When the Body Remembers What the Mind Tries to Forget: EMDR and the Athlete's Journey Back

There's something about athletes that most people miss. We see the strength, the precision, the almost superhuman ability to push past pain. What we don't always see is how deeply the body holds onto what breaks us—not just the torn ligaments or fractured bones, but the moment before impact, the split second when everything changed. I've sat with enough competitive athletes to know this: sometimes the injury that won't heal isn't in the tissue anymore. It's in the nervous system, replaying on a loop you can't consciously hear but your body refuses to forget.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing—EMDR, for those who don't work in trauma—wasn't designed for athletes. It was created for combat veterans, assault survivors, people carrying memories so overwhelming their systems couldn't properly file them away. But here's what researchers are discovering: the athlete whose confidence vanished after a concussion and the soldier who can't stop scanning for threats? Their nervous systems are speaking remarkably similar languages. Recent studies show that a single EMDR session can reduce anxiety and restore self-confidence in injured athletes, with effects lasting at least two weeks (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023). Heart rate variability—a measure of how well your nervous system can shift between stress and recovery—actually changes during treatment (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023). The body, it seems, begins to remember it's safe again.

What strikes me about this isn't just the efficacy. It's that we're finally acknowledging what athletes have known but rarely had words for: that performance blocks, those sudden, inexplicable losses of skills you've practiced ten thousand times, aren't simply "mental." They're neurological scars from moments when your system perceived genuine threat—a bad fall, a devastating injury, the sound of something tearing that shouldn't. Bennett and colleagues found that EMDR, sometimes combined with graded exposure, can help athletes regain lost skills and return to competition, with improvements in both psychological and physical symptoms (Bennett et al., 2017). This matters because it shifts how we understand what's happening when an athlete suddenly "can't" perform a skill they've executed flawlessly thousands of times before.

I think about the equestrian I worked with last year—an accomplished rider who, after being thrown, couldn't approach the arena without her hands shaking. She'd been riding since childhood. Thirty years of embodied knowledge, and suddenly her body was staging a revolt she couldn't override with positive thinking or sheer determination. "I just need to get back on," she kept saying, as if courage was simply a decision, as if her nervous system wasn't screaming danger every time she caught the scent of hay and leather. This is where traditional sports psychology sometimes falls short—we talk about mental toughness, visualization, breathing techniques, all useful tools, but they assume the issue is primarily cognitive, that if we just think differently about the trauma, our bodies will follow along.

EMDR works from the opposite direction: it helps the body reprocess and release what it's holding, so the mind can finally move forward. The research backs this up in ways that might surprise you. Multiple case studies and small trials report that EMDR can reduce anxiety, increase self-confidence, and help athletes overcome performance blocks or trauma-related symptoms, leading to improved performance outcomes (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023; Bennett et al., 2017; Abdi et al., 2019; Silverman, 2011; Rathschlag & Memmert, 2014). One particularly compelling aspect is how EMDR has been shown to help athletes reprocess traumatic memories, reduce competition-induced panic, and address involuntary movement disruptions, with benefits persisting for weeks after intervention (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023; Bennett et al., 2017; Bennett & Maynard, 2017). What healing actually looks like, then, isn't always what we expect—it's not necessarily about becoming tougher or more resilient in the way we usually mean those words.

Here's what I find both humbling and hopeful: healing isn't always linear, and it doesn't require that we "get over" what happened to us. EMDR doesn't erase memories—it changes their charge, the way they live in your body. An athlete who's been through this kind of work might still remember the injury, the sound, the pain, the moment of realization, but the memory stops hijacking their present. The body begins to distinguish between then and now, between actual danger and the echo of danger. In the studies I've reviewed, athletes report something fascinating: not just reduced anxiety, but a return of joy (Bennett et al., 2017). That's worth sitting with for a moment—we measure outcomes in performance metrics, return-to-play timelines, competitive rankings, but what about the athlete who can finally enjoy their sport again, without that background hum of dread?

EMDR works by targeting dysfunctional memories and emotional responses that hinder performance, and it's often combined with graded exposure or other therapies such as neurofeedback to address both psychological and physiological symptoms, including anxiety, muscle tension, and loss of motor control (Bennett et al., 2017; Silverman, 2011; Rathschlag & Memmert, 2014; Bennett & Maynard, 2017). Heart rate variability and gaze behavior have been used as biofeedback markers to monitor progress during EMDR sessions (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023). This integration of physiological monitoring with psychological intervention suggests something important: that we can actually see, in measurable ways, how the nervous system shifts from a state of perceived threat to one of safety. It's not just subjective feeling—though that matters enormously—but observable changes in how the body regulates itself.

I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge what we don't yet know. Most evidence comes from case studies or small samples, highlighting the need for larger, controlled trials to confirm efficacy and generalizability (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023; Bennett et al., 2017; Rathschlag & Memmert, 2014; Bennett & Maynard, 2017). While EMDR is generally considered safe, sessions can be emotionally taxing and should be delivered by trained professionals, ideally with clinical supervision, especially when addressing deeply rooted trauma (Bennett et al., 2017; Bennett & Maynard, 2017). The research has mostly focused on psychological outcomes—reduced anxiety, improved confidence—with less direct measurement of physical performance improvements, and we need more data on how these psychological shifts translate to competitive results over time.

There's also this: athletes are often our culture's unacknowledged trauma carriers. We celebrate their resilience, their ability to play through pain, their willingness to sacrifice their bodies for excellence. But resilience without processing becomes brittleness, and bodies that never get to complete their stress responses—that learn to override their warning systems again and again—eventually stop distinguishing between situations that require vigilance and situations that don't. What if athletic training included not just strength and conditioning, but nervous system regulation? What if we treated psychological recovery with the same precision we apply to physical rehabilitation? The implications stretch beyond elite sports—military personnel, first responders, anyone whose work regularly involves physical risk might benefit from insights emerging at the intersection of performance psychology and trauma treatment.

Meta-analyses confirm that EMDR is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms across various populations, with moderate to large effect sizes (Yunitri et al., 2020; Chen et al., 2014). While most research in sports settings is based on small samples or case studies, the consistency of findings supports EMDR as a valuable intervention for sports anxiety (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023; Bennett et al., 2017; Bennett & Maynard, 2017). Some evidence even suggests EMDR may be as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy for trauma and anxiety, with potential advantages in time efficiency (Hudays et al., 2022). This is worth noting because it means athletes and practitioners have options—different therapeutic approaches that might suit different personalities, different types of trauma, different points in the recovery journey.

There's a concept in somatic work: that healing often involves a return to presence, to being fully inhabited in your own body rather than perpetually braced against remembered pain. For athletes, this might mean rediscovering what drew them to their sport in the first place—before injury, before the pressure, before their body became primarily a tool for achievement. That feeling of flow, of movement that doesn't require constant negotiation with fear. EMDR seems to create space for that return, not by erasing what happened, but by helping the nervous system recognize that the threat has passed, that you can be powerful and vulnerable simultaneously, that strength doesn't require disconnection from what you feel.

The current literature suggests that EMDR is a promising intervention for reducing anxiety, resolving trauma, and enhancing performance in athletes, particularly those facing psychological barriers after injury or traumatic events (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023; Abdi et al., 2019; Silverman, 2011; Bennett et al., 2017; Rathschlag & Memmert, 2014). The use of physiological biofeedback during EMDR sessions provides objective markers of stress reduction and recovery (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023). However, the evidence base is limited by small sample sizes, lack of randomized controlled trials, and reliance on case studies (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023; Bennett et al., 2017; Rathschlag & Memmert, 2014). Comparative studies indicate that other psychological interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, are also effective for similar outcomes, and EMDR may not be superior but offers unique advantages, such as rapid symptom relief and suitability for trauma-focused cases (Jordana et al., 2020; Ong & Chua, 2021).

The research continues, which is as it should be. We need more data, longer studies, better understanding of who benefits most and under what conditions. But the early evidence suggests something worth paying attention to: that sometimes the way forward isn't through more conditioning, more mental toughness, more pushing past limits. Sometimes the way forward is back—back through what your body has been trying to tell you, back through the moment that changed everything, back to a nervous system that finally believes the danger has passed. And maybe, if you're fortunate, back to joy.

References

Abdi, M., Vatankhah, H., & Razavi, M. (2019). The effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on anxiety and physical performance in athletes. Journal of Research in Behavioural Sciences, 17(1), 151. https://doi.org/10.52547/rbs.17.1.151

Bennett, J., Bickley, J., Vernon, T., Olusoga, P., & Maynard, I. (2017). Preliminary evidence for the treatment of performance blocks in sport: The efficacy of EMDR with graded exposure. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 11(2), 96-110. https://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.11.2.96

Bennett, J., & Maynard, I. (2017). Performance blocks in sport: Recommendations for treatment and implications for sport psychology practitioners. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 8(2), 60-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/21520704.2016.1227414

Chen, Y., Hung, K., Tsai, J., Chu, H., Chung, M., Chen, S., Liao, Y., Ou, K., Chang, Y., & Chou, K. (2014). Efficacy of eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing for patients with posttraumatic-stress disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS ONE, 9(8), e103676. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103676

Hudays, A., Gallagher, R., Hazazi, A., Arishi, A., & Bahari, G. (2022). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing versus cognitive behavior therapy for treating post-traumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16836. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416836

Jordana, A., Turner, M., Ramis, Y., & Torregrossa, M. (2020). A systematic mapping review on the use of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) with athletes. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 16(1), 231-256. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984x.2020.1836673

Ong, N., & Chua, J. (2021). Effects of psychological interventions on competitive anxiety in sport: A meta-analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 52, 101836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101836

Rathschlag, M., & Memmert, D. (2014). Reducing anxiety and enhancing physical performance by using an advanced version of EMDR: A pilot study. Brain and Behavior, 4(3), 348-355. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.221

Reynoso-Sánchez, L., & Hoyos-Flores, J. (2023). A single-session eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy reduces anxiety and improves self-confidence in athletes with post-traumatic stress associated with injury. International Journal of Sport Studies for Health, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.5812/intjssh-134823

Silverman, S. (2011). Effecting peak athletic performance with neurofeedback, Interactive Metronome®, and EMDR: A case study. Biofeedback, 39(1), 40-42. https://doi.org/10.5298/1081-5937-39.1.08

Yunitri, N., Kao, C., Chu, H., Voss, J., Chiu, H., Liu, D., Shen, S., Chang, P., Kang, X., & Chou, K. (2020). The effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing toward anxiety disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 123, 102-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.01.005