EMDR Therapy

Unlock Healing from Traumatic and Distressing Experiences

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy is a highly effective approach when traditional talk therapy alone may not foster significant change. While talk therapy is beneficial, chronic symptoms stemming from trauma often require a more specialized method.

When the brain becomes overwhelmed, it may fail to properly process or store traumatic memories, leaving them “frozen in time” as maladaptive memories. These unprocessed memories can interfere with daily functioning, impacting how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world around us.

Originally developed to treat trauma and PTSD, EMDR has since been shown to help a wide range of mental health concerns, including:

Anxiety and stress
Depression
Intrusive or disturbing memories
Grief and loss
Distressing thoughts and patterns

By accessing and reprocessing these unprocessed memories, EMDR helps the brain and body resolve trauma, reduce symptoms, and restore emotional balance, enabling lasting change and improved daily functioning.

How EMDR Therapy Works

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic process that helps the brain “unfreeze” traumatic memories and reprocess them so they can be stored as adaptive memories. Rather than erasing or changing the memory, EMDR transforms how the memory is experienced in the present, reducing its emotional intensity and impact on daily life.

The process works by activating both hemispheres of the brain through bilateral stimulation, often using guided eye movements or other forms of rhythmic stimulation. This activation allows information that has become trapped in the mind and body—including disturbing images, physical sensations, intense emotions, and limiting beliefs—to be released. Through this process, the brain can reprocess the memory, shifting it from a maladaptive state to an adaptive one.

“EMDR Therapy changes maladaptive neural networks by connecting the traumatic memory with new information. The distressing thoughts and emotions are blended with new positive thoughts and emotions; embodied awareness allows frozen sensations in the body to resolve through healing movements.” — Arielle Schwartz

Reprocessing a memory through EMDR does not erase the event or make it feel “positive,” but it allows the memory to no longer intrude or dominate daily life. Just as the body can heal from physical injuries, the brain can heal from traumatic experiences, freeing you from the emotional and physiological weight of the past.

Interested in learning more about EMDR? Let’s talk!