MY SPECIALTIES
EMDR Therapy
What Is EMDR Therapy?
Is there a painful experience that left an emotional scar on your life? Do you ever wonder if this event is connected to your current mental health challenges? Maybe you’ve felt anxious, depressed, or unfulfilled without knowing why. You might have trouble feeling present in your life, as if you’re detached from yourself, your loved ones, and the world around you. You may also struggle to feel secure in relationships, resorting to people-pleasing and refusing to stand up for yourself.
EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based approach to therapy that helps people process and resolve traumatic or difficult experiences. In simple terms, EMDR helps the brain “digest” painful memories so that they no longer cause intense emotional reactions or distress.
Think of a painful memory like a splinter stuck in your mind. Every time something reminds you of it, it hurts again. EMDR uses a combination of talk therapy and guided eye movements (or other forms of bilateral stimulation, like sounds or taps) to help your brain naturally heal so that the memory is no longer painful. This way, you can recall what happened without feeling anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed.
In my practice, I combine EMDR therapy with a therapeutic approach called the Flash Technique, which focuses on a positive distraction or memory as you reprocess painful memories. Through a combination of these trauma treatments, the upsetting events start to fade away and a positive perspective takes their place.
Have any questions? Send me a message!
How Effective Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is a widely regarded and evidenced based type of psychotherapy. It is well known for its effectiveness in treating symptoms related to PTSD, such as flashbacks, panic attacks, and intrusive painful memories, but you don’t need to have PTSD to benefit from this work, as it can help with virtually any mental health issue. Research shows that many people experience significant relief from distress after fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy. In fact, according to many studies, roughly 77 to 90 percent of trauma survivors have no more PTSD after just three to six sessions of EMDR therapy.*
Part of what makes EMDR so powerful is that it transcends the need to “explain” painful experiences and emotional states. It can be simply too painful to recall every aspect of a painful memory. You may also have blocked out the details so that recalling the memory isn't possible. EMDR therapy doesn’t require you to talk extensively about your past. Instead, you briefly bring up the memory while focusing on eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation. The stimulation exercises essentially do the work for you, helping your brain digest your memories on a subconscious level and getting to the root cause of trauma rather than merely addressing symptoms.
How Does EMDR Treatment Work?
EMDR therapy follows a very structured and intentional process. It isn’t a matter of checking in each week to talk about how your week went—instead, we’re using an evidence-based treatment method to dive deep into the roots of your trauma and initiate lasting healing and relief. That said, I always integrate EMDR into the larger context of psychotherapy—it is part of my therapeutic approach, but there is still room for other modalities depending on your needs.
The first stage of EMDR therapy is the resourcing phase, which is all about equipping you with skills and resources so that you are prepared for the trauma-reprocessing work. During this stage, you’ll gain strategies for maintaining present-moment awareness, self-compassion, and emotional regulation. We will work on soothing your nervous system so that the pain points of your trauma are not activated throughout treatment.
Once you are sufficiently resourced, we can begin the bilateral stimulation work of EMDR therapy. I will ask you to focus on a target memory from your traumatic experience and then lead you through a series of guided eye movements or auditory exercises. We will continue performing these exercises until the emotional charge associated with your trauma is significantly reduced or eliminated.
As we work through the EMDR process, I will also utilize the Flash Technique, which is a type of trauma treatment that was specifically designed to accommodate EMDR. The goal of the Flash Technique is to help you focus on memories or activities that are positive, nurturing, and uplifting as you work through the pain of the past. This way, you can distract yourself from your emotional distress and process your memories without feeling overwhelmed.
How Can EMDR Therapy Benefit Your Life?
EMDR and the Flash Technique offer a unique, body-and-brain-based approach that can break through barriers where traditional counseling may get stuck, especially for those dealing with deeply embedded trauma or emotional pain. Root causes are addressed, not just symptoms, which leads to lasting resolution. Memories that were once painful to recall can be properly digested and integrated into your life, enabling you to truly live in the present instead of the past.
Below are some of the practical ways that EMDR therapy can positively impact your life:
Improved mood and well-being—Many clients notice improvements in their mood and report feeling lighter, more positive, and less weighed down by negative feelings or memories.
Better sleep—People with trauma and anxiety often struggle with sleep difficulties and nightmares. After completing EMDR therapy, it’s common for clients to experience longer and more restful sleep.
Less stress and anxiety—EMDR therapy helps calm the nervous system, enabling clients to feel less anxious in situations that used to overwhelm them and empowering them to handle stress without feeling triggered by past experiences.
Greater confidence and self-esteem—One of the hallmarks of trauma is that it often goes hand in hand with negative beliefs like “I’m not good enough” or “I’m not worthy of love and acceptance.” EMDR therapy heals the emotional wounds that lead to these beliefs, allowing clients to feel more confident and secure in their own skin.
Free Yourself From The Pain Of The Past Through The Power Of EMDR
In the decades that I have practiced, it has become more and more apparent to me that the challenges my clients face in the present are rooted in the past. Trauma research has made massive strides in the past ten years, and we now know that healing isn't a wholly cognitive experience.
You can't "think" your way out of trauma—you need something deeper, something that works with the subconscious and engages both your mind AND body. That’s why I’ve been using EMDR therapy in my practice since 2017. More recently, I started incorporating the Flash Technique into my trauma work. I’ve found that mixing these two approaches is very helpful for clients looking to put trauma in the rearview mirror. If you want to experience the benefits of EMDR and the Flash Technique for yourself, I invite you to book a complimentary consultation call (phone or zoom).
*What is EMDR? - EMDR Institute - EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING THERAPY
Rediscover Peace and Healing with EMDR Therapy
If you're ready to feel lighter, more present, and empowered, book a free consultation today. Let’s explore how EMDR therapy can help you live a life of peace and possibility.
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