Patrick Clancy Describes 'Miracle' Therapy for Trauma of Losing Children
The father of three, whose ex-wife is accused of their murder, found EMDR therapy to be profoundly helpful.
Patrick Clancy, father of three children allegedly murdered by his ex-wife, described a trauma-focused psychotherapy called EMDR as a "like a miracle" for helping him cope with the overwhelming grief and trauma.
In extended clips from a "60 Minutes" interview, Clancy, 36, stated that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy enabled him to confront his experiences directly. "It’s unpleasant but they get you used to dealing with that," Clancy said. "And, eventually, you’re better at processing it... After I did it — all of those sessions — the waking up screaming, the horrible dreams, they mostly stopped. I mean, it was like a miracle."
Clancy spoke publicly for the first time since his ex-wife, Lindsay Clancy, went to trial for allegedly killing their children—Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and 8-month-old Callan—at their Duxbury, Massachusetts, home on January 24, 2023.
He told CBS correspondent Ross Douthat that the "traumatic" memories of the event could be "overwhelming." He reiterated that EMDR was the most beneficial treatment, explaining, "It’s a little unusual. They put you right back in that place that you’ve been trying to avoid for years and you face it head-on."
EMDR therapy is a type of psychotherapy that utilizes bilateral stimulation, often in the form of eye movements, to aid patients in healing from psychological trauma. According to the EMDR Institute, successful treatment transforms distressing events and trauma on an emotional level, allowing individuals to shift from negative emotional states to a belief in their own resilience.
The therapy typically involves an eight-phase process. This includes selecting a memory to process, developing coping skills, identifying associated emotions and beliefs, and then reducing distress through bilateral stimulation. Negative beliefs tied to the memory are replaced with positive ones, and the session concludes with ensuring the patient is in a calm state.
During EMDR sessions, patients focus on a traumatic memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as following a therapist's finger movements with their eyes or listening to alternating sounds. This process is theorized to help patients process traumatic memories without becoming overwhelmed, allowing their brains to store the memories differently and reducing their emotional intensity.
EMDR is most commonly used to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but is also applied to anxiety, depression, panic disorders, and addiction.
The duration of EMDR treatment varies by individual, with some experiencing improvement in a few sessions and others requiring longer periods.
The efficacy of EMDR therapy is supported by numerous major organizations, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense, the American Psychological Association, and the World Health Organization. Research, including a 2025 systematic review of 17 studies and a 2023 meta-analysis, has found that EMDR can significantly reduce PTSD symptoms.
Several public figures have openly discussed their use of EMDR, including Prince Harry, who featured it in the Apple TV+ series "The Me You Can't See." Actress Valerie Bertinelli shared in 2025 that the therapy helped her cope with trauma, stating it allowed her to navigate difficult situations without being retraumatized. Miley Cyrus also described EMDR as "so helpful" for deleting painful memory associations. Other celebrities who have spoken about the benefits of EMDR include Sandra Bullock, Jameela Jamil, Evan Rachel Wood, Whitney Cummings, and Paris Jackson.