EMDR Therapy
Overcoming painful experiences through gentle back-and-forth rhythm
Who this work is for
You can’t seem to get the images, thoughts, smells, or sensations of something you experienced or witnessed out of your mind.
You’ve talked about something for years but it still holds a charge when you remember it.
Beliefs like "I'm too much" or "it was my fault" feel true, even when you want to believe otherwise.
You live with panic, nightmares, or a strong startle response.
Maybe you can tell the story calmly, but inside you are feeling it as if it’s still happening.
What EMDR therapy is
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a highly researched therapy that helps the mind and body finish working through experiences that got stuck.
While you hold a memory in your mind, we use a gentle back-and-forth rhythm through sounds, light, small handheld buzzers, or tapping. This reduces the charge of a particular memory or event and helps your brain reorganize the content and safely file it away in the past.
EMDR is recommended by the World Health Organization for post-traumatic stress, and it's used around the world for trauma, anxiety, and the painful beliefs we’re left with after overwhelming experiences.
Three ways to work together
Ongoing therapy.
EMDR woven into deeper work alongside Somatic Experiencing and relational therapy. Often the best fit when the pain comes from childhood or years of smaller hurts.
A focused course.
A shorter stretch of sessions centered on one memory, fear, or event. Often the best fit when life is mostly steady but something specific keeps pulling you back.
Alongside your current therapist.
If you already have a therapist you trust, you can stay with them and see me just for EMDR. With your permission, I'm glad to coordinate with them.
Whichever path you choose, I pay close attention to your nervous system throughout, and we move at a pace you can handle. We may slow things down or adjust the approach based on how you respond. EMDR can be done effectively both in-office and virtually via telehealth.
FAQs
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You can keep the details of your experience private and still benefit from EMDR. I'll check in briefly about what you're noticing, but you never have to tell the full story.
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While EMDR is considered safe and effective, everyone's system responds differently. An essential part of EMDR treatment is making sure you feel safe and well resourced before reprocessing any difficult material. Some clients feel tired after sessions or have difficulty staying focused, and memories, feelings, or dreams can sometimes surface between sessions. If it ever feels like too much, we slow the process down.
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While I can never accurately predict or guarantee the length or outcome of any treatment, a focused course may take only a handful of sessions. Patterns that started in childhood usually take longer. My goal is always to go at a pace that is safe for your system, and we check in about that as we go.
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EMDR helps stuck memories settle. Somatic Experiencing helps your body release what it's been holding. I will often use SE alongside EMDR so that your body has extra support as we work through difficult memories.
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I completed EMDR basic training through the Institute for Creative Mindfulness, an EMDRIA-approved program, and I'm in ongoing consultation toward EMDR certification.
Ready to let the past be the past?
Book a free 20-minute consultation call and we’ll chat to see how EMDR can help you.