EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy is a gentle, guided way to help your mind release the emotional charge connected to trauma memories.
Trauma can get “stuck” because your nervous system never had the chance to fully process what happened. When overwhelming events occur, your system automatically shifts into survival mode, saving processing for later—when it’s safe.
Things like nightmares, flashbacks, or strong emotional triggers are often your nervous system’s way of signaling that a memory still needs attention. This is especially common after experiences that feel personal, violating, or overwhelming.
What Are EMDR Sessions Like?
During EMDR, we gently revisit specific parts of distressing experiences—always at a pace that feels safe and manageable for you. You won’t need to relive everything or share every detail out loud for the therapy to be effective. The process is tailored to your experience, and I am trained in both traditional and modified EMDR protocols to ensure it fits your needs.
A key part of EMDR is bilateral stimulation for the nervous system. In sessions, during specific points of processing, I often guide clients to cross their arms and softly tap their hands—right, left, right, left—in a steady rhythm. These small, repetitive taps act as signals to your nervous system. Both sides of the brain are activated which allows for deep processing. This also aids your brain in staying connected to the present moment. This combination—revisiting a past memory while your brain is reminded that you are present and safe—allows your system to reorganize the experience and store it as something that is over, rather than something still active. Pacing, is something as a therapist, that I pay close attention to so that we activate just enough, working towards relief and not overwhelm.
As part of the EMDR experience, we may also use short guided visualizations, typically 30 seconds long. The EMDR process supports your body in releasing stored emotion and integrating the memory in a safe, controlled way.
What You Might Notice
As EMDR progresses, clients often notice:
Memories feel less vivid or overwhelming
Emotional intensity associated with a memory decreases
Triggers become easier to navigate
New insights or perspectives emerge naturally
A feeling of relief or lightness in the body
After EMDR processing clients often describe their trauma as:
“I remember what happened, but it doesn’t feel like it’s happening to me anymore—it is hard to explain, but it feels far away.”
A Gentle Next Step
You don’t have to carry this alone, and you don’t have to rush. You stay in control of the process the entire time, and we only go as far as your system is ready for.
If you’re curious whether EMDR might be a good fit for you, we can start with a conversation in a calm, grounded space where your body and mind can begin to feel safe again.