What actually happens in an EMDR session?

If you've been looking into EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), you've probably read that it involves moving your eyes from side to side while thinking about something difficult. This side-to-side motion is called bilateral stimulation. It mimics REM sleep and enhances memory processing. That's true, but it's only a small part of the picture, and it can make EMDR sound stranger than it is. Here's what actually happens, step by step.