The EMDR Doctor Podcast

Dr Caroline Lloyd
  • 4.0 (4)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Dr Caroline is a Mental Health GP who is passionate about helping her clients resolve their difficult memories using EMDR. Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing is an amazingly effective therapy for trauma and difficult memories. This podcast demystifies EMDR. Dr Caroline shares all her knowledge and experience to help you decide if EMDR is for you, and how best to get the most from your EMDR journey.

  1. 19h ago

    78. How to choose an EMDR target to process

    In this episode, Dr. Caroline Lloyd addresses how to choose a memory target for EMDR, emphasizing that there's no "wrong" choice, but some will be more effective than others. She introduces the "wheelbarrow of trauma" analogy, explains the concepts of "memory networks”, “chunking”, and working with past, present and future targets.   Key Points: 1. No target is truly "wrong" – Any memory chosen for EMDR that carries distress will contribute to healing in some way. Practitioners and clients shouldn't get overly anxious about picking the "perfect" target, as even an imperfect choice will still create progress, just perhaps via a longer route. 2. The "wheelbarrow of trauma" analogy – Trauma can be visualized as a wheelbarrow containing big rocks (major traumas) and sand (smaller distressing experiences). Removing a big rock creates faster relief but risks destabilizing the person, while sand takes longer to clear but is safer to start with. 3. Start small, especially in a first session – For an initial EMDR session, it's best to choose a standalone memory of small-to-medium distress rather than diving into a major trauma or a heavily connected memory network, allowing both therapist and client to build trust and gauge tolerance/resilience. 4. Memory networks matter – Distressing memories are often linked together thematically (e.g., "things being stolen from me" or "I'm not lovable"). Resolving one memory within a network can help dismantle the broader network, making memory selection strategically important. 5. Chunking down large or unmanageable memories – For memories that feel too big or overwhelming to process all at once (especially those tied to severe or complex trauma), it can help to break them down into smaller, more manageable pieces rather than attempting to tackle the entire memory in one go. This might mean focusing on just one aspect, moment, a trigger, or sensory detail of the memory rather than the whole event, allowing the nervous system to process the distress in more digestible portions. 6. Past, present, and future targets – EMDR often addresses three time points within a memory network: the past (original memories that created the distress), the present (current triggers activating that distress), and the future (a future template to build confidence for similar situations ahead). Targeting all three helps ensure the healing is complete and reduces the risk of relapse.   Resources Mentioned: • EMDR Therapy for Trauma: If you're in Australia and want personalized support, Dr. Lloyd’s individual or group therapy sessions may be right for you. • EMDR Doctor Membership: If you’ve worked with Dr. Lloyd before and need ongoing support, check out the EMDR Doctor Membership page for monthly opportunities to continue EMDR therapy. • Consultation & Supervision: Book a supervision session with Dr. Lloyd.   Contact and Feedback: • If you’ve been affected by trauma, or if you want to discuss how EMDR can help you heal from past wounds, get in touch with Dr. Lloyd at emdrdoctor.com.au  • Appointments for consultation or supervision, with Dr. Lloyd, can be made via Halaxy. Remember, healing from trauma is a journey — you don’t have to do it alone. Subscribe & Stay Connected: • Be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Each week, we dive into the powerful ways EMDR therapy can help you heal, grow, and reclaim your life. If you’ve found today’s episode helpful, share it with someone who could benefit from this information. • See me in person over on my YouTube channel — it’s a great way to connect face-to-face, learn more about EMDR, and get a sense of how we might work together in therapy. Join me, Dr. Caroline Lloyd, as we unpack trauma, explore the science of EMDR, and share real stories of recovery and resilience.

    78. How to choose an EMDR target to process

  2. Sep 8

    77. Myths about DID

    In a preview of the upcoming webinar on Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), on 17th September 2026, Dr. Caroline Lloyd dispels five common myths: that DID is rare, that it is dangerous, that it isn't real, that everyone has DID, and that therapy aims to eliminate alters through fusion.   Key Points: 1. Myth: DID is rare. In reality, DID affects an estimated 1–1.5% of the population worldwide, making it more common than schizophrenia (0.7%) and even more common than the proportion of people who are Australian (0.33% of world population). 2. Myth: DID is dangerous. Despite dramatized portrayals in TV shows and Netflix series, there is no evidence that people with DID are more violent or untrustworthy than anyone else. Most people with DID are simply doing their best to cope with life. 3. Myth: DID isn't real. DID is a genuine condition, supported by functional MRI studies showing real brain differences (particularly in the default mode network) between people with and without DID. Most people with DID actually hide their condition rather than seek attention. (Note: This is distinct from "Tulpamancy," an online subculture unrelated to the clinical diagnosis.) 4. Myth: Everyone has DID. This confuses the concept of having "parts" of oneself (as in IFS therapy) with having true dissociative alters. The key difference is dissociation—true alters lack communication/awareness of each other, whereas everyday "parts" are simply different moods or aspects of a single, continuous self-awareness. 5. Myth: Therapy aims to eliminate alters (fusion). The goal of therapy isn't to erase a person's different parts or "make them normal," but to help resolve the difficulties stemming from childhood trauma while respecting and preserving their personality structure, so clients can live functional, fulfilling lives aligned with their own goals.   Resources Mentioned: • Upcoming webinar on Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) along with Dr Cate Bearsley-Smith • EMDR Therapy for Trauma: If you're in Australia and want personalized support, Dr. Lloyd’s individual or group therapy sessions may be right for you. • EMDR Doctor Membership: If you’ve worked with Dr. Lloyd before and need ongoing support, check out the EMDR Doctor Membership page for monthly opportunities to continue EMDR therapy. • Consultation & Supervision: Book a supervision session with Dr. Lloyd.   Contact and Feedback: • If you’ve been affected by trauma, or if you want to discuss how EMDR can help you heal from past wounds, get in touch with Dr. Lloyd at emdrdoctor.com.au • Appointments for consultation or supervision, with Dr. Lloyd, can be made via Halaxy. Remember, healing from trauma is a journey — you don’t have to do it alone.   Subscribe & Stay Connected: • Be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Each week, we dive into the powerful ways EMDR therapy can help you heal, grow, and reclaim your life. If you’ve found today’s episode helpful, share it with someone who could benefit from this information. • See me in person over on my YouTube channel — it’s a great way to connect face-to-face, learn more about EMDR, and get a sense of how we might work together in therapy. Join me, Dr. Caroline Lloyd, as we unpack trauma, explore the science of EMDR, and share real stories of recovery and resilience.

    77. Myths about DID

  3. Aug 30

    76. EMDR for FND

    In this episode, Dr. Caroline Lloyd explores functional neurological disorder (FND), which produces real, medically unexplained physical symptoms (like tremors, seizures, or gait problems), rooted in unconscious emotional distress rather than deliberate deception. FND is often linked to trauma, and can be shaped by cultural attitudes toward emotional expression. Research is limited on the role of EMDR in treating FND, but the “Modify Protocol”, using EMDR's three-pronged approach is promising: (1) targeting past trauma (including events preceding symptom onset), (2) present-day bodily sensations tied to the symptoms, and (3) a future template of life without FND, tailored individually based on each client's need for preparation and coping skills.   Key Points: 1. What FND is: FND causes real, medically unexplained neurological symptoms (tremors, non-epileptic seizures, gait issues) that stem from emotional distress the person can't otherwise express. 2. What FND is not: FND is not malingering—it's an unconscious process with real symptoms, though doctors sometimes respond to their own helplessness by withdrawing or blaming patients. 3. Trauma is central: Nearly all people with FND have a trauma history, and cultures that suppress emotional expression tend to see more distress expressed through physical symptoms instead. 4. Strong link with autism: FND is much more common in autistic people due to greater trauma exposure, alexithymia, sensory/interoceptive differences, and moral injury sensitivity—yet many are only diagnosed as autistic after their FND diagnosis. 5. EMDR as a promising treatment: Despite limited research, EMDR (including rapid, single-session approaches) shows promise for FND, often using the "Modify Protocol" to target past trauma, present bodily sensations, and a future free of symptoms.   Resources Mentioned: • Upcoming webinar on Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) along with Dr Cate Bearsley-Smith • EMDR Therapy for Trauma: If you're in Australia and want personalized support, Dr. Lloyd’s individual or group therapy sessions may be right for you. • EMDR Doctor Membership: If you’ve worked with Dr. Lloyd before and need ongoing support, check out the EMDR Doctor Membership page for monthly opportunities to continue EMDR therapy. • Consultation & Supervision: Book a supervision session with Dr. Lloyd.   Contact and Feedback: • If you’ve been affected by trauma, or if you want to discuss how EMDR can help you heal from past wounds, get in touch with Dr. Lloyd at emdrdoctor.com.au . • Appointments for consultation or supervision, with Dr. Lloyd, can be made via Halaxy. Remember, healing from trauma is a journey — you don’t have to do it alone.   Subscribe & Stay Connected: • Be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Each week, we dive into the powerful ways EMDR therapy can help you heal, grow, and reclaim your life. If you’ve found today’s episode helpful, share it with someone who could benefit from this information. • See me in person over on my YouTube channel — it’s a great way to connect face-to-face, learn more about EMDR, and get a sense of how we might work together in therapy. Join me, Dr. Caroline Lloyd, as we unpack trauma, explore the science of EMDR, and share real stories of recovery and resilience.

    76. EMDR for FND

  4. Aug 25

    75. EMDR for chronic illness

    In this episode, Dr. Caroline Lloyd discusses using EMDR to address the trauma associated with chronic and degenerative illness; including loss of control, anticipatory grief, anger, guilt, and self-blame, among both patients and caregivers. She explains how EMDR can be used to process specific painful memories tied to the illness journey; helping people release fear, shame, and distress, although not the grief itself, which remains a natural expression of love and loss.   Key Points: 1. Chronic/degenerative illness causes deep trauma – as a progressive terminal illness can create fear, disempowerment, and stress for both patients and their families. 2. Complex emotions arise for both patients and carers – These include anticipatory grief, loss of control, anger (at the illness or the medical system), and grief over lost function and identity, and feelings of unfairness. 3. Guilt and self-blame are common – Parents may feel responsible (e.g. passing on a genetic condition), while carers often blame themselves for perceived failures in caregiving, leading to overwhelming guilt. 4. EMDR targets specific painful memories, not grief itself. By processing distressing "stand-out" moments (e.g., a difficult medical update, a caregiving crisis), EMDR can remove fear, shame, and anger—helping carers recognize they "did their best" and helping patients reach greater acceptance, while preserving the natural, love-based process of grief.   Resources Mentioned: • Upcoming webinar on Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) along with Dr Cate Bearsley-Smith • EMDR Therapy for Trauma: If you're in Australia and want personalized support, Dr. Lloyd’s individual or group therapy sessions may be right for you. • EMDR Doctor Membership: If you’ve worked with Dr. Lloyd before and need ongoing support, check out the EMDR Doctor Membership page for monthly opportunities to continue EMDR therapy. • Consultation & Supervision: Book a supervision session with Dr. Lloyd.   Contact and Feedback: • If you’ve been affected by trauma, or if you want to discuss how EMDR can help you heal from past wounds, get in touch with Dr. Lloyd at emdrdoctor.com.au • Appointments for consultation or supervision, with Dr. Lloyd, can be made via Halaxy. Remember, healing from trauma is a journey — you don’t have to do it alone.   Subscribe & Stay Connected: • Be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Each week, we dive into the powerful ways EMDR therapy can help you heal, grow, and reclaim your life. If you’ve found today’s episode helpful, share it with someone who could benefit from this information. • See me in person over on my YouTube channel — it’s a great way to connect face-to-face, learn more about EMDR, and get a sense of how we might work together in therapy. Join me, Dr. Caroline Lloyd, as we unpack trauma, explore the science of EMDR, and share real stories of recovery and resilience.

    75. EMDR for chronic illness

  5. Aug 14

    74. How soon is to soon to do EMDR?

    In this episode, Dr. Caroline reflects on assisting with EMDR basic training led by Larissa Meysner, noting how more recent training now incorporates more sophisticated, somatically-focused techniques earlier than in the past. She discusses her own evolving practice, which blends EMDR with schema therapy, EMDR 2.0, and relational integrative approaches, emphasizing creativity and a lighter tone, even when addressing painful memories. She also addresses the ongoing debate in the EMDR community between prioritizing safety through extensive resourcing, versus efficacy through earlier reprocessing of well-resourced clients faced with an urgent situation.   Key Points: 1. Inspiring training experience: Dr. Lloyd assisted with EMDR basic training run by Larissa Meysner and was struck by how training has evolved, with sophisticated techniques she once learned as "advanced" now being taught as standard practice from day one. 2. Blending approaches: Her own practice incorporates schema therapy (rewriting difficult memory scenes), EMDR 2.0 (developed in the Netherlands by Ad de Jongh and Suzy Matthijssen), and relational integrative EMDR (attachment-focused imagination work), which she credits with making sessions faster and more effective. 3. Bringing lightness to trauma work: She emphasizes the value of injecting fun, creativity, and personality into EMDR sessions, even when addressing dark or painful memories, noting that this approach can help transform distressing memories into something lighter. 4. Safety vs. efficacy debate: She highlights a philosophical divide in the EMDR community—some practitioners over-emphasize lengthy resourcing and preparation before reprocessing, while she believes most clients (in her view, about 99%) are ready to begin active trauma reprocessing much sooner. 5. Case example and encouragement: She shares an example of starting EMDR reprocessing in a client's very first session due to time constraints, and encourages both therapists and clients to consider moving into reprocessing earlier, arguing that relieving distress sooner actually builds resilience and reduces the need for extensive resourcing beforehand.   Resources Mentioned: • EMDR Therapy for Trauma: If you're in Australia and want personalized support, Dr. Lloyd’s individual or group therapy sessions may be right for you. • EMDR Doctor Membership: If you’ve worked with Dr. Lloyd before and need ongoing support, check out the EMDR Doctor Membership page for monthly opportunities to continue EMDR therapy. • Consultation & Supervision: Book a supervision session with Dr. Lloyd. • Psychology Training with Larissa Meysner • EMDR Training by Ad de Jongh and Suzy Matthijssen   Contact and Feedback: • If you’ve been affected by trauma, or if you want to discuss how EMDR can help you heal from past wounds, get in touch with Dr. Lloyd at emdrdoctor.com.au • Appointments for consultation or supervision, with Dr. Lloyd, can be made via Halaxy. Remember, healing from trauma is a journey — you don’t have to do it alone.   Subscribe & Stay Connected: • Be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Each week, we dive into the powerful ways EMDR therapy can help you heal, grow, and reclaim your life. If you’ve found today’s episode helpful, share it with someone who could benefit from this information. • See me in person over on my YouTube channel — it’s a great way to connect face-to-face, learn more about EMDR, and get a sense of how we might work together in therapy. Join me, Dr. Caroline Lloyd, as we unpack trauma, explore the science of EMDR, and share real stories of recovery and resilience.

  6. Aug 4

    73. Can EMDR help menopause?

    In this episode, Dr. Caroline Lloyd discusses the possible role of EMDR for helping with menopause. EMDR plays a role in resolving underlying CPTSD/trauma that often resurfaces as estrogen declines; and for directly targeting the distress, anxiety, and self-consciousness associated with symptoms like sleep disruption and hot flushes.   Key Points: 1. Declining estrogen can "unmask" underlying CPTSD – As estrogen drops, women who have long coped with unresolved trauma often find their mental health symptoms (burnout, exhaustion, low mood) become more apparent, and resolving that trauma with EMDR could help them handle midlife challenges more confidently. 2. EMDR may help menopausal sleep problems – Since much middle-of-the-night anxiety and rumination stems from past trauma or daily worries, self-administered EMDR while lying awake may reduce distress and support a return to sleep. 3. EMDR could reduce distress around hot flushes – While EMDR wouldn't stop the vasomotor instability itself, it could lessen the embarrassment, shame, and self-consciousness that accompany hot flushes—which in turn may prevent that emotional distress from intensifying the flushing. 4. Menopause often coincides with broader midlife identity shifts – Beyond hormonal changes, women often face role changes (grandparenting, caring for aging parents, career shifts, divorce), and resolving past trauma through EMDR may help build resilience for navigating these life transitions.   Resources Mentioned: • EMDR Therapy for Trauma: If you're in Australia and want personalized support, Dr. Lloyd’s individual or group therapy sessions may be right for you. • EMDR Doctor Membership: If you’ve worked with Dr. Lloyd before and need ongoing support, check out the EMDR Doctor Membership page for monthly opportunities to continue EMDR therapy. • Consultation & Supervision: Book a supervision session with Dr. Lloyd.   Contact and Feedback: • If you’ve been affected by trauma, or if you want to discuss how EMDR can help you heal from past wounds, get in touch with Dr. Lloyd at emdrdoctor.com.au  • Appointments for consultation or supervision, with Dr. Lloyd, can be made via Halaxy. Remember, healing from trauma is a journey — you don’t have to do it alone.   Subscribe & Stay Connected: • Be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Each week, we dive into the powerful ways EMDR therapy can help you heal, grow, and reclaim your life. If you’ve found today’s episode helpful, share it with someone who could benefit from this information. • See me in person over on my YouTube channel — it’s a great way to connect face-to-face, learn more about EMDR, and get a sense of how we might work together in therapy. Join me, Dr. Caroline Lloyd, as we unpack trauma, explore the science of EMDR, and share real stories of recovery and resilience.

    73. Can EMDR help menopause?

  7. Jul 12

    72. EMDR for perfectionism

    In this episode, Dr. Caroline Lloyd explores perfectionism not as a simple drive for high standards, but as a fear-based defense. Perfectionism often functions as protection against shame— “if I’m perfect, I won’t be criticized, rejected, or deemed not good enough”. Perfectionism often develops in childhood, and can become an exhausting adaptation that evolves into a vicious cycle: high standards yield occasional rewards and social admiration, which reinforce the behaviour even as it drains energy, and impedes relaxation and authentic performance. EMDR therapy can address the underlying shame, fear, and trauma that fuel perfectionism, and resolving these memories can reduce the compulsive drive for flawlessness. memories can reduce the compulsive drive for flawlessness.   Key Points: 1. Perfectionism is often a safety strategy, a fear and shame-driven defense—aiming for flawlessness to protect against criticism, rejection, and feeling not good enough, rather than a pure pursuit of excellence. 2. Perfectionism often has its roots in childhood, and stems from conditional love, parental criticism or absence, and experiences where mistakes were punished or love withheld, sometimes leading to parentification and internalized beliefs like “I’m not good enough.” 3. In adulthood, social rewards and online image pressures reinforce perfectionism, fuelling anxiety, procrastination, burnout, and chronic self-criticism. 4. EMDR can address underlying shame, fear, and trauma that sustain perfectionist patterns, by resolving painful memories and safety needs.   Resources Mentioned: • EMDR Therapy for Trauma: If you're in Australia and want personalized support, Dr. Lloyd’s individual or group therapy sessions may be right for you. • EMDR Doctor Membership: If you’ve worked with Dr. Lloyd before and need ongoing support, check out the EMDR Doctor Membership page for monthly opportunities to continue EMDR therapy. • Consultation & Supervision: Book a supervision session with Dr. Lloyd.   Contact and Feedback: • If you’ve been affected by trauma, or if you want to discuss how EMDR can help you heal from past wounds, get in touch with Dr. Lloyd at emdrdoctor.com.au  • Appointments for consultation or supervision, with Dr. Lloyd, can be made via Halaxy. Remember, healing from trauma is a journey — you don’t have to do it alone.   Subscribe & Stay Connected: • Be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Each week, we dive into the powerful ways EMDR therapy can help you heal, grow, and reclaim your life. If you’ve found today’s episode helpful, share it with someone who could benefit from this information. • See me in person over on my YouTube channel — it’s a great way to connect face-to-face, learn more about EMDR, and get a sense of how we might work together in therapy. Join me, Dr. Caroline Lloyd, as we unpack trauma, explore the science of EMDR, and share real stories of recovery and resilience.

    72. EMDR for perfectionism

  8. Jun 27

    71. EMDR FAQs

    In this episode, Dr. Caroline Lloyd answers eight common questions about EMDR therapy, including how it differs from hypnosis, the importance of eye movements, how quickly it works, and its ability to treat a wide range of conditions beyond PTSD. She also addresses whether it can surface forgotten memories, whether belief in the therapy is necessary, the possibility of feeling worse before better, and whether it can be conducted online.   Key Points: 1. EMDR is not hypnosis — the client stays fully awake and in control, driving the process themselves, unlike hypnosis where the therapist directs an altered state of consciousness. 2. Eye movements are important — bilateral stimulation is a key part of EMDR, with eye movements being the most effective form, though alternatives like tapping or sound can be used when necessary. 3. EMDR works from the first session — changes to the target memory begin immediately, though broader behavioural changes may take more time depending on the complexity of the trauma. 4. EMDR treats more than PTSD — it has strong academic support for treating a wide range of conditions including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, panic attacks, and low self-esteem. 5. Forgotten memories may surface — processing difficult memories can remove emotional "blockages," allowing previously hidden memories to emerge, though large gaps in memory are less likely to be fully recovered. 6. Belief in EMDR is not required — it is not a placebo effect, and sceptical clients regularly experience significant results. 7. It can feel harder before it feels better — facing traumatic memories takes courage, and some clients, particularly those with severe or prolonged trauma, may go through a difficult period before experiencing relief. 8. EMDR can be done online — it is effectively delivered remotely, making it accessible to those who cannot attend in person, though some therapists prefer the connection of face-to-face sessions.   Resources Mentioned: • Consultation & Supervision: Need help implementing the Blind to Therapist protocol? Book a supervision session with Dr. Lloyd. Contact and Feedback: • If you’ve been affected by trauma, or if you want to discuss how EMDR can help you heal from past wounds, get in touch with Dr. Lloyd at emdrdoctor.com.au  • Appointments for consultation or supervision, with Dr. Lloyd, can be made via Halaxy.  Remember, healing from trauma is a journey — you don’t have to do it alone.   Subscribe & Stay Connected: • Be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Each week, we dive into the powerful ways EMDR therapy can help you heal, grow, and reclaim your life. If you’ve found today’s episode helpful, share it with someone who could benefit from this information. • See me in person over on my YouTube channel — it’s a great way to connect face-to-face, learn more about EMDR, and get a sense of how we might work together in therapy. Join me, Dr. Caroline Lloyd, as we unpack trauma, explore the science of EMDR, and share real stories of recovery and resilience.

    71. EMDR FAQs
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Dr Caroline is a Mental Health GP who is passionate about helping her clients resolve their difficult memories using EMDR. Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing is an amazingly effective therapy for trauma and difficult memories. This podcast demystifies EMDR. Dr Caroline shares all her knowledge and experience to help you decide if EMDR is for you, and how best to get the most from your EMDR journey.

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