175. Is EMDR a Revolutionary Psychotherapy or Pseudoscientific Sham?

Author: Roger K. McFillin, Psy.D., ABPP
Published: Thu 06 Mar 2025
Episode Link: https://radicallygenuinepodcast.transistor.fm/175

Is EMDR therapy legitimate science or pseudoscientific sham? In this provocative debate, Dr. Roger McFillin challenges Taraleigh Stemler, a certified EMDR practitioner and licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), on whether the popular trauma treatment's signature eye movements and bilateral stimulation offer any real benefit, or if exposure therapy—simply facing painful memories—is doing all the heavy lifting. As both clinicians clash over research validity, the "medicalization" of normal emotions, and whether we've created a therapy-dependent culture, this raw conversation exposes the tribal warfare happening within mental health treatment that directly impacts which therapies patients receive.

Chapters

00:00 The Wild West of Psychotherapy

06:01 The EMDR Process Explained

12:03 Challenging the Efficacy of EMDR

18:10 Post-Traumatic Growth: A Different Perspective

23:58 Critique of EMDR's Application

30:01 Comparing EMDR to Other Treatments

38:56 Therapeutic Approaches: EMDR vs. Traditional Methods

46:58 Bilateral Stimulation: A Controversial Tool

55:06 Client Experiences and Observations

01:01:54 The Scope of EMDR: A One-Size-Fits-All Solution?

01:07:04 The Need for Research and Evidence in Therapy