EMDR in Trauma Treatment: Exploring the DeTUR Protocol

As a therapist who works at the intersection of trauma, eating disorders, and body image, I am often asked about EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). While EMDR has become more widely recognized in recent years, many people are still unsure of what it looks like in practice, or how specialized protocols like DeTUR fit into trauma recovery.

Why EMDR?

At its core, EMDR helps the brain reprocess traumatic experiences so that they no longer carry the same emotional charge. Trauma tends to get “stuck” in the nervous system, clients describe looping thoughts, emotional flashbacks, or body sensations that don’t seem to resolve. Through bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or tones), EMDR supports the nervous system in releasing old patterns, making space for integration and healing.

I find EMDR particularly helpful with clients who struggle with self-criticism, perfectionism, or the body-based anxiety that often accompanies eating disorder recovery. It gives us a way to move beyond just “talking about” trauma and actually process it on a deeper, embodied level.

Introducing the DeTUR Protocol

One of the strengths of EMDR is its flexibility, there are multiple protocols that can be tailored to different client needs. The DeTUR protocol (Desensitization of Triggers and Urge Reprocessing), developed by Arnold Popky, is especially relevant when trauma intersects with addictive or compulsive behaviors.

Instead of only targeting a single past memory, DeTUR begins by identifying triggers, the moments that bring up urges, cravings, or intense emotional responses. For example, a client might notice an urge to binge after conflict, or a compulsion to over-exercise when body anxiety rises. Rather than shaming the urge, we get curious about the underlying distress it points to.

Through the DeTUR process, we:

Identify the triggers that activate urges or compulsions.

Notice the body sensations and emotions that arise.

Use bilateral stimulation to reduce the distress connected to those triggers.

Install positive, adaptive states that clients can draw upon instead.

The goal isn’t simply to “get rid of” an urge, it’s to empower clients to respond differently, with more regulation and less reactivity.

How This Applies in Eating Disorder Recovery

For clients navigating eating disorder recovery, the DeTUR protocol can be a game-changer. Urges often show up in subtle, body-based ways: the pull toward restriction, the compulsion to purge, the drive to numb with exercise or food. Instead of battling those urges in isolation, we approach them as signals, clues that an old wound or trauma response is being activated.

Using DeTUR, I’ve seen clients shift from feeling hijacked by urges to feeling more grounded and compassionate toward themselves. It offers a structured way to integrate body awareness, emotional healing, and trauma processing into recovery work.

Final Thoughts

Trauma treatment isn’t one-size-fits-all. EMDR, and specifically the DeTUR protocol, gives us another doorway into healing. For many clients, it’s the difference between feeling trapped in cycles of reaction and finally experiencing freedom to choose new responses.

If you’ve ever wondered whether EMDR could be helpful for trauma, anxiety, or recovery from disordered eating, know that it’s a collaborative, empowering process. And with specialized protocols like DeTUR, it can meet you exactly where you are, working not only with the past but also with the very real triggers that show up in everyday life.