What Is Psychedelic-Assisted EMDR? A Groundbreaking Approach to Trauma Healing
In recent years, both EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and psychedelic therapy have gained recognition as powerful tools for trauma healing. But what happens when you combine the two? The result is psychedelic-assisted EMDR (PsyA-EMDR) a cutting-edge modality that bridges neuroscience, somatic processing, and expanded states of consciousness.
This emerging practice offers a unique path for trauma survivors to reprocess painful memories with depth, clarity, and compassion. In this article, we’ll explore what psychedelic-assisted EMDR is, how it works, and why it holds so much promise for deep psychological healing.
What Is EMDR?
EMDR is a structured psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s to help people recover from trauma and PTSD. It uses bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones) to help the brain reprocess disturbing memories, reducing their emotional charge and changing the beliefs we attach to them.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR allows clients to access and resolve trauma without needing to retell the entire story. It taps into the brain’s natural ability to heal, much like how our bodies repair themselves after physical injury.
What Is Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy?
Psychedelic-assisted therapy involves the supervised use of substances such as psilocybin, MDMA, bufo, or ayahuasca to facilitate emotional release, insight, and healing. These substances alter perception, reduce activity in the default mode network (the brain’s “ego hub”), and often allow clients to access buried emotions or traumatic material with less resistance.
When supported by skilled guides or therapists, psychedelic experiences can reveal core wounds, expand empathy, and catalyze breakthroughs that might otherwise take years of talk therapy.
So, What Is Psychedelic-Assisted EMDR or PsyA-EMDR?
Psychedelic-assisted EMDR is the intentional combination of EMDR therapy with a psychedelic journey. It can happen in a few different ways, depending on the therapist, the medicine used, and the client’s goals. Typically, the process involves:
Preparation sessions where EMDR targets are identified and groundwork is laid
Psychedelic sessions where EMDR may be layered into the experience (before, during, or after the peak)
Integration sessions where EMDR is used to process insights, memories, or emotions that emerged during the journey
While EMDR and psychedelics each promote neuroplasticity and emotional release, their combined use can help:
Reduce fear or resistance to painful memories
Access repressed trauma material from a safe and expanded state
Rewrite old narratives with increased compassion
Create embodied shifts in self-perception and relational dynamics
Amplify Euphoria and Desensitize Activating Conflict
Why Combine EMDR With Psychedelics?
Because trauma lives in both the body and the unconscious mind, healing often requires more than just verbal processing. Psychedelics open doors to the inner world that EMDR is designed to navigate. Together, they create a potent synergy that can:
Bypass defenses that block emotional access
Soften the inner critic and strengthen the inner witness
Accelerate the reprocessing of complex trauma and attachment wounds
Deepen the felt sense of integration and wholeness
Clients often report that psychedelic-assisted EMDR helps them “see the truth” of their experiences without being overwhelmed. In this expanded state, they can observe childhood patterns, internalized shame, or relational dynamics with a level of distance and clarity that allows real healing to occur.
Is Psychedelic-Assisted EMDR Safe?
When facilitated by a trained trauma therapist in a safe setting, psychedelic-assisted EMDR can be very safe. However, it’s not for everyone. A thorough screening process is essential to assess mental health history, substance sensitivity, medical contraindications, and trauma readiness.
At Laberinto Integration, psychedelic-assisted EMDR is never done impulsively or recreationally. Clients are supported through:
Detailed preparation sessions
Trauma-informed consent
Carefully curated set and setting
Follow-up integration care
This ensures that the process remains grounded, ethical, and tailored to each client’s nervous system capacity.
What Medicines Are Used in Psychedelic-Assisted EMDR?
Depending on legality, setting, and therapeutic goals, various substances may be used. Some of the most common include:
Ketamine: Currently legal in clinical settings and often used for depression, trauma, and dissociation. Pairs well with EMDR due to its dissociative-yet-grounded effects.
Psilocybin: Showing strong potential for trauma resolution and spiritual insight.
MDMA: Currently in active trials for PTSD treatment. Known for increasing feelings of safety, empathy, and trust - a powerful combination for trauma reprocessing.
Note: Substances like kambo, bufo, ayahuasca or wachuma are sometimes integrated post-ceremony via EMDR, rather than used simultaneously.
What Happens in a Psychedelic-Assisted EMDR Session?
Each session varies, but a typical structure typically 24-48 hours post medicine might include:
Somatic check-in and intention setting
Gentle bilateral stimulation (like tapping, pulsing or music)
Guided prompts to amplify, desensitize or reprocess core themes, memories, or emotions
A grounding phase, leading toward session safe closure
Post-session reflection and integration plan
Many clients find that bilateral stimulation after a ceremony helps them access traumatic memories more safely and move through them with increased resilience.
Healing in Stereo
Psychedelic-assisted EMDR is not a magic fix, but it is a powerful amplifier of trauma healing when done thoughtfully. For those feeling stuck in traditional therapy or seeking to integrate deep ceremonial work, it offers a uniquely embodied and accelerated path forward.
By blending the structured healing of EMDR with the expansive insight of psychedelics, we can create a therapeutic experience that speaks to both brain and soul.
Curious about psychedelic-assisted EMDR and whether it’s right for you? At Laberinto Integration, we specialize in trauma-informed psychedelic support. Book a free consultation to learn how this approach can support your healing journey.
