EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a safe, structured, evidence-based therapy designed to help people heal from traumatic or distressing life experiences. EMDR is grounded in the understanding that traumatic experiences from past events are stored in the brain in a fragmented form and therefore, often continues to affect how we think, feel, and respond in the present. EMDR helps the brain reprocess these trauma memories in a cohesive way that allows for resolution and emotional healing.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require clients to go into detailed descriptions of their trauma. Instead, it uses bilateral stimulation - typically eye movements, taps, or sounds - to activate the brain’s natural healing processes. Over time, this helps reduce the emotional charge of distressing memories and allows clients to develop more adaptive beliefs about themselves and their experiences. The reduction in emotional charge has a direct effect on the nervous system – a nervous system which is not constantly in fight or flight mode translates to reduced stress and anxiety, improved emotional regulation and overall health and wellness.
What EMDR Treats
EMDR is best known for its effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it is also highly effective for a range of other issues, including:
-
Anxiety and Panic Attacks Depression
-
Phobias Grief and Loss
-
Chronic Pain Low Self-Esteem
-
Performance Anxiety Emotional or Relational Trauma
EMDR can be particularly helpful for individuals who feel “stuck” or overwhelmed by experiences that seem to resurface repeatedly, even after engaging in other forms of therapy.
Our Approach to EMDR
Building a strong, trusting therapeutic relationship with our clients is essential. Early sessions focus on a thorough assessment, resourcing, stabilization, and helping clients develop internal tools for emotional regulation so they feel safe, prepared, and contained. In the reprocessing phase, the client focuses on a specific disturbing memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation. The therapist’s role is to guide the client through the memory as new insights, emotions, and associations arise, helping the brain reprocess the experience in a healthier way.
Throughout the process, the therapist ensures that the client remains grounded and in control of their process. Sessions are paced according to the client’s readiness, and the overall experience is collaborative, compassionate, and attuned. Clients often report that the painful emotions connected to a memory fade, allowing them to move forward with greater confidence, clarity, and emotional freedom. A hallmark of trauma is that to survive our experience, we may develop coping strategies that separate us from our body. EMDR incorporates a somatic component, in that clients will learn to recognize the unique way in which emotions show up in their body and develop a feeling of safety in their body, allowing for a more holistic lived experience.
To ensure an emotionally safe environment in which the client is sufficiently prepared at the beginning of a reprocessing session and contained at the end of the session, our EMDR sessions last 80 minutes. These extended sessions also allow us more time to process the memory to completion. EMDR sessions can take place online, although in-person sessions are preferable. EMDR sessions can only be booked by clinicians, so please connect with your clinician about making these appointments.