Patrick Clancy, 36, said EMDR therapy helped him cope with the trauma following the deaths of his three young children, describing the treatment as \u201clike a miracle.\u201d He discussed the experience in an interview with CBS\u2019 \u201c60 Minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clancy said the trauma-focused therapy helped him confront painful memories instead of avoiding them. After completing the sessions, he said the waking nightmares and screaming episodes he experienced had mostly stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. The psychotherapy typically involves having patients focus on distressing memories while following bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, alternating sounds or tapping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The therapy is most commonly used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, although practitioners also use it for conditions including anxiety, depression, panic disorders and addiction. The article notes that treatment length varies, with some patients improving after a few sessions while others require longer treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Research cited in the report has found evidence that EMDR can reduce PTSD symptoms, including a 2025 systematic review of 17 studies and a 2023 meta-analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n