMDR therapy hosted by Andrew M. Leeds, PhD, Director of Training for Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute. This podcast highlights the latest contributions to EMDR research, practice and training. Each episode breaks down current studies, emerging protocols, and implications for clinical practice. Whether you’re an EMDR-trained therapist, a mental health professional, or simply curious about trauma treatment, this podcast brings you science-based insights you can trust.

In Episode 12 of EMDR: The Science Behind the Therapy, host Dr. Andrew Leeds takes listeners inside the 2026 EMDR Europe Conference in Oslo to explore cutting-edge, yet-to-be-published EMDR treatment research on medical trauma and grief. During breaks between keynotes and workshops, Dr. Leeds interviewed investigators whose poster presentations highlight how EMDR is being adapted for complex medical and loss-related experiences.

The episode opens with a brief conversation with Dr. Zat Ciftci of EMDR Turkey, who explains how Turkish clinicians came to be so prominently represented in this year’s research program. Dr. Leeds then presents four focused interviews: Vanessa Grandjean’s pilot study on a brief EMDR “Train Protocol” for patients receiving chemotherapy for non‑metastatic breast cancer, Leyla Kaya’s quasi‑experimental group EMDR protocol (G‑TEP) for women coping with infertility, Krzysztof Beyger’s early EMDR R‑TEP intervention to reduce acute stress and prevent PTSD after myocardial infarction, and Sukran Pehlivan’s randomized controlled pilot study on an EMDR grief protocol for traumatic bereavement following earthquake loss.

Listeners also hear how to access references and further readings through SonomaPTI.com and the episode’s show notes. To support clinicians in integrating outcome data into everyday practice, the episode closes with an invitation to join a free beta of a measurement‑based care platform offering standard and EMDR‑relevant assessment tools, real‑time dashboards, and flexible workflows tailored for busy therapists.

References for this episode at: https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/index_files/EMDR_Research_News_July_2026.html

Resources
Measure-based care at https://app.measurebasedcare.com/
MBC Onboarding support with Abhi Jha

Read the latest EMDR Research blog: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/⁠
Find our EMDR therapy training programs: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/basic-emdr-training/⁠
Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/newsletter/⁠
Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewleeds/

EMDR: The Science Behind the Therapy explores the latest clinical research and practical applications of EMDR therapy hosted by Andrew M. Leeds, PhD, Director of Training for Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute. This podcast highlights the latest contributions to EMDR research, practice and training. Each episode breaks down current studies, emerging protocols, and implications for clinical practice. Whether you’re an EMDR-trained therapist, a mental health professional, or simply curious about trauma treatment, this podcast brings you science-based insights you can trust.
 In this month’s episode, I will first summarize six key studies to sketch the arc of the research evidence—and then I’ll be joined by Carolyn Settle to explore both the science of EMDR therapy with children as well as its application with children and teens. I will close the episode with a recently published study of young children that used defined protocols and fidelity ratings.  
To access any of the original research papers mentioned in the podcast, you will find a complete list of references and links to each of these studies in the June 2026 blog on ⁠SonomaPTI.com⁠.
You will also find a listing of 14 Books on EMDR therapy with children and teens, 5 EMDR Grant Funding Sources and 2 sources for advanced ⁠child and adolescent training with Carolyn Settle.⁠ You can also go directly to SonomaPTI.com, click on the Blog section on the far right of the menu bar and then select the ⁠June 2026 ⁠listings.
References for this episode at:
https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/index_files/EMDR_Research_News_June_2026.html
Read the latest EMDR Research blog: ⁠⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/blog/⁠⁠
Find our EMDR therapy training programs: ⁠⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/basic-emdr-training/⁠⁠
Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠⁠https://www.sonomapti.com/newsletter/⁠⁠
Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewleeds/⁠