EMDR Treatment of Trauma-Related Recurrent Nightmares: A Case Report
Ekin Deniz Gümüştaş
Turkish Journal of Traumatic Stress January 31, 2026 DOI: 10.63175/tjts.58 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 31-year-old male with recurring nightmares linked to adverse adolescent experiences in a military high school |
| Duration | Three weekly sessions, with three-month follow-up |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Distressing Arousal Desensitization medicine Psychotherapist Clinical psychology Sleep disorder Adverse effect |
| Key findings | EMDR therapy reduced trauma-related emotional distress and eliminated nightmare frequency within one week, with remission maintained at three-month follow-up. |
Abstract
Recurrent nightmares are a distressing manifestation of trauma-related disorders and can persist even in the absence of full post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This case report describes the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment of a 31-year-old male presenting with a recurring nightmare involving an identical scenario. The nightmare was characterized by intense fear, helplessness, and autonomic arousal and was linked to adverse adolescent experiences in a military high school. Although the patient did not meet full DSM-5-TR criteria for PTSD, the nightmares were conceptualized as a trauma-related sleep disturbance within the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) framework. EMDR therapy was delivered using the standard eight-phase protocol across three weekly sessions with bilateral eye movements. Trauma-related emotional distress associated with the targeted memories and nightmares was substantially reduced following treatment. Nightmare frequency markedly decreased within one week and ceased entirely thereafter, with symptom remission maintained at three-month follow-up. This case highlights the potential utility of EMDR in treating isolated trauma-related nightmares rooted in adolescent experiences.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming as a Learnable Skill: A Case Study The author | 1980 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Lucid Dreaming as a Treatment for Recurrent Nightmares People with recurrent nightmares | 2010 | Case study | n = 5 |
| Treating Chronic Nightmares of Sexual Assault Survivors with an Intellectual Disability – Two Descriptive Case Studies Adults with learning disabilities suffering from post-traumatic nightmares | 2006 | Case study | n = 2 |
| Lucid dreaming: Correspondence between dreamed and actual events in one subject during rem sleep A lucid dreamer | 1984 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Lucid dreaming treatment for nightmares: A series of cases. Participants with nightmares | 2003 | Case series | n = 8 |