Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach that helps individuals process and heal from past traumas, distressing memories, and negative experiences. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR uses guided eye movements or other bilateral stimulation techniques within a structured eight-phase process to help the brain reprocess memories, reducing their emotional impact and promoting healing.

While especially effective for trauma, EMDR also supports anxiety, depression, phobias, and other emotional challenges. It recognizes the connection between mind and body, working to integrate emotional experiences so you can move forward with greater clarity, peace, and resilience. We recommend scheduling EMDR sessions at least once a week during active treatment to maintain momentum, support steady progress, and allow for effective integration between sessions.

For more information on EMDR and its clinical research, you can visit the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).

In this initial phase of EMDR we’ll work together to gently identify experiences, memories, or patterns that continue to carry emotional weight or distress. This process is collaborative and paced to ensure you feel safe, supported, and not overwhelmed. With your direction and your clinician’s guidance, we’ll gather just enough information to begin mapping out areas that may become targets in our EMDR work. This co-created plan honors your goals and readiness, laying the groundwork for a meaningful and contained healing process.

During the preparation phase, we’ll work together to build a strong, trusting relationship that helps you feel safe and supported throughout the EMDR process. Your clinician will introduce a variety of grounding techniques and coping strategies for us to explore together. You are encouraged to take what feels helpful and leave what doesn’t, so we can tailor your healing journey to your unique needs. This collaborative approach ensures you feel equipped to manage any difficult emotions that may arise during sessions.

In this phase, we’ll work together to identify specific distressing images from your memories and the negative beliefs connected to them. We’ll explore the emotions and physical sensations you notice, using body scans to stay grounded and connected to your experience. We’ll also collaborate on finding positive beliefs you want to build to replace the negative ones. Throughout, you’ll share how intense your distress feels using Subjective Units of Distress (SUDs), which helps us pace the work in a way that feels safe and manageable for you.

This phase is often what people think of when they hear about EMDR. Through bilateral stimulation - such as eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones - we’ll help your brain process and reframe these memories. This can reduce the emotional charge they carry, making it easier for you to feel grounded and less activated when those memories come up.

Once the distress from difficult memories has lessened, we’ll work together to strengthen positive beliefs and feelings connected to those memories. For example, if feelings of inadequacy have shifted, we might focus on building beliefs like “I am worthy” or “I am capable” that feel true and empowering to you.

In this phase, we’ll gently check in with your body to notice any leftover tension or physical sensations connected to the memory. Even when the mind has shifted, the body can hold onto feelings and memories. By tuning into these sensations together, we support continued processing, allowing the distress linked to body sensations to lessen and helping your body feel more connected and integrated with the changes happening in your mind.

The closure phase helps you return to a state of regulation, setting aside the material we’ve worked on during the EMDR session. At the end of each session, we’ll use techniques to help you feel grounded and centered, so you leave feeling steady and ready to continue with your day, even after exploring difficult memories.

In follow-up sessions, the reevaluation phase is where we check in together to see how your mind and body are feeling after the previous EMDR session. This helps us understand how your brain is processing the work we’re doing. You’ll be encouraged to notice and jot down any thoughts or sensations that come up between sessions, as much of the healing happens during this time. We’ll use what you share to guide the next steps of your EMDR journey toward feeling less distress and more whole.

Our practice believes EMDR is most effective when combined with a relational approach. In our sessions, we’ll take time to understand your experiences and how they’ve shaped your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. We’re here to support you with compassion as we move through the process together, always respecting your pace and emotional needs. You’re encouraged to ask questions anytime—your comfort and understanding are key to making EMDR most helpful.

We also integrate other therapeutic methods as needed to support your mind, body, and emotions in a holistic way. Throughout, you remain in control, and we’ll move at a pace that feels right for you.

For those looking for a more focused and intensive approach, we offer 90-minute sessions dedicated to EMDR work. These longer sessions provide extra time for processing complex memories and emotions in a more concentrated way.

If you're ready to explore how EMDR can help you process past experiences and move toward emotional healing, we're here to guide and support you every step of the way.

For more information on EMDR, you can visit EMDRIA.