EMDR Therapy

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. EMDR therapy is an eight-phase treatment. While briefly holding a distressing memory or negative self-concept in mind, the client engages in bilateral stimulation (tracked eye movements, rhythmic tapping, or alternating audio tones).

In contrast to talk therapy, EMDR therapy enables clients to gain insights primarily through their own accelerated intellectual and emotional processes, rather than through the clinician’s interpretation. As a result, clients complete EMDR therapy feeling empowered by the very experiences that once diminished them. Instead of simply healing, their wounds are transformed. Through the EMDR process, clients’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors become strong indicators of emotional health and resolution—achieved without the need for detailed discussion or homework typical of other therapies.

As with any form of psychotherapy, there may be a temporary increase in distress.

1. distressing and unresolved memories may emerge

2. some clients may experience reactions during a treatment session that neither they nor the administrating clinician may have anticipated, including a high level of emotion or physical sensation

3. subsequent to the treatment session, the processing of incidents/material may continue, and other dreams, memories, feelings, etc., may emerge.

Absolutely. In fact, I encourage it. Some days, you may come to your session wanting to just talk. Even if you have established care to work exclusively with EMDR, I will always begin our session with the question, “What are we working on today?”

EMDR does not erase memories. You will still remember what happened, but the memory becomes detached from the painful, immediate emotional and physical reactions that once accompanied it. The event is shifted from feeling like it is happening right now to simply being an event that occurred in the past.

No. EMDR is NOT the same as hypnosis. Although both approaches engage memory and the subconscious, EMDR is a structured and active process in which clients remain fully alert, aware, and in control.

60 minutes | $100

90 minutes | $145

Please visit https://www.emdr.com to learn more information.