Online EMDR Therapy by Telehealth
If you are looking for an EMDR therapist online, Perfectly Aligned Psychology runs full EMDR courses by secure video for adults anywhere in Australia. The method, the eight phases and the care taken over preparation are the same as in the Balgownie rooms; what changes is how the eye movements or taps are delivered.
Online sessions have opened EMDR up to people who could not otherwise reach it. That includes towns without an EMDR-trained psychologist, workers on rosters that rule out a weekly drive, and people who simply feel steadier doing difficult work from home.
This page explains how virtual EMDR works in practice, what the research says about its effectiveness, what you need to set up, how safety is managed at a distance, who it suits best, and what it costs. For the full introduction to EMDR itself, including training and who it helps, read about EMDR therapy in Wollongong first.
How does EMDR work online?
Online EMDR follows the same eight phases as in-person treatment. Instead of following the psychologist's hand, you track a moving dot on screen, tap your own knees or shoulders, or listen to alternating tones through headphones. Working with an EMDR therapist online, you choose the method that feels most natural.
Before any reprocessing, the preparation phase includes a practice run of the bilateral stimulation on your own device. That is when you find out whether screen tracking suits your eyes, whether tapping feels comfortable, and whether the audio is clear. Most people settle on one method within a session.
During reprocessing the psychologist watches your face and posture closely, which is why a stable, well-lit video picture matters. They pace the sets, ask what you noticed and decide when to continue or pause, just as they would in the room.
Some clients use a combination, for example tracking on screen for most sets and switching to tapping if their eyes tire. There is no single right way, and you can change method partway through a session if something stops feeling comfortable.
The difference most people notice is that they are responsible for more of the physical setup. The psychologist guides that setup carefully, so by the time memory work begins it feels routine.
Is online EMDR as effective as in-person EMDR?
The research so far suggests online EMDR produces symptom reductions broadly similar to in-person sessions for many people. Most studies are smaller or more recent than the trials behind in-room EMDR, so the evidence is encouraging rather than settled, and progress is tracked closely to confirm it is working for you.
Remote delivery of psychological therapy in general has a large research base. Across anxiety, depression and PTSD, video-based treatment tends to achieve results similar to face-to-face care when the same method is used. EMDR specifically was studied much more after 2020, when many services moved online, and those studies have generally reported meaningful improvement.
The honest summary: online EMDR is a reasonable first choice for many people and the only practical choice for some. The evidence does not yet show it matches in-person EMDR in every situation, which is why measurement matters.
Standard symptom questionnaires are completed before treatment and again at every review. If progress stalls, the plan changes, and that can include switching to in-person sessions for part of the course.
Some people actually find online sessions easier. Being at home can make it simpler to settle after a session, and there is no drive home straight after processing a hard memory. Others miss the feeling of a separate therapy space. Our article on telehealth vs face-to-face therapy looks at those trade-offs in more detail.
What do you need to set up for online EMDR?
The essentials are a closed-door room, a laptop or tablet with a camera, headphones, and an internet connection that handles video calls smoothly. A phone is too small for screen tracking. The psychologist runs a short tech check with you during preparation, before any memory work begins.
Work through the checklist below before your first online session. If anything is missing, mention it when you book; there is usually a simple workaround.
A suitable device
A laptop, desktop or tablet with a working camera. Place it at eye level so your face is clearly visible, and plug it in.
Headphones
Wired or wireless headphones keep the session private and are essential if you use audio tones.
A steady connection
Your internet should handle video calls without freezing. Sitting close to the router or using a cable helps.
A private room
Somewhere with a closed door where you will not be overheard or interrupted for the whole session.
Comfort items
A glass of water, tissues and something to wrap around you, such as a blanket or jumper, within reach.
A backup phone
Your mobile charged and nearby, so the session can continue by phone if the video fails.
How is safety managed during remote EMDR sessions?
Remote sessions have a clear safety protocol. At every session the psychologist confirms where you are and who to contact in an emergency, keeps extra time for closure, and agrees a check-in plan for the days after. Reprocessing only starts once your grounding skills work reliably at home.
At the start of each session you confirm your address and that you are alone and undisturbed. You also agree on an emergency contact who can be reached if needed. It is rarely used, but it matters.
Closure gets more time online than in the room. Sessions finish with grounding, a check that you feel settled, and a short plan for the rest of the day. Many people schedule a walk or a quiet activity afterwards rather than going straight into work.
Online EMDR is never done while driving, in a car, in a public place or with children in the room. If your home situation is not private or not safe, in-person sessions or a different plan will be suggested.
Between sessions, you know how to reach the practice, and you have crisis numbers for after hours. Anyone who is in immediate danger should call 000.
Who does online EMDR suit?
Online EMDR suits people outside the Illawarra, regional and rural clients, interstate residents, fly-in fly-out and shift workers, parents with limited childcare, and anyone more comfortable at home. It may not suit people without a private space, or whose current risk or dissociation needs closer in-person support.
The decision is made together at the first appointment. Some people start online and move to the rooms, or the other way round.
Often a good fit
- Living in regional or rural NSW, or interstate
- Fly-in fly-out workers who can join from site accommodation with privacy
- Emergency services and health workers on rotating rosters
- Parents who cannot easily arrange childcare
- People who find travel or waiting rooms hard
- Anyone who settles more easily at home
May be better in person
- No private, uninterrupted space at home
- Frequent dissociation or losing track of time
- Current risk of self-harm or an unsafe home situation
- Very unreliable internet with no alternative
- A strong preference for a separate therapy space
What do telehealth EMDR sessions cost, and does Medicare apply?
Online EMDR costs the same as in-person EMDR, and Medicare rebates apply in the same way when you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan and a referral from your GP. Workers compensation claims approved under SIRA can also cover telehealth sessions.
Medicare telehealth items for psychology are available to eligible clients wherever they live in Australia. Your GP can prepare the plan in person or through their own telehealth appointment, and it can be sent to the practice electronically.
Payment is taken online after each session, and the rebate is lodged the same day. How rebates work specifically for video sessions is explained on the Medicare rebates for telehealth psychology page, and the full price list is on fees, rebates and funding. Rebate rules are set by Services Australia and are checked on this site at each review date.
How do I book an online EMDR session?
Book through the practice's online booking page and choose a telehealth appointment, or call 0435 165 763. You will receive a secure video link by email with your confirmation. The first session is an assessment, so there is no memory work until preparation is complete.
Appointments are offered across the week, including some early and late times that suit people in different time zones or working rosters. If you are in Western Australia or the Northern Territory, check the time difference in your confirmation.
Tell us where you are located when you book, especially if you are outside NSW, so the right emergency contacts can be included in your safety plan. If you have a GP referral and plan, it can be emailed straight to the practice.
Before the first session, test your video link using the instructions in the confirmation email. Join a few minutes early the first time in case your device asks for camera or microphone permissions.
General details about video appointments, including privacy and the platform used, are on the telehealth psychologist Australia-wide page. Forms and consent are covered in the new clients guide to your first appointment. You can also browse everything the practice offers, in the rooms and online, from the Perfectly Aligned Psychology homepage.
Online EMDR questions
Do I need special equipment?
No special equipment is needed. A laptop, desktop or tablet with a camera, a pair of headphones and a reliable internet connection are enough. A phone screen is usually too small for visual tracking, although it works well as a backup if the video connection fails partway through a session.
What if the connection drops mid-session?
The psychologist calls your mobile straight away and the session continues by phone, including a grounding exercise if you were partway through processing. Because this plan is agreed during preparation, a dropout is an inconvenience rather than a risk. Any lost time is made up where possible.
Can I do some sessions in person and some online?
Yes. Many clients mix the two, for example attending in person for the first assessment and preparation sessions, then continuing online. Others travel in for the heaviest reprocessing sessions. The plan is flexible, and the fee and rebate are the same either way.
EMDR, wherever you are
If distance, rosters or family life have kept EMDR out of reach, telehealth can change that. Book an assessment session and check your setup with the psychologist before any memory work begins.