EMDR Therapy for Fear of Death
Fear of death - also known as thanatophobia - is one of my favourite things to work on, because reducing or banishing it has such a measurable impact on people’s lives, and because the therapy approach I take - EMDR - is so effective for it.
If you’re living with fear of death – technically known as thanatophobia – you might be experiencing some of these things:
Spikes of dread, perhaps multiple times a day, when you think of you or others dying.
Feeling triggered by things related to death – casualty, funerals, symptoms of illness in yourself or others.
Panic attacks at the thought of you or others dying.
A constant sense of time running out.
Intrusive thoughts even when you’re having a good time – often along the lines of “we’ll all be dead one day.”
Nighttime anxiety or difficulty falling asleep.
Intrusive images or “what if” thoughts that won’t switch off.
Terror of not knowing what happens after we die.
You might feel like fear of death is ruining your life.
If any of this chimes with you, you’re in the right place. Using EMDR, we can work together to stop your fear of death derailing your days.
I’m currently operating a waitlist but expect spaces to open November 2025. If you’d like to do this work and be added to the waitlist, let’s talk. I offer a free 20-minute introductory call.
How EMDR Helps with Fear of Death
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer feel overwhelming. EMDR works on the root of the fear, so you no longer feel triggered or stuck in the same reactions.
Fear of death often links back to moments that got “stuck” – a health scare, losing someone close, or even the first time you realised death was inevitable. These memories stay raw, and your nervous system keeps reacting as if the danger is happening right now.
Here’s what happens in EMDR:
We identify the key memories, triggers, or beliefs fuelling the fear.
We use bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, or sounds) to help your brain reprocess them.
The panic, images, and intrusive thoughts then lose their grip.
People who’ve done this work with me often describe feeling freer. Panic attacks that once came five times a day stop altogether, or shrink to the odd passing thought that no longer derails them. Death may still cross their mind – but without the same fear, they can get on with living.
All my EMDR sessions are online. I’ve found that EMDR works brilliantly this way, and it enables me to work with people in any location.
What causes fear of death?
One of the challenges of working with fear of death is that it’s not irrational. Everyone fears death, to some extent. Most people cope with a healthy dose of denial and accepting it’s out of their control. They can recognise the fear, put it aside and get on with living.
For others, it doesn’t stay in the background. It feels live almost all the time. Instead of brushing it off, thoughts about death keep intruding – sparking dread, panic, or a constant sense of time running out.
Fear of death doesn’t come from nowhere. It usually has roots in difficult experiences that have left their mark, such as:
The death of someone close – perhaps a grandparent, parent, or friend – which felt overwhelming or traumatic.
Health scares or hospital stays that left your body feeling unsafe.
Big life changes – like becoming a parent or facing illness – that bring mortality into sharper focus.
Early moments of realising your own mortality without enough support to make sense of it.
When these memories remain unprocessed, they sit in the brain as if they just happened. And because the brain is a pattern-matching machine – but with slightly bad eyesight – it thinks, “this is the same as before!” A passing thought about death today, or even seeing someone die on TV, can then unleash all the same bodily sensations you had back then – panic, dread, tight chest, racing heart.
Your next step
If this chimes with you and you’d like to tackle your fear of death, I’d love to hear from you. I expect to open up availability in November 2025: if these timings work for you, contact me for a free introductory call.