EMDR Therapy

How Can Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy Change Your Life?

You’ve tried traditional therapy. You’ve talked it through, reflected, journaled, and tried every self-help strategy in the book. But somehow, the pain still lingers—memories and images flashing through your mind when you least expect it, making it hard to connect with others, or sapping the energy and joy from your days. You may even feel like healing just isn’t in the cards for you.

But what if your mind and body simply need a different kind of support—one that doesn’t rely on willpower or years of analysis but, instead, works with your brain’s natural wiring to help it heal?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured, evidence-based treatment model that helps people find lasting relief from trauma, anxiety, loss, and more. If you’ve been feeling stuck—especially after traditional therapy hasn’t worked—EMDR may offer the breakthrough you’ve been looking for.

Book A Consult

Understanding How Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing Works

EMDR doesn’t require you to relive your trauma or explain everything in detail. Instead, it uses bilateral stimulation—like guided eye movements or rhythmic tapping—to help your brain process thoughts, memories, and experiences that may be trapped in your nervous system.
Imagine a painful memory like a splinter. Left alone, it festers. But once you gently remove the splinter, the body knows how to repair itself. EMDR helps dislodge that emotional splinter, allowing the nervous system to return to a state of balance and calm, allowing the brain to do the work of healing itself.
This process, sometimes referred to as "reprocessing," helps the brain sort out what happened, keep what’s useful, and discard what causes distress. Over time, the emotional charge of the memory softens, and the story loses its grip on your day-to-day life.

What Happens During An EMDR Counseling Session?

At the beginning, we’ll spend time getting to know you—your story, strengths, challenges, and goals. Trust and safety are essential, and we won’t move forward until you feel grounded and supported.

When you’re ready, we’ll identify a few key memories, thoughts, or physical sensations you want to work on. Some people come in to tackle one issue that is weighing them down. Others have a whole life history that needs to be unpacked. So each person is different, but we usually look at three to five areas where clients want support.

A woman at the end of the bed looking worried

From there, we’ll explore different types of bilateral stimulation (BLS), such as:

Side-to-side eye movements
Handheld pulsers
Rhythmic audio tones
Self-tapping

Once we’ve found what works best for you, you’ll focus on a selected memory while tracking the associated thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. With each set of BLS, your brain begins to process what was once stuck or even hidden. Although the memory won’t disappear, you’ll find that it no longer has the same emotional sting and power to control your life.

How Is EMDR Therapy Different from Hypnosis?

With EMDR, you’re fully awake, alert, and aware throughout the entire session. You stay in control, deciding what to share and how fast to go. The goal isn’t to enter a trance but to allow your brain space to do the work it couldn’t do in the past.

Think of it more like a guided healing process—one where you can hit pause, ask questions, and remain anchored in the present while clearing away what no longer serves you.

Will I Need To Practice EMDR Techniques Between Sessions?

Not unless you want to. While EMDR treatment doesn’t require homework, we may offer simple tools to help you stay grounded between sessions—like breathing exercises, visualization, or gentle tapping techniques. These are optional but can be helpful for regulating your nervous system and supporting your progress.

And if you skip them? That’s okay. EMDR will still work.

What Issues Can Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing Address?

Originally developed for trauma and PTSD, EMDR has proven effective in treating many emotional and psychological challenges, including:

PTSD/ trauma, flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts
Specific phobias (such as fear of flying, driving, or snakes)
Chronic stress, anxiety disorders, grief, loss, and depression
Addictions and compulsive behaviors (including social media, gambling, and shopping)
Chronic pain, eating disorders, and performance anxiety
Vicarious trauma, emotional abuse, or bullying

If you’ve felt stuck—like talk therapy hasn’t gone deep enough—Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy may offer the relief you need.

Is Online EMDR Counseling Effective?

Yes! EMDR counseling can be just as effective online as it is in person. Many clients even find virtual sessions more comfortable and convenient. You can relax in your own space without the hassle of commuting—and we’ve found creative, effective ways to offer bilateral stimulation through video sessions.

Remote or in-person, the healing process remains the same.

Book a Consultation

What Should I Know About EMDR Side Effects?

EMDR is considered very safe. However, some people experience temporary emotional waves or physical sensations—like increased awareness or a bit of lightheadedness—early in the process. These experiences tend to settle as your brain and body process the memories and emotions, reorganizing them in a healthier, more adaptive way.

To make sure you feel supported, we’ll first teach you practical coping skills like deep breathing, grounding exercises, visualization, and touch-based tools or movements that help soothe the nervous system. These tools help you manage any emotions that arise during or after a session—and they often become resources you carry with you long after therapy ends.

Is It Safe To Try Rapid Eye Movement Therapy On My Own?

You can try some at-home techniques like “butterfly tapping” or using wearable tools like TouchPoints to help soothe strong emotions between sessions. But full EMDR treatment is best done with the guidance of an experienced EMDR counselor.

Sometimes, a memory can loop—like a carousel you can’t step off. A trained EMDR therapist can help you interrupt that loop and move forward, safely and effectively. Trying to make sense of your pain and heal in a supportive, non-judgmental environment often leads to deeper, more lasting results than going it alone.

Could Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing Be Right For You?

If you’ve been caught in a storm of emotions, or you’ve been numb for so long you can’t remember what it’s like to feel alive—this therapy may help. EMDR doesn’t just mask symptoms; it targets the root of the distress and helps you clear it away.

You may already know the story of what happened to you, or you’re carrying an unknown burden hidden even from yourself. Whatever your situation is, EMDR can help your body and brain finally let go of the emotional weight it’s been holding. Many clients feel lasting relief after just a handful of sessions.

Let EMDR Therapy Help You Discover A New Way Of Living

Stress and trauma don’t have to keep calling the shots in your life. You don’t have to keep white-knuckling your way through each day or pretending you’re fine.

With Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, you can reclaim your sense of peace. You can live with less fear, less heaviness, and more clarity. You deserve a life where the past no longer has the final say.

Whether in person or online, our EMDR therapists are here to walk beside you as you move toward healing, wholeness, and freedom.