EMDR Therapy

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy is an evidence-based treatment for trauma and complex trauma. EMDR Therapy is considered the gold standard for treating PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) symptoms and C-PTSD (complex-post traumatic stress disorder) symptoms. The EM, or Eye Movement, letters of the treatment name refer to BLS (bilateral stimulation), the process of activating both the left and right side of the mind-body during an EMDR session. When the treatment was first invented in 1987 by Dr. Francine Shapiro, eye movement was the first form of BLS used, hence the name Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy. Since 1987, countless research studies have proven the efficacy of incorporating other forms of BLS, like tactile and auditory stimulation, in the successful treatment of trauma using EMDR Therapy.

Because trauma memory is stored differently than ordinary memory, talk therapy is often not enough to treat unresolved trauma. Research has shown that EMDR is extremely effective in healing trauma and complex trauma by clearing the charge from traumatic thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations associated with traumatic events, while integrating new cognitive information so that a broader, more complex understanding of the experiences may emerge. This might feel like puzzle pieces coming together to form a complete picture, or it might seem as if you are viewing the scene from above, with all the parts there.

In EMDR Therapy sessions I use a technique called BLS (bilateral stimulation) along with talk therapy in the treatment of trauma; during an EMDR Therapy session, I will use guided language to prompt you to focus on a “target” related to your traumatic symptoms so that the part of your brain, or memory network, where the memory or experience is stored is activated. After activation alternating eye movements or another form of BLS is added; this process enables you to connect to and draw on information allowing new insight and understanding. Each set of BLS further unlocks the disturbing memory and accelerates its reprocessing in an adaptive and healthily integrated way; through processing, the traumatic material is moved from dysfunctional to functional, allowing the event to be fully experienced and reintegrated. The end result of successful EMDR reprocessing is adaptive resolution of the trauma, meaning the event’s emotional charge is reduced or eliminated and there is an objective view or understanding of the incident.

When the body-mind is allowed to heal, the end result is wisdom, compassion, empowerment, and a sense of wholeness. After reprocessing, you might feel that you can think about the traumatic event without the same intensity and suffering, and are able to talk about what happened for what might be the first time in your life. Every client processes differently, but it is often reported that a newfound sense of peace and lightness is experienced after a target is cleared.

Attachment-Focused EMDR Therapy, or AF-EMDR, was created by Dr. Laurel Parnell in 2007 to heal early attachment wounds. AF-EMDR uses a modified protocol integrating the latest research on attachment theory, and addresses the effects of neglect and abuse on the developing brain and how they manifest in attachment styles. AF-EMDR is designed to heal relational trauma and is especially healing to those who have insecure attachment styles and relational trauma. I am trained in and offer both Standard Protocol EMDR Therapy and Attachment-Focused EMDR Therapy.

Read more about Attachment-Focused EMDR Therapy here.

Yes! You can engage in EMDR Therapy virtually in online EMDR Therapy sessions. Online EMDR Therapy has been shown to be as effective as in-person treatment, and you might even prefer online EMDR Therapy sessions because not only can you participate in treatment from the comfort of your own home, you also don’t have to worry about commuting home after session!

The duration of EMDR Therapy depends on your presenting symptoms and treatment goals. You may want to target specific identified traumatic events that you’ve experienced, or you may want to target more pervasive self-limiting beliefs or behaviors that are holding you back from pursuing a more meaningful life. This and more can be discussed during your initial consultation call and throughout the course of treatment.

Sessions are usually scheduled weekly; both 50 minute and 80 minute sessions are available.

Absolutely. If you’re interested in both EMDR Therapy and traditional talk therapy, I can incorporate EMDR Therapy on a session-by-session basis, or it can be the primary focus of treatment with pauses taken when your schedule requires them. On any given day, if you show up to therapy feeling that you’d prefer to just talk and not participate in EMDR, that’s totally okay. I will always support you in whatever you need when you show up to session. 🫶