Celebrities Who Use EMDR Therapy: How Public Voices Are Reducing Stigma and Inspiring Healing
- Jolene Siemens
- Jan 5
- 4 min read
Why is EMDR Therapy Growing in Popularity?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has become one of the most effective and widely recognized treatments for trauma. But as more celebrities speak openly about using EMDR therapy to heal, people are discovering something important:
EMDR isn’t just for extreme trauma or “big T” events; it’s also effective for everyday struggles, emotional pain, and stress that many people carry quietly.
At Off the Beaten Path Psychology, serving Calgary, Airdrie, and Cochrane, we use EMDR to support a wide range of concerns from anxiety and chronic stress, to relationship wounds, shame, self-worth struggles, workplace issues, and grief.
A Few Celebrities Who Have Benefited from EMDR Therapy
Prince Harry: Bringing EMDR Into Mainstream Conversation
Prince Harry offered one of the most public looks into EMDR by sharing parts of his sessions in the Apple+ series The Me You Can’t See. His openness helped millions understand that healing unresolved experiences is not a sign of weakness, but a path toward emotional freedom.
Sandra Bullock: EMDR After a Home Invasion
Sandra Bullock has spoken about using EMDR to work through fear and hypervigilance after a frightening home break-in. This is a reminder that trauma doesn’t have to be ongoing to have lasting effects.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7myvbaHBWZI
Lil Jon: Childhood Memories
More recently, rapper and producer Lil Jon revealed that EMDR helped him access and process buried childhood trauma. According to the EMDR International Association, he shared on The Breakfast Club podcast that EMDR allowed him to get to “the root of childhood memories” that were still influencing him in adulthood.
Miley Cyrus: EMDR for Performance Anxiety
Miley Cyrus used EMDR for performance-related anxiety and unresolved emotional memories, showing that EMDR is not only for trauma survivors but also for individuals managing stress, self-doubt, and pressure.https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1IyzDWKZ8Lw
Why Can EMDR Look Different From Person to Person?
EMDR is built on a well-established standard protocol that guides therapists through a structured eight-phase process. However, within that framework, well-trained EMDR clinicians can choose from a variety of specialized protocols depending on the client’s goals, history, and the type of memory or symptom being targeted. This is why each of the celebrities mentioned had a different experience with EMDR.
The core EMDR process remains the same, but the approach is tailored to the client’s nervous system, the target memory, and the kind of healing they are seeking. This flexibility is part of what makes EMDR so effective across such a wide range of concerns.
EMDR at Off the Beaten Path Psychology: How It Became Part of Our DNA
Kristy: The First to Bring EMDR Into the Practice
Kristy was the very first clinician at Off the Beaten Path Psychology to train in EMDR. After witnessing the profound impact it had on clients, both with major trauma and with everyday emotional difficulties, she knew it needed to become part of the practice’s foundation.
Training That Built Connection: Jolene, Jennifer, and Christine
As the practice grew, Jolene, Jennifer, and Christine all met during their EMDR training. What began as professional development quickly turned into a shared clinical vision centered on compassion, nervous system awareness, and helping clients feel safe in their own bodies.Their shared training experience helped shape the collaborative, relationship-focused culture of the practice today.
A Core Practice Standard: Every New Clinician Becomes EMDR Basic Trained
Since then, every therapist who joins Off the Beaten Path Psychology becomes EMDR Basic Trained. This ensures:
Every client has access to trauma-informed care
Therapy can go beyond “talking” and include deeper nervous-system-based work
Clients can safely revisit difficult memories without becoming overwhelmed
Therapists have more tools for anxiety, stress, self-esteem issues, and emotional reactivity
EMDR is a central part of how we support healing, not a specialty for just a few clinicians.
EMDR Helps With More Than “Big T” Trauma
Many people assume EMDR is only for life-threatening or catastrophic experiences. But at Off the Beaten Path Psychology, we use EMDR to support so much more.
EMDR can help with:
Anxiety
Perfectionism
Chronic stress
People-pleasing
Shame and self-criticism
Relationship wounds
Grief and loss
Burnout
Phobias
Performance anxiety
Identity and self-worth struggles
Childhood emotional neglect
Negative self-beliefs that “just won’t go away”
If something feels “small,” but it still impacts your daily life, your relationships, or your nervous system, EMDR can help.
Why Celebrity Stories Matter
When celebrities openly share their healing journeys, it helps reduce stigma and expand awareness. Their experiences remind us that you don’t need a dramatic backstory to benefit from EMDR; you only need a desire to feel better, safer, and more connected to yourself.
EMDR Therapy in Calgary, Airdrie & Cochrane
Whether you’re working through a major trauma or emotional experiences that feel “too small to matter,” EMDR can help you process what your brain and body have been holding.At Off the Beaten Path Psychology, our EMDR-trained clinicians would love to walk alongside you in your healing journey.
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At Off the Beaten Path Psychology, we provide counselling and therapy services to individuals, couples, and families in Airdrie, Calgary, and Cochrane, Alberta. Our team supports anxiety, burnout, relationship challenges, and trauma recovery. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your mental health journey.