EMDR follows a structured but flexible process. It’s designed to help you process trauma in a way that feels safe and manageable.
- History & Treatment Planning
We start by talking. What’s been weighing on you? What’s still affecting you today?
Not everyone needs EMDR, so we figure out if it’s the right fit.
- Preparation & Coping Skills
Before diving into memory processing, we make sure you have tools to handle distress. This might include mindfulness, grounding exercises, or distress tolerance skills.
Don’t rush this part—feeling safe is the priority.
- Identifying Target Memories
We pinpoint which experiences still feel raw and unprocessed. It might be a big trauma, or it could be something subtle but painful—like a moment that shaped the way you see yourself (“I’m not safe,” “I’m not good enough”).
- Desensitization with Bilateral Stimulation
This is the core of EMDR. While recalling a distressing memory, you’ll do bilateral stimulation—which could be following a moving light, tapping your hands, or tracking a therapist’s fingers. Why? Because this back-and-forth movement helps your brain reprocess the memory—kind of like how REM sleep helps you sort out emotions. Over time, the emotional intensity fades.
- Installing Positive Beliefs
Once the memory loses its emotional grip, we replace old, limiting beliefs (“I am powerless”) with new, empowering ones (“I am strong and capable”).
- Body Scan
Trauma doesn’t just live in the mind—it’s stored in the body. We check to make sure no tension, tightness, or discomfort remains. If something still feels off, we keep working.
- Closure
Every session ends with grounding techniques so you leave feeling steady, not emotionally flooded.
- Reevaluation
At the next session, we check in. Any lingering emotions tied to the memory? If so, we keep processing until it’s just a memory—not a trigger.
EMDR is best known for treating trauma and PTSD, but it’s also helpful for:
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Grief and loss
- Phobias and fears
- Self-esteem issues & negative beliefs
- Unresolved childhood experiences
- Stress and performance anxiety
At our practice, we blend proven therapies with a compassionate, real-world touch to support your journey.
We use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you challenge those negative thought patterns, along with mindfulness techniques to keep you grounded in the present. We also focus on building self-compassion. In fact, neuroscience research shows that practicing self-compassion can strengthen the parts of your brain associated with happiness, resilience, and empathy—it helps soothe negative emotions, heal painful memories, and even shift those deep-rooted beliefs about your self-worth. Our experienced therapists work with you one-on-one, tailoring a plan that fits your unique challenges and goals.
