Miley Cyrus & EMDR Therapy: A Path to Healing Trauma
When celebrities speak candidly about mental health, it helps reduce stigma and opens the door for others to seek support. Miley Cyrus, a global music icon, has shared openly about how EMDR therapy changed her life. For those seeking trauma therapy or considering EMDR as a healing modality, her story offers hope and insight. If you're exploring Denver therapy options or looking for an EMDR specialist, her experience illustrates just how transformative this therapeutic approach can be.
“Love it. Saved my life.” – Miley Cyrus on EMDR Therapy
In an interview with The New York Times, Cyrus described EMDR as pivotal in her healing journey:
“Love it. Saved my life.”
She shared a vivid moment from one session where her therapist guided her through a visualization of herself riding a train, observing scenes from her life like a movie. This brought forward a core realization:
“I just want them to love me so bad.”
That insight was linked to unresolved generational pain, especially her mother’s feelings of abandonment due to adoption. Through EMDR therapy, she began to disentangle her identity from external validation and intergenerational trauma.
A Vision of Healing and Connection
During another powerful session, Cyrus described a beautiful internal vision: she stood on a snowy Montana mountaintop in her childhood red coat and beret. Loved ones—her mother, grandmother, late dog, and current partner—surrounded her. Holding hands, they played "Ring Around the Rosie," a symbol of full-circle healing and belonging.
“I came out of it and I’ve never had stage fright again.”
(Well+Good)
This outcome speaks directly to one of EMDR's strengths: helping people move beyond anxiety that stems from unresolved emotional pain.
EMDR and Child Stardom: Breaking Free
Cyrus also reflected on how EMDR helped her make peace with her early fame:
“I’ve been doing very consistent therapy since I was 17 or 18 years old, so I think I’ve cleared up a lot of the feelings that I had about being a child star.”
(ELLE Magazine)
For those working with an EMDR specialist in Denver, it’s important to know that EMDR can support not just overt trauma but also chronic emotional distress, identity confusion, and childhood adversity.
Understanding the 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy isn’t just talk—it’s a structured and strategic process that integrates brain and body healing. Developed by Francine Shapiro, it follows an 8-phase model, all of which are used by licensed EMDR clinicians and trauma therapists in Denver and beyond:
History Taking – The therapist gathers background and identifies target experiences.
Preparation – Clients learn grounding tools to ensure emotional safety.
Assessment – Key elements of the trauma (image, belief, emotions, body sensations) are identified.
Desensitization – The therapist uses bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movements, tapping) while the client processes the memory.
Installation – New, positive beliefs are reinforced.
Body Scan – Residual body tension is noticed and processed.
Closure – Every session ends with calmness and containment techniques.
Re-evaluation – The therapist checks how the memory and new beliefs are integrating.
Many Denver therapy practices specializing in trauma now offer EMDR because of its clinically-proven efficacy, especially for PTSD, complex trauma, and anxiety.
Other Celebrities Who Use EMDR Therapy
Miley Cyrus isn’t the only public figure to benefit from EMDR. Several others have turned to this trauma-informed therapy to recover from life’s most overwhelming events:
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
In the Apple TV+ docuseries The Me You Can’t See, Prince Harry used EMDR to process his mother’s death and childhood grief:
“It was like a bubble was burst. I realized I had been trapped in fight-or-flight for years.”
Sandra Bullock
After surviving a home invasion, Bullock turned to EMDR to heal from persistent fear and anxiety, later crediting the therapy for restoring her sense of safety.
Jameela Jamil
The actress and activist has said EMDR helped her work through complex trauma, disordered eating, and deeply rooted negative beliefs.
Evan Rachel Wood
Wood used EMDR to heal from PTSD and trauma related to abuse. She has shared how critical EMDR was in her process of reclaiming agency and self-worth.
These stories reflect what many Denver trauma therapists already know: EMDR works. Whether you're navigating childhood pain, anxiety, relationship wounds, or PTSD, EMDR can bring relief and clarity.
Is EMDR Therapy Right for You?
If you're searching for support in the Denver area, finding a trusted EMDR therapist in Denver could be the next step in your healing journey. EMDR has been shown to help with:
Childhood trauma and emotional neglect
Performance anxiety and imposter syndrome
PTSD and complex PTSD
Grief and loss
Relationship and attachment wounds
Intergenerational trauma patterns
With a certified EMDR specialist, therapy becomes not just a place to talk—but a space for rewiring how trauma lives in your body and mind.
Final Thoughts
Miley Cyrus’s story is a reminder that emotional healing is not just possible—it’s powerful. EMDR therapy continues to change lives by helping people process pain that words alone can’t always reach. Whether you're a public figure or a parent in Denver navigating emotional overload, EMDR offers a science-backed path toward peace.
If you're curious about EMDR, reach out to Denver Wellness Counseling, where the team consists of Certified EMDR therapists with advanced EMDR training. You can learn more about Denver Wellness Counseling and their approach to EMDR here.
You deserve healing. Healing is possible. You are not alone.
