No one likes to feel stuck, haunted, or triggered on a regular basis.  There are some experiences and feelings, though, that just seem to stick with us.  No matter what we want to believe, sometimes our core doesn’t feel it.

This is why I have become a fully trained EMDR therapist.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful approach to therapy to help clients when they feel “stuck.”  This has been heavily researched over the past 30 years, and results show that it can help clients distant themselves from disturbing events, feelings, and beliefs.  In turn, this can help life feel more manageable, safer, and less filled with anxiety and triggers.

Research

As I said, research is abundant.  The American Psychiatric Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are among many organizations that have endorsed the benefits of EMDR.  I encourage anyone interested in EMDR to look at the research themselves, and especially to look at research specific to their situation (e.g. searching “EMDR and PTSD from car accidents” or “EMDR and eating disorders”).

How EMDR works

EMDR is an 8-stage approach to therapy.  That being said, it’s not perfectly tidy.  It always starts with establishing a relationship and considering the context of your life.  Together, I work with clients to develop the plan of how and when we move forward.  You don’t begin the work of reprocessing trauma or beliefs until we have first worked on building our relationship and developing grounding skills.

Then comes the EMDR reprocessing, which involves “bilateral stimulation”–basically, we’re trying to get both sides of your body and brain engaged to assist in reprocessing something that has felt traumatic.  For my clients, we can do this visually, or we can use the tactile sensation letting you hold vibrating buzzers in your hand.  You don’t have to recount every detail aloud to me.  Rather, you and I check in however much feels right for yourself.  Some folks might just say a sentence or two, while others share more.

You can learn more about how EMDR works here.

EMDR with Couples

We often get hurt relationships, and this is also where we may heal.  Some couples may find growth and connection by experiencing EMDR in couples therapy.  In doing this, benefits may include the experience of support from the other partner, heightened insight to one’s partner’s past, and an ability to see what growth together may look like.

Moving Forward

Clients are welcome to ask if EMDR may be appropriate for them.

If you are a new client and you are interested in EMDR, please let me know.  Do keep in mind that it’s an 8-stage process, so this is best suited for folks who are interested in establishing care over a longer period.

If you and your partner are interested in EMDR, don’t hesitate to reach out to see if this might be a good fit for what you’re wanting.

To schedule a phone call or an intake session, complete the Contact Form here.