Can EMDR Help Address Repressed Memories?
Repressed memories can feel like ghosts—hazy impressions, bodily reactions with no clear source, or emotional triggers that seem to arise out of nowhere.
If you’ve ever experienced a deep discomfort, panic, or sadness without being able to trace it back to a specific event, you’re not alone. These can be signs of memories stored in the body and subconscious mind, rather than in our conscious awareness.
As a trauma specialist practicing in Pasadena, I often work with clients who are navigating this terrain. They come in knowing something doesn’t feel right—persistent anxiety, relationship struggles, chronic pain, or a vague sense of “stuckness”—but they can’t pinpoint why. For many of these individuals, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy becomes a turning point.
Let’s explore how EMDR can help uncover and heal repressed memories—and what you need to know if you’re considering this powerful modality.
Understanding Repressed Memories
Repressed memories refer to memories that have been unconsciously blocked due to their association with a high level of stress or trauma. These aren’t deliberately forgotten—they’ve simply been buried by the mind as a defense mechanism. In some cases, especially when the trauma occurred early in life or before verbal skills were fully developed, the memory may not be stored in the form of images or language at all. Instead, it’s encoded somatically—through sensations, physical symptoms, emotional states, or behavioral patterns.
This is why traditional talk therapy can sometimes fall short when it comes to retrieving these experiences. If the memory isn’t encoded in words, it may not be accessible through conversation alone. That’s where EMDR shines.
What is EMDR Therapy and How Does it Work?
EMDR is a structured therapy developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It’s best known for treating PTSD, but its applications have expanded to include a wide range of trauma-related issues—especially those rooted in early or unconscious experience.
EMDR involves 8 phases, including history-taking, preparation, assessment, desensitization (which is where the bilateral stimulation occurs), and installation of new beliefs. The key feature—bilateral stimulation—typically involves guided eye movements, taps, or auditory tones that alternate from left to right. This process helps the brain reprocess traumatic material so it can be integrated rather than stored in a fragmented, “frozen” state.
Here’s the magic of EMDR when it comes to repressed material: you don’t need a full memory to begin healing. EMDR works with whatever shows up—an image, a sensation, a phrase, a dream, or even just an emotion. As the reprocessing continues, the memory network often begins to “unfold,” sometimes bringing previously inaccessible information into awareness.
EMDR Therapy and Repressed Memory Retrieval
Can EMDR help you remember what happened? Possibly. But that’s not the goal—and it’s important to say that upfront.
The goal of EMDR is not to “dig up” memories but to reduce distress and help your nervous system complete the processing of unresolved trauma. Sometimes, this leads to a clearer picture of what happened. Other times, it leads to relief without ever needing a specific narrative.
In my practice, I’ve seen clients suddenly recall a significant event they hadn’t thought about in years—often with a sense of calm or neutrality that surprises them. I’ve also seen clients who never recovered a clear memory, yet their anxiety, relationship patterns, or physical symptoms shift dramatically over the course of EMDR. Both are signs of healing.
A Note of Caution About False Memories
There’s been controversy over the years about “false memories” in therapy—especially in the 1990s, when some high-profile legal cases raised concerns about suggestibility. This is a valid and important topic.
As an ethical trauma specialist, I want to emphasize: EMDR should never be used to “recover” memories for the sake of proving something happened. It’s not a lie detector. It’s a nervous system intervention. A trained EMDR therapist will hold a neutral, supportive stance, never pressuring you to confirm or deny anything, but instead trusting your internal system to lead the way.
In fact, part of my job is to help you stay grounded and resourced while we explore potentially intense emotional material. We build safety first—then let your brain do what it’s wired to do: move toward resolution.
What You Can Expect from EMDR for Repressed Memories
If you’re considering EMDR therapy in Pasadena and wondering whether it could help you access buried trauma, here’s what the process might look like:
We begin with groundwork. Before diving into reprocessing, we’ll build up your resources—skills like grounding, containment, and self-soothing. You need a sturdy foundation before we touch anything overwhelming.
We trust your symptoms. You don’t need a clear memory to start EMDR. If you’re experiencing unexplained emotional, physical, or relational distress, that’s enough to begin.
We follow your lead. EMDR is a client-led process. I won’t suggest what “might have happened” or push you for content. Your system knows what it’s ready to process.
We pace the work. If things start to feel too intense, we slow down. EMDR is about titration—not re-traumatization.
When to Seek Help
You might consider EMDR for repressed memories if you’ve experienced:
Recurring dreams or body sensations with no obvious source
Emotional overreactions to specific people or situations
Chronic anxiety, depression, or physical pain with no clear diagnosis
A history of trauma you can remember, with a sense that there’s more underneath
Childhood neglect, abuse, or instability—especially in your earliest years
Even if you’re unsure, you deserve support. You don’t need all the answers to begin.
Final Thoughts
EMDR can be a powerful path to healing for those carrying trauma they can’t fully name. Whether memories return clearly, symbolically, or not at all, what matters is the shift in how you feel in your body, mind, and life.
Start Working With an EMDR Therapist in Pasadena, CA
If you’re in the Pasadena area and curious about whether EMDR might help you, I invite you to reach out. You don’t have to walk this path alone—and you don’t have to dig up the past to heal from it. Sometimes, the nervous system just needs a little help finishing what it started. Start your therapy journey with Thomas Blake Therapy by following these simple steps:
Schedule a free, 15-minute consultation to see if EMDR Therapy is right for you
Meet with Thomas Blake, a skilled EMDR Therapist
Start uncovering and overcoming past trauma!
Other Services Offered at Thomas Blake Therapy
At Thomas Blake Therapy, I understand that you may be struggling to overcome more than one issue. So, in addition to EMDR Therapy, I’m happy to also offer LGBTQ Affirming Therapy to support and advocate for the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals, Narrative Therapy where I will work collaboratively with you to dissect the problematic story of your life and reshape that dialogue, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy to accelerate healing in patients who have struggled to heal from chronic emotional pain due to treatment resistance. If any of these services resonate with you, please reach out. My online therapy services are offered in California and New Jersey. For more about me and my services, check out my Bio and Blog today!
