An Exploratory Comparison of IEMT and EMDR: New Research Published

A new peer-reviewed study examining the effects of eye movements on emotionality and distress during the recall of negative memories has now been published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies.

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About the Study

This exploratory study directly compares Integral Eye Movement Technique (IEMT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), specifically examining how different eye movement protocols influence emotional intensity and distress when individuals recall negative memories.

Both approaches utilise eye movements, yet they differ significantly in their theoretical orientation and clinical application. EMDR is widely recognised as a trauma-focused psychotherapy aimed at processing distressing memories, while IEMT is oriented towards resolving emotional and identity imprints that maintain ongoing patterns of experience.

This study contributes to a growing body of research investigating how eye movements interact with memory recall, emotional activation, and cognitive processing.

The Research Team

The study was conducted by a collaborative research team including:

• Dalena van Heugten – van der Kloet
• Anouk Boonstra
• Naima Trouk
• Anne ten Brinke

This collaboration reflects an important integration between clinical practice, academic psychology, and applied therapeutic research.

Why This Matters

Research into therapeutic eye movements has historically focused heavily on EMDR, particularly within trauma treatment contexts. EMDR has an established evidence base and is widely used in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

However, IEMT represents a different conceptual approach, focusing on how emotional responses and identity patterns are encoded and maintained in the present, rather than exclusively processing past traumatic events.

This study is therefore significant because it begins to explore:

• How different eye movement patterns influence emotional intensity
• Whether the mechanisms of change may differ between models
• The role of memory recall in emotional regulation

Such comparative research is essential in clarifying both the similarities and distinctions between therapeutic approaches that are often grouped together due to their shared use of eye movements.

Developing the Evidence Base for IEMT

This publication represents an important step in the ongoing development of an evidence base for IEMT.

Previous work has already explored IEMT in controlled environments, including laboratory comparisons with EMDR and neurophysiological investigations using EEG measurement.

The current study extends this trajectory by offering a direct experimental comparison of eye movement interventions and their immediate effects on subjective emotional experience.

The Association for IEMT Practitioners welcomes this contribution and extends appreciation to Anne Ten Brinke and the wider research team for their work in bringing this study to publication.

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