If you've ever experienced trauma, anxiety, or distressing memories that feel “stuck,” you're not alone—and there’s a powerful therapy that might help. It’s called EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. While it may sound a bit futuristic, it’s a well-researched and effective treatment approach that has helped millions of people worldwide.
EMDR is a type of psychotherapy designed to help people heal from the emotional distress caused by traumatic or upsetting life experiences. Developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (usually side-to-side eye movements, tapping, or sound) while the client recalls painful memories.
The goal? To help your brain reprocess those memories in a way that reduces their emotional charge and helps you integrate them more adaptively.
When you go through something overwhelming, your brain sometimes doesn’t process the experience the way it normally would. Instead, it gets "stuck," leaving the memory unprocessed. This can lead to ongoing symptoms like flashbacks, anxiety, nightmares, or emotional numbness.
EMDR helps "unstick" those memories by using a structured 8-phase approach:
History & Treatment Planning
Preparation (learning coping skills and building trust)
Assessment (identifying the target memory)
Desensitization (reducing the emotional charge of the memory)
Installation (reinforcing a positive belief)
Body Scan (checking for lingering physical tension)
Closure (ending the session in a safe way)
Reevaluation (assessing progress in future sessions)
During the desensitization phase, the therapist will guide you to recall a distressing memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation. This dual attention—focusing on the memory while attending to an external rhythm—seems to help the brain digest the experience, just as it might during REM sleep.
While EMDR is most widely known for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), research has shown it can also be effective for:
Anxiety and panic attacks
Phobias
Depression
Grief and loss
Chronic pain
Performance anxiety
Sexual assault
Childhood trauma
Attachment wounds
Many clients describe EMDR as intense, but not overwhelming. You’re not required to talk through every detail of your trauma—instead, the focus is on how your body and brain are storing the memory. After sessions, many people report feeling lighter, less reactive, and more emotionally grounded.
EMDR isn’t a quick fix, and it’s not right for everyone—but for many people, it offers relief when other therapies haven't worked. If you’ve been feeling stuck in old patterns or haunted by painful memories, EMDR might help you finally move forward.
At our practice, we offer EMDR with trained clinicians in a safe, supportive environment. If you’re curious whether this approach could be a good fit for your healing journey, reach out—we’d love to talk more about how EMDR works and what to expect.
Call to Action:
Interested in learning more about EMDR or booking a consultation? Contact us today to explore if EMDR therapy might be right for you.