The brain wants to restore mental health in the same way the rest of the body is physiologically configured to heal when injured.

When someone cuts their finger while cooking, this person does not have to consciously think about their white cells and all the internal systems in place for healing. The brain and the body automatically work together to close and heal the wound. However, if a foreign object blocks the healing process, the pain will continue, and this person might need the support of another person to remove the object. Once the block is removed, the healing will resume. EMDR therapists support people to remove blockages so the natural processing of information may continue.

EMDR is primarily a client-centered model. Although some clients might experience some disturbance during treatment, this distress is temporary and transitional while the brain connects to more adaptive information. For example, a person might think that a car accident is their fault, even though the other driver ran the red light. They might feel guilty, even though they know cognitively that they are not at fault. Through EMDR procedures and dual bilateral stimulation, the brain connects to more adaptive information, such as the fact that there was no possible way to guess that another person would run a red light.