Celebrities Using EMDR Therapy for Trauma: What Miley Cyrus, Sandra Bullock, Cassie & Prince Harry Reveal

Content Warning: This post contains discussions of sexual violence and trauma

Celebrities Are Turning to EMDR Therapy—Here’s Why It Matters

EMDR therapy—Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing—is gaining more attention than ever, and not just among therapists. From red carpets to royal documentaries, celebrities are opening up about their private battles with trauma—and how EMDR has helped them process experiences like abuse, loss, and complex PTSD.

When public figures share their healing stories, it helps normalize mental health support for everyone. So if you’ve been wondering whether trauma therapy could help you, you’re not alone—and you’re in powerful company.

Celebrities like Prince Harry, Sandra Bullock, and Cassie use EMDR therapy to heal from trauma

Miley Cyrus: “I Love EMDR. It Saved My Life.”

In a powerful interview with The New York Times, Miley Cyrus openly discusses her transformative experience with EMDR therapy, calling it life-saving. She shares how one EMDR session, using a technique called a floatback, brought her to a memory that revealed not just her own pain—but generational trauma she was carrying for her mother.

Miley recalls her therapist inviting her to visualize a train journey, which led to the emergence of the phrase:

“I want them to love me.”

She recognized this thought as not her own, but her mother’s—passed down and deeply embedded in her nervous system. Through EMDR, Miley was able to identify and release the emotional weight she had been carrying on behalf of her mom, describing how that session opened the door to deeper healing.

She goes on to say:

“I love EMDR. It saved my life.”

You can hear Miley describe this in her own words in the full interview on YouTube or watch the short clip on TikTok here.

Following that session, Miley continued to work through other experiences, using EMDR to untangle the inherited patterns and pain that had shaped her emotional world. Her story is a profound example of how EMDR doesn’t just help us recover from our own trauma—it can also help us interrupt the legacy of trauma passed through generations.

Cassie’s Story: Reframing the “Freak-Offs” as Trauma and Sexual Assault

In 2024, singer and model Cassie bravely came forward about years of abuse and exploitation in her past relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj42nvrkgzno

What the media dubbed “freak-offs” were, in reality, repeated violations—rape, coercion, and deep trauma. Cassie’s recent statements about using EMDR therapy to process what she endured has shed light on just how complex and devastating relational trauma can be.

For many survivors, EMDR therapy offers a path forward. It helps desensitize the distress connected to traumatic memories, replacing shame and confusion with clarity and peace.

For many survivors of complex trauma, especially those with histories of control, exploitation, or chronic fear, EMDR intensives can offer deep relief in a shorter time frame than weekly sessions.
➡️ https://www.tampaemdr.com/tampa-emdr-services

EMDR therapy helps trauma survivors rebuild and heal, like transformation after abuse

Other Celebrities Who Found Relief in EMDR Therapy

These stars have also spoken out about how EMDR therapy supported their healing journeys:

• Sandra Bullock used EMDR to heal after a terrifying home invasion left her with PTSD.

• Prince Harry famously documented his EMDR therapy sessions in The Me You Can’t See, detailing grief after Princess Diana’s death.

• Evan Rachel Wood credits EMDR with helping her recover from childhood abuse and domestic violence.

• Miley Cyrus has mentioned using EMDR to work through past traumas and emotional distress.

• Jameela Jamil, Whitney Cummings, Paris Jackson, and Brie Larson have all publicly acknowledged EMDR as part of their trauma recovery toolkit.

Their stories help dismantle the shame and secrecy so many survivors carry.

Why EMDR Therapy Works for Trauma

So what makes EMDR therapy different from talk therapy? It’s a brain-based, evidence-backed approach that helps your nervous system fully process painful memories—without needing to relive them in detail.

EMDR can help with:

• PTSD

• Sexual abuse and relational trauma

• Anxiety and panic

• Grief and loss

• Medical trauma

• Complex childhood experiences

When paired with attachment work and parts work—as we offer here at Tampa EMDR—it becomes even more powerful.

EMDR therapists in Tampa support clients in processing trauma and regaining peace

You Don’t Need to Be Famous to Deserve Healing

You may not have a Netflix docuseries, but your trauma matters. EMDR therapy isn’t just for celebrities—it’s for anyone ready to stop reliving pain and start healing deeply.

At Tampa EMDR, we specialize in working with clients who carry complex trauma, relational wounds, and attachment pain. We offer both weekly sessions and EMDR intensives, so you can heal on a timeline that works for you.

Leslie De Graaf, LMHC – QS, is an EMDRIA-approved EMDR Consultant with advanced training in trauma and attachment healing. She offers both weekly EMDR therapy sessions and EMDR intensives for busy professionals who want deep healing without the wait. Leslie is also trained in DNMS therapy, which supports healing attachment wounds by working gently with the parts of you still holding pain.

Insurance is not accepted at this location. Text 813-444-3106 to learn more, request an appointment, or ask for a call back.