EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization & Restructuring (EMDR) is a structured, research-backed approach that helps your nervous system finish processing experiences it got stuck on. Rather than talking through every detail of a difficult memory, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, guided eye movements, tapping, or sound, to help the brain do what it does naturally during healthy processing, but couldn't do at the time the original experience happened.
What is EMDR?
When something overwhelming happens, especially early in life or during a period when we had few resources to cope, the brain can store that experience in a way that keeps it emotionally "live." You might notice this as a memory that still feels raw no matter how much time has passed, or as a pattern, an anxious thought, a physical reaction, a way of relating, that traces back to something you can't quite name.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, research-backed approach that works directly with how these experiences are stored, rather than relying on talking through them alone. Using bilateral stimulation, guided eye movements, tapping, or sound, EMDR helps your brain do what it does naturally during healthy processing, but couldn't do at the time the original experience happened. Over a series of sessions, we identify the specific memories, beliefs, or patterns connected to what's keeping you stuck, and work through them until they feel resolved rather than raw.
Who is EMDR For?
I often recommend EMDR for clients dealing with:
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Past experiences that still feel emotionally charged
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Anxiety, fear, or panic that feels disproportionate to what’s happening in the present
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Relationship and attachment wounds, including rejection, abandonment, betrayal, or not feeling seen or valued
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Negative beliefs about yourself — such as “I’m not good enough,” “I don’t matter,” “I’m too much,” or “I’m not safe”
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Childhood experiences that continue to shape how you relate to yourself and others
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Perfectionism and performance-based self-worth
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People-pleasing or difficulty setting boundaries
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Specific distressing or traumatic experiences, including accidents, loss, medical experiences, or interpersonal trauma
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Triggers that create a strong emotional or physical reaction that can be difficult to understand or control
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Patterns you understand but haven’t been able to change through insight alone
How Can EMDR Help?
Many clients describe a shift that feels like the memory finally settling into the past where it belongs. As specific experiences get reprocessed, the patterns built around them, hypervigilance, self-doubt, difficulty trusting, often loosen as well, even without directly addressing them in conversation. The goal isn't to erase what happened, but to help your nervous system stop treating it as an ongoing threat.
What Does the Process Look Like?
EMDR follows a general structure, though the process isn't always linear, sessions are adapted based on what emerges as we go.
1
History-Taking & Preparation
We begin with several sessions focused on understanding your history and building the internal resources you'll draw on during reprocessing. This groundwork matters and isn't rushed.
2
Identifying a Target
Each EMDR session starts by identifying a specific target, a memory, belief, or felt sense, that we'll work with together.
3
Reprocessing
I guide you through sets of bilateral stimulation, which can include eye movements, tapping, or alternating noises, while you notice what comes up, thoughts, images, sensations, without needing to narrate everything out loud. We check in between sets throughout.
4
Grounding
Sessions typically end with a few minutes of grounding before you leave, so you're not walking out mid-process.
This structure is a guide, not a script. Some experiences resolve in a single pass through these steps, others take longer, or call for circling back to earlier steps as new material surfaces. I adjust the pace and approach to what you actually need in the room, not a fixed protocol.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to talk about what happened in detail?
No. Part of what makes EMDR different is that you don't need to narrate the experience in depth for it to be effectively processed.
How many sessions does EMDR usually take?
It varies significantly depending on what we're working on, some specific memories resolve in a handful of sessions, while more complex or longstanding patterns take longer. We'll discuss a realistic timeline once we understand what we're targeting.
Is EMDR only for a single traumatic event?
No, EMDR is also effective for cumulative or developmental experiences, patterns built over years rather than a single incident.
Will I lose the memory entirely?
No. The goal is for the memory to feel resolved and appropriately in the past, not to erase it.
