Breakups don’t just hurt—they can feel impossible to move on from. If you’ve ever felt trapped in a cycle of waves of pain, replaying memories, or feeling like you just can’t let go of an ex, you’re not alone.

Research shows that the brain processes heartbreak just like physical pain, which explains why heartbreak can feel emotionally, mentally and physically painful. But what if there was a way to rewire your brain to heal and move past this pain?

That is one of the things EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy can do. EMDR was originally developed for trauma but is now being used to help people process breakups, let go of emotional pain, and move forward.

When considering how to approach relational challenges, one area of exploration that may be helpful is identifying and processing past trauma, often stemming from early attachment experiences. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is commonly used for healing individual trauma, which in turn can heal attachment wounds that come from it. Below we will discuss the relationship between EMDR therapy and attachment theory, and how combining these two lenses can help facilitate profound healing.