EMDR on the NHS vs Private: What You Actually Need to Know

If you have been told by your GP, a therapist, or your own research that EMDR might help you — for PTSD, trauma, or another condition for which EMDR has a growing evidence base — the next question is almost always a practical one: how do you actually access it?

The NHS does offer EMDR. Whether it is available to you, when, and for what, is a more complicated question. This article is an attempt to give you the honest picture — not to push you towards private therapy, but because understanding your options clearly is the only way to make a decision that works for your situation.

What the NHS Actually Offers

EMDR is a NICE-recommended treatment for PTSD in adults and children. This means that, in principle, NHS services are expected to be able to offer it. In practice, access depends heavily on where you live, what the local mental health service can provide, and how your presentation is clinically assessed.

The pathway typically begins with a GP referral. From there, you may be referred to NHS Talking Therapies (formerly IAPT) for assessment. NHS Talking Therapies primarily provides shorter-term, structured psychological treatments — most commonly CBT. EMDR, which requires specialist training and typically involves a course of eight to twelve or more sessions focused on specific trauma memories, is available in some areas but not all.

For more complex presentations — complex PTSD, childhood trauma, co-occurring conditions — referral may go to secondary mental health services, where waiting times tend to be considerably longer.

NHS targets for England require that 75% of people referred to Talking Therapies begin treatment within six weeks and 95% within 18 weeks. The Royal College of Psychiatrists reported in December 2024 that average waiting times for psychotherapy in some parts of England have reached 18.5 months. Data from Wales in 2024 found around 2,000 adults waiting more than six months for specialist psychological therapies. EMDR specifically may involve longer waits than these figures suggest, since it requires therapists with specialist training — a resource that remains unevenly distributed across NHS trusts.

A useful and important fact: accessing private therapy does not remove you from the NHS waiting list unless you explicitly ask to be taken off. Many people choose to begin private therapy while remaining on the NHS list.

What EMDR on the NHS Typically Looks Like

Where NHS EMDR is available, it is generally time-limited — often eight to twelve sessions, following a structured protocol primarily designed for single-incident PTSD. For many people with this kind of presentation, this is effective and appropriate.

For more complex trauma histories — multiple incidents, childhood abuse, relational trauma, trauma embedded in a context of disorganised attachment or personality difficulties — shorter-term structured EMDR may be insufficient, and NHS providers may not have the capacity or flexibility to extend treatment accordingly.

The therapeutic relationship in NHS services also looks different. Therapists within NHS Talking Therapies services often carry high caseloads, and the conditions for the depth of relational work that complex trauma often requires may simply not be present. This is not a criticism of individual NHS therapists — many are highly skilled and deeply committed — but of the structural conditions in which they are working.

What Private EMDR Offers

Private EMDR therapy in London typically costs between £80 and £180 per session, with the higher end of the range reflecting practitioners with doctoral-level training, specialist experience in complex trauma or particular presentations, and practices in central London locations. Some private health insurance policies cover EMDR; coverage varies considerably and is worth checking before assuming it applies.

In private practice, the format can be tailored to what the clinical picture requires. Where preparation for EMDR processing takes longer — as it should for anyone with significant dissociation, complex trauma, or emotional dysregulation — the time is available to do that properly. Where a course of treatment needs to extend beyond eight sessions, it can. Where the work needs to shift between EMDR processing and other modalities — psychodynamic, somatic, Jungian — that flexibility exists.

The therapeutic relationship can also develop over time in a way that is itself part of the treatment, particularly for people whose early relational experiences were at the root of their trauma.

Is EMDR Right for You?

EMDR has a robust evidence base for PTSD, and a growing evidence base for a wider range of presentations: depression, anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, grief, eating disorders, and addiction — conditions where specific memories or experiences are maintaining current symptoms.

It is not appropriate for everyone. People currently experiencing psychosis, severe dissociation without stabilisation, or active substance dependence that has not been stabilised require careful assessment before beginning trauma processing work. EMDR is a powerful intervention: a qualified practitioner will spend significant time in preparation before any reprocessing begins, ensuring that the person has sufficient coping resources and stabilisation.

The key question in choosing between NHS and private is not simply one of quality — good EMDR therapy happens in both settings — but of fit: how complex is your presentation, how long can you afford to wait, and what kind of therapeutic relationship and flexibility do you need?

What to Look For in an EMDR Therapist

Whether you pursue EMDR through the NHS or privately, some questions are worth asking of any therapist:

Are they formally trained in EMDR? EMDR training is specific and structured — a therapist who has attended a single workshop is not the same as one who has completed an accredited training programme and has supervised practice hours.

Are they registered with a recognised professional body? In the UK, this means the BACP, UKCP, BPS, or equivalent. You can check registration directly on the relevant body’s website.

What experience do they have with your specific presentation? EMDR for complex childhood trauma is different from EMDR for a single-incident adult trauma, and experience matters.

With over 20 years of EMDR practice, I have worked with clients across the full range of presentations — from relatively contained adult trauma to the most complex early relational and developmental trauma. In my experience, the preparation phase — building safety, stabilisation, and sufficient trust in the therapeutic relationship — is where the real work often begins, long before formal reprocessing.

Further reading:

• The dangers of EMDR therapy: what the research shows
• What is EMDR therapy?
• Disorganised attachment style
• Book a consultation

Dr Philippe Jacquet is a Jungian analyst and integrative psychotherapist with over 25 years of clinical experience. He is an EMDR practitioner with 20+ years of practice, specialising in trauma, addiction, and eating disorders. He practises at Harley Street, London W1.

References

• Royal College of Psychiatrists (2024). NHS psychotherapy waiting times data.
• NHS Talking Therapies waiting times data, England (January 2024). NHS England Digital.
• Mind Cymru Freedom of Information data (2024).
• Fairbanks, J. et al. (2025). Telehealth EMDR outcomes for veterans with PTSD. Referenced in AnneTurnbull.com clinical review.
• NICE guidelines on PTSD (current).
• de Jongh, A. et al. (2019). The status of EMDR therapy in the treatment of PTSD 30 years after its introduction. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 13(4).