Will EMDR help me remember? What to Know About Memory and Trauma Healing

Written By Leslie de Graaf

Many people start EMDR therapy wondering: Will this help me remember things I’ve forgotten? Maybe you have a feeling something traumatic happened, but the details are blurry. Or you’ve been told something happened, but your brain doesn’t fully recall it. These are valid concerns—and they’re more common than you might think.

Woman with puzzle pieces symbolizing trauma healing through EMDR

Woman reconnecting with past trauma memories during EMDR therapy in Tampa

EMDR Can Help Access Stored Memories—But Not Always as You Expect

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) doesn’t create memories—it helps your brain process already stored experiences. If a memory was never encoded (stored) due to trauma, dissociation, or age, EMDR won’t magically invent it. But it may bring clarity, insight, or bodily sensations that feel like puzzle pieces fitting together.


What is EMDR therapy? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3951033/ — A scientific review of EMDR and memory processing]

The Body Remembers What the Mind Blocks at Tampa EMDR

The body remembers what the mind blocks at Tampa EMDR

The Body Remembers What the Mind Blocks

Even when your mind can’t recall an event, your nervous system might. Clients often say, “I didn’t remember this, but my body reacted like it did.” EMDR, especially when integrated with somatic therapy and parts work (like we do at Tampa EMDR), allows those sensations and feelings to move safely into awareness.



Some clients notice:

  • Flashbacks or dream-like visuals

  • Emotions that come up without clear images

  • Shifts in how they relate to past events

  • Relief from symptoms—even without a clear “memory”


EMDR and False Memories: Why Caution Matters

You may have heard of concerns about EMDR leading to false memories. This happens more when therapists pressure clients to “find” something. At Tampa EMDR, we never force memories. Instead, we let your brain and body guide the process safely. EMDR doesn’t hypnotize—it deactivates survival responses so your brain can file trauma away correctly.


How EMDR works in the brain: https://www.tampaemdr.com/blog/how-emdr-works-in-the-brain-a-science-based-look-at-trauma-healing

Safe environment for trauma therapy sessions at Tampa EMDR

EMDR therapy helps heal trauma at Tampa EMDR

If You’re Wondering “Will EMDR Help Me Remember?

The better question might be: Will EMDR help me heal?

And the answer to that is: often, yes.

Whether or not full memories come back, EMDR therapy can reduce symptoms like:

  • Anxiety

  • Intrusive thoughts

  • Physical tension

  • Nightmares

  • Emotional reactivity

At Tampa EMDR, we combine standard EMDR protocols with parts work and attachment-based approaches to ensure your healing experience feels grounded and empowering.

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 or call 813-444-3106 to learn more, request an appointment, or ask for a call back.

Leslie de Graaf
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