In recent years, more and more people in Switzerland are turning to a form of psychotherapy that is as powerful as it is, on the surface, mysterious: EMDR. One hears about it in the media, in support groups, in psychology centers... and often wonders, "But does it really work?"
In this article, I want to tell you, as a therapist but also as a human being, what it means to work with EMDR, who it is for, why it can change the lives of people living with anxiety or the aftermath of trauma-large or small-and how it is practiced in Switzerland, including online.
What is EMDR and how does it work?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or Desensitization and Reprocessing through eye movements. It is not an "exotic" technique or an alternative form of therapy: it is a scientifically recognized psychotherapy recommended by international organizations (WHO, APA, ISS) for the treatment of psychological trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
But EMDR is not only useful for those who have experienced dramatic events. It is also effective for:
- Persistent anxiety and panic attacks
- phobias
- relational difficulties
- unprocessed mourning
- Emotional blocks and guilt
- painful childhood experiences
- chronic stress and burnout
The heart of the method is striking in its simplicity: disturbing memories are accessed while the therapist guides the patient through a series of bilateral stimulations (typically eye movements or alternating sounds). This stimulates spontaneous neurological reworking, as if the brain finally "digests" what had been stuck.
As Francine Shapiro, creator of EMDR, said, "Our nervous system is designed to heal, but sometimes it gets caught up. EMDR helps restore this natural process."
Why are more and more people seeking EMDR in Switzerland?
I have lived and worked in Switzerland for years. And I have learned that being a native Italian speaker in a multilingual and culturally diverse country brings with it opportunities, but also challenges.
I often receive people who live in Ticino, Graubünden, Zurich, Geneva--people who grew up here or moved here from other Swiss regions. Some speak four languages, work in international settings, but struggle to find a therapeutic space where they feel truly understood-even in the language of the heart.
That is why I chose to offer EMDR therapy in Italian for residents of Switzerland. Because emotional language matters. Because certain experiences, certain pains, certain memories - they are told only in Italian. Even if we think in German, French or English during the day.
EMDR in Switzerland is highly sought after not only because of its effectiveness, but because it does not require endless analysis: it can be a short, focused, deep course. This is especially useful for those who are short on time or have already done other courses without lasting results.
Working with trauma: it's not just what "happened to you"
There is a common misconception: that trauma is always something "serious." A war, an accident, abuse. But in my clinical experience, I have learned that the most impactful traumas are often invisible: an absent mother, a hypercritical father, a childhood in which one always felt "in the way," a toxic relationship, a betrayal, a sudden layoff.
What makes an experience traumatic is not its objective intensity, but the fact that our psychic system has failed to assimilate it. It has remained there as an unresolved knot.
EMDR does not erase memories. It transforms them. Often my patients say, "I think about it, but it doesn't hurt anymore." Or, "It's like it's no longer central to my life." And that, for someone who has experienced years of anxiety or guilt, is immensely liberating.
Online EMDR: does it really work?
One of the questions I receive most often is, "But is doing EMDR online as effective as doing it in the studio?" The answer is yes - if the setting is well structured and the therapeutic relationship is solid.
I work by video call with people all over Switzerland. Online EMDR involves bilateral stimulation adapted to the screen (sounds, tapping, eye movements) and requires attention, but it works, all right.
For many people, it is also more convenient and protected: it can be done from home, without travel, without the anxiety of finding parking or excusing absences. In rural or mountain settings, it is often the only real option for EMDR therapy with a qualified specialist.
Personal experience and therapeutic approach
I encountered EMDR after years of working with Ericksonian hypnosis. Both approaches share a view of the symptom as a part of the person that needs to be heard, not fought.
I deeply believe that the unconscious is not an enemy to be controlled, but a mine of resources. I see it every day in the paths: when a person feels welcomed, not judged, and accompanied with respect, change happens even in the absence of words.
I chose psychotherapy-and EMDR in particular-to help people find that part of themselves that was left behind, stuck, alone. And nothing gives me more satisfaction than feeling, at the end of the process, "Now I feel my strength again."
Who does EMDR address?
In Switzerland, I offer individual EMDR for adults, including in complex settings such as:
- stressed parents
- manager in burnout
- people who are victims of bullying
- expat with culture shock
- Young adults with identity crisis
- People with childhood traumas that have never been processed
EMDR integrates well with other therapeutic approaches and can also be used within a broader psychotherapeutic course, or in a more circumscribed way on a specific event.
The first step? Trust
If you're reading this far, maybe something inside you is saying, "I could try that." Here, listen to it. Because the first step is not "doing EMDR." It's finding a therapist you trust. Someone with whom you can feel safe, listened to, respected.
The rest comes by itself. Sometimes just one session is enough to feel that something is moving. Sometimes it takes a while. But each path is different, and each person brings a unique story.
Do you want to start an EMDR course in Switzerland?
We offer one-on-one interviews in Italian, online or in the studio. If you feel that something is holding you back, if you want to stop reliving the same pain over and over again, or if you just want to give yourself a chanceə - contact us for a free initial meeting.
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