When Prince Harry Talked About EMDR, My Heart Sank
People talking about mental health is usually great for getting folks off the couch and into help. But when they promote quackery, they do harm.
“But EMDR’s backed by the NHS,” you might say. Yes—and the lobotomy was once hailed as brilliant, earning its inventor a Nobel Prize. (Extreme? Sure, but it gets your attention.)
I’m not trashing the profession. I’m explaining the issues so you can make informed choices. We humans get ridiculously attached to ideas—EMDR included—and knowing why can save you time, money, and heartbreak.
Psychology Evolves
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| Critical evaluation is key |
Why do ideas like EMDR (“reprocess your trauma with some eye jazz”) stick around even when evidence says it’s basically fancy exposure and cognitive behavioural therapy used by therapists for decades?
1. Understanding Research Takes Training
Evaluating studies requires knowing how sampling, statistics, and context affect results. Academics specialise, and even they struggle to keep up. I focus on depression, anxiety, and abuse. Hand me a paper on autism, and I’m lost—it’s like a marathon runner trying to sail.
EMDR got traction because its creator promoted it well. “Quick results!” sounds irresistible, even when the shine fades.
2. New Ideas Take Years to Test
Once people invest in them, it’s hard to let go. EMDR’s been around since 1987—people built careers on it. Sunk cost, darling.
3. The Public Gets Attached Too
Someone always benefits from any new therapy. Add a celeb endorsement (thanks, Harry), and it feels personal: “I felt lighter after!” We cling to the win, ignoring who it doesn’t help.So when professionals point out flaws, people get defensive. Explaining why something’s bogus is hard, and “because I said so” doesn’t cut it.
4. Crooks and Cons Market Nonsense Brilliantly
They promise quick fixes with scientific-sounding fluff, set up “schools,” and crown themselves gurus. Faced with, “We’re learning, but I’ll do my best,” versus “Guaranteed cure, pay here,” it’s tempting to buy the snake oil.
We crave certainty. EMDR offers that illusion—“Follow my finger, rewire your brain!”—and it sells.
5. Speaking Out Gets Ugly
Professionals who challenge quackery face backlash from loud defenders. Whistle-blowers burn out, while institutions cave under pressure. Even hospitals run “alternative therapy” departments now. Hello, NHS—you coward. And you too, APA and BACP.
EMDR’s mob is real; critics get buried under “you’re just jealous” noise.
6. Some Professionals Join the Dark Side
Selling pseudoscience is easier and pays better. I know psychologists and doctors who ditched real practice to peddle nonsense. Sometimes I think I should hike my fees and sell NLP, EMDR, and dream readings—but I couldn’t face the mirror.
The Bottom Line
Telling what’s real takes work. Truth evolves, controversy thrives, and our attachment to hope keeps nonsense alive.
If you want to try EMDR, that’s your call. It won’t hurt you physically, just your wallet. But it may keep you chasing shadows when plain exposure therapy and CBT does the same job without the sparkle.
If you’d rather work with evidence-based approaches that actually stick, let’s chat. I’m a qualified psychotherapist (BSc Hons Psychology, Master’s in Counselling with Distinction). I handle the research so you can focus on healing. No scams, no sparkle—just real progress.
Message me today via email ellen.whyte@gmail.com or WhatsApp: +44 7514 408143 for your free 15-minute consultation.
