EMDR Therapy

Are you looking for a different approach to therapy that isn’t just about talking?

When you think about therapy, what image comes to mind? Maybe you pictured a person laying on a couch, sharing their life story while a therapist scribbles notes in a binder beside them. Maybe you imagined sitting across from a therapist in a cozy office, talking about techniques to cope with life struggles. Most of us, when we think about therapy, think about some form of talk therapy. Talk therapy is an important and helpful tool for many people, helping them work through the stress, challenges, and difficulties they face. However, there are other forms of therapy which can help individuals find hope and healing for their unique experiences and lives. EMDR is one of those alternative approaches to therapy.

What is EMDR?

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach that seeks to help you change the story you tell yourself about your traumatic or challenging experiences, allowing you to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress associated with those experiences. As you recall challenging memories and the emotions and thoughts that accompany that memory, an EMDR therapist uses bilateral stimulation to activate both the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Bilateral stimulation just means a sensation (eg. sight, sound, touch) that you can track from one side of the body to the other. Through this process, you are able to reprocess these traumatic experiences in a more positive way, ultimately enabling you to recall these memories with increased positive thoughts and emotions instead of the negative and painful thoughts and memories you previously experienced. EMDR is a dynamic approach, directed to meet your individual needs within sessions The entire process is client-centered, and it takes as long or as short as each client needs.  

Watch this video to learn more about how EMDR works!

Why should you choose EMDR?

EMDR is a great alternative to traditional talk therapy, particularly if you struggle to talk extensively about your experiences 

  1. EMDR therapy often takes fewer sessions than other methods to show positive changes 

  2. EMDR has been found, through significant research, to be effective at decreasing the negative effects of trauma

  3. In fact, many organizations (including the American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization) recognize EMDR as the best treatment for PTSD and other trauma-related disorders 

  4. EMDR is client-centered, meaning your feelings, ideas, experiences, and values are central to the therapy process

What presenting problems/issues is EMDR used for? 

  • Traumatic or challenging life experiences 

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD

  • Anxiety disorders

  • Grief, particularly from the loss of a loved one or from line-of-duty deaths

  • & More, Just ask!







    Is EMDR Right for you?

    As is the case with any approach, EMDR isn’t ideal for everyone! You and your therapist will discuss if EMDR is the right choice for you. Keep in mind, EMDR is mostly used in tandem with other approaches and with talk therapy – so not every session will directly involve the EMDR process.

EMDR therapy follows 8 distinct stages. If you are interested in learning more about what EMDR looks like in practice, check out this video to see two EMDR therapists conduct and debrief a mock EMDR session. 

What does an EMDR Session Look Like?

  • During the first session(s) of EMDR therapy, the therapist will gather information about you and your experiences and work with you to determine the target memories to use for EMDR processing. They will also assess your readiness to begin the process, taking your thoughts into account.

  • Together, you and your therapist will ensure that you have an arsenal of coping techniques to deal with emotional distress both within and between sessions.

  • You will be asked to identify a specific image of the target (this can be a distressing memory, the related emotions, and/or a negative view about the self) and a positive belief you would like to hold about that target. You will be asked to rate each statement based on how accurate you feel they are.

  • You will be asked to focus on the target image while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation. You will be asked to state what thoughts, images, ideas, or emotions come up spontaneously for you. This then becomes the next focus, and the process is repeated. If you become distressed or dysregulated throughout this process, you will utilize the predetermined coping strategies with your therapist’s support.

  • Once you no longer report any distress related to the target, you will again be asked to recall the positive belief you identified at the start of the session and rate how accurate you feel it is. Then, the bilateral stimulation is repeated with the positive belief in mind until you feel that the positive memory is accurate or true.

  • The therapist brings the target event back into focus, asking you to pay attention to any tension or stress that comes up. If you notice tension in your body, that tension becomes the target of further desensitization.

  • At the end of each session, the therapist works with you to ensure you feel better than when you first arrived that day. You may utilize your coping skills again at this point. The therapist also explains what you can expect between sessions, how to record these experiences in a journal, and what techniques can help you self-soothe.

  • At the beginning of each subsequent session, you and your therapist will together review the treatment plan, noting any progress that has been made.

Extra EMDR Resources

Still have questions? Not sure? Reach out! We’re happy to help.