EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s an evidence-based therapy developed in the late 1980s to help people heal from trauma. I like to describe it as a powerful tool used to help our traumas heal by targeting stuck experiences in the body, and helping them move through.
Why memories get stuck
When something overwhelming happens, the brain doesn’t always get the chance to file the memory away. Instead, it can stay raw, so that a sound, a smell, or a tone of voice brings the old feelings rushing back as if it were happening now. EMDR helps the brain finish processing those memories so they feel more like the past.
We don’t start with the hard stuff
EMDR follows a structured series of phases. The first ones are all about getting to know you and building resources: ways to calm your nervous system, a sense of safety in the room, and tools you can use between sessions. We only move toward processing memories once you feel ready.
What happens during processing
When we do begin, I’ll guide you to briefly bring up part of a memory while you follow bilateral stimulation. That might be moving your eyes side to side, gentle alternating taps, or tones in each ear. You stay awake, aware, and in control the whole time, and we can pause whenever you need to.
People notice different things: images shifting, emotions rising and settling, sensations moving through the body, or new thoughts coming up. Sometimes not much seems to happen at all, and that’s okay too.
After a session
We always leave time to settle before you go. It’s common to feel tired or reflective afterward, and processing can continue for a little while. We’ll talk about ways to care for yourself between sessions.
Is EMDR right for me?
EMDR can help with single traumatic events as well as long-term or childhood trauma, anxiety, and more. The best way to find out is to talk it through. That’s what the free consultation is for.
