Let’s be honest—performance anxiety isn’t always about fear of trauma.
Sometimes it’s about fear of messing up. Of blanking out. Of freezing under pressure and losing trust in yourself at the very moment you’re supposed to rise to the occasion.
Whether you’re stepping into the competition ring or standing in front of a crowd, performance anxiety can feel paralyzing. You know your material. You’ve trained for this. But suddenly your body says no, and your mind becomes a swirling mess of what-ifs.
That’s where EMDR therapy comes in. While most people associate Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) with trauma therapy, mounting research and real-world experience show that it can also be a game-changer for performance anxiety.
The Link Between Performance Anxiety and Past Experience
Performance anxiety isn’t just a confidence issue—it’s often a processing issue. When a past event (a fall, a failure, public embarrassment) is stored maladaptively in the brain, similar situations in the present can trigger a threat response.
That response looks like panic. Tension. Nausea. Shaking. Self-doubt. For athletes, it can mean a mistimed jump or an incomplete pass. For professionals, it might mean forgetting your speech or avoiding presentations entirely.
Research shows that these “performance blocks” are often rooted in unresolved emotional memory. In one compelling study, professional golfer experienced involuntary spasms and anxiety while putting—symptoms that resolved after EMDR therapy reprocessed life events contributing to the block (Bennett et al., 2017).
In other words: it wasn’t just about nerves. It was about unprocessed experiences triggering the brain’s fight-or-flight response in real time.
EMDR: A Deeper Reset Than Mindset Work Alone
Unlike talk therapy or mindset coaching, EMDR works at the level of the nervous system. Through bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping), it helps the brain reprocess stored emotional memories and reorganize them into a more adaptive framework.
One study involving athletes with PTSD-like symptoms after sports injuries found that even a single session of EMDR significantly reduced anxiety and improved self-confidence (Reynoso-Sánchez & Hoyos-Flores, 2023). Heart rate variability data confirmed this change wasn’t just subjective—it showed actual nervous system regulation during and after therapy.
Imagine no longer bracing yourself before every ride, every speech, or every spotlight moment. EMDR doesn’t teach you to cope with anxiety. It helps your brain learn there’s nothing to fear in the first place.
Performance Blocks: When “Try Harder” Doesn’t Work
In equestrian sports, I see this all the time: talented riders suddenly lose their ability to trust themselves and their horse. The tension becomes visible in their seat, their hands, their breath.
Performance blocks like this are described in the literature as “yips,” “lost move syndrome,” or “freezing.” These aren’t just habits—they are mental blocks often triggered by emotion-laden memories stored in the nervous system (Bennett et al., 2017).
One athlete in the research had suffered for over a decade, despite trying every technique change and coaching method. EMDR, paired with graded exposure, helped him reprocess the root of the problem—and regain his ability to perform. He wasn’t broken. He just needed a better tool.
EMDR and Public Speaking: More Than Just Stage Fright
Performance anxiety doesn’t just live in the ring or on the field—it thrives in boardrooms and classrooms too. One case study followed a student whose intense fear of public speaking made him question his career choice. After just three EMDR sessions, his anxiety dropped from the 98th to the 55th percentile on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Barker & Barker, 2007).
Twelve months later, he was successfully delivering presentations in a management role—without fear. That’s what unfreezing looks like.
Presentation anxiety often stems from earlier experiences of embarrassment, shaming, or being told to “just get over it.” But the brain doesn’t work that way. It stores the emotional memory, then brings it forward when the stakes are high. EMDR helps reprocess those earlier events and install positive belief templates like “I can handle this,” or “I have a voice worth hearing.”
But Is EMDR Really Effective for Anxiety?
Yes—and the science is catching up. A 2019 review of randomized controlled trials found that EMDR therapy reduced symptoms across a range of anxiety disorders, including panic and phobic disorders (Faretta & Dal Farra, 2019). While EMDR isn’t currently the first-line treatment in many clinical guidelines, these studies show it holds its own next to CBT—and in some cases, works faster with fewer sessions.
It’s particularly promising when anxiety has a somatic or trauma-linked component—something that traditional talk therapy can struggle to resolve. That’s why it’s such a powerful tool for performance blocks: it addresses the source, not just the surface.
What EMDR Sessions for Performance Look Like
EMDR for performance anxiety doesn’t look that different from trauma work—but the targets are specific to the individual’s performance history. Identify the targets:
- The most disturbing past memory connected to the anxiety (e.g., falling off in the show ring, feeling humiliated during a team talk, missing the shot on the court or the field)
- The current trigger (e.g., entering the ring, seeing an audience)
- The negative belief (e.g., “I’ll fail again,” “I’m not good enough”)
- The desired belief (e.g., “I can handle pressure,” “I’m capable and calm”)
Then we process those experiences—often with surprisingly rapid results. Many clients begin noticing a shift in just a few sessions.
A Final Word
Performance anxiety doesn’t mean you’re weak. It doesn’t mean you haven’t trained hard enough or visualized the right way. It often means there’s an old story playing in the background—one your brain hasn’t finished processing. EMDR helps close that loop. It helps you stop bracing and start trusting—yourself, your body, and your ability to perform under pressure. So whether you’re in the saddle or on the stage, remember: you don’t need to push through performance anxiety. You can process it.
Start Working With an EMDR Therapist in Richmond, VA
If anxiety keeps hijacking your performance, it’s time to try something different. EMDR therapy doesn’t just help you push through—it helps you reprocess and release the root of your performance blocks If you are interested in the transformation that can come from EMDR therapy, please schedule a consultation. You can start your first EMDR therapy session with Gray Horse Counseling by following these simple steps:
- Contact me to schedule a free consultation
- Check out my FAQs and read more about me
- Start finding lasting recovery!
Other Services Offered with Gray Horse Counseling
EMDR therapy and intensives are not the only services offered at Gray Horse Counseling. I’m happy to offer therapy for men and a variety of other services to support the mental health of folks in Richmond, VA, and across the state via online therapy. Other services at Gray Horse Counseling include individual therapy, self-esteem therapy, group therapy, equine sports, clinical supervision, trauma therapy, and equine therapy. Check out my FAQs, read about me, and contact me today to get the help you deserve!
References
Barker, R. T., & Barker, S. B. (2007). The use of EMDR in reducing presentation anxiety: A case study. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 1(2), 100–108.
Bennett, J., Bickley, J., Vernon, T., Olusoga, P., & Maynard, I. (2017). Preliminary evidence for the treatment of performance blocks in sport: The efficacy of EMDR with graded exposure. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 11(2), 96–110.
Faretta, E., & Dal Farra, M. (2019). Efficacy of EMDR therapy for anxiety disorders. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 13(4), 325–337.
Reynoso-Sánchez, L. F., & Hoyos-Flores, J. R. (2023). A single-session eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy reduces anxiety and improves self-confidence in athletes with post-traumatic stress associated with injury. International Journal of Sport Studies for Health, 5(2), e134823.