EMDR therapy is beneficial for individuals experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, and other emotional difficulties.

EMDR can be especially helpful for people who:

• Feel “stuck” in patterns that don’t seem to change, even with insight
• Experience intrusive memories, emotional triggers, or flashbacks
• Struggle with the effects of trauma (recent or long ago)
• Have tried talk therapy but want something deeper or different
• Are ready to process unresolved pain or events from the past

EMDR was originally developed for trauma and PTSD, but over the years it has proven helpful for a wide range of issues, including:

• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Depression and low self-worth
• Childhood trauma and attachment wounds
• Grief and complicated loss
• Performance anxiety
• Chronic illness or pain
• Phobias and fears
• Relationship challenges
• Stress and burnout
• Recovery from emotional, physical, or sexual abuse

If you’ve ever felt “stuck” despite your best efforts, EMDR may help.

If you’re not sure if EMDR is a fit for your particular concern, we can explore that together.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (often through eye movements, tapping, or sounds) while you bring up parts of a memory in a safe, structured way. This process helps your brain “digest” the memory fully—similar to how it naturally processes events during REM sleep—so it no longer feels stuck or disruptive.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) follows a structured 8-phase approach that helps your brain process and heal from painful or overwhelming experiences. Here’s a simple breakdown of what those phases look like:

1. History & Treatment Planning

We start by getting to know you—your history, what’s bringing you in, and what you hope to heal. We’ll work together to identify the experiences or patterns that feel stuck or distressing.

2. Preparation

Before we begin any trauma processing, we help you build tools to feel grounded, safe, and in control. You’ll learn techniques for calming your body and emotions, so you feel ready and supported. We’ll get curious with you about past times you’ve felt this way and float to other memories to discover where to begin memory reprocessing.

3. Assessment

Here, we identify a specific memory to focus on. We look at the image, thoughts, feelings, and body sensations connected to it—just enough to create a clear starting point for reprocessing. We’ll activate the memory and the negative thoughts you’re having about yourself when you think of it. We’ll also identify what you’d prefer to believe about yourself, when we’re done with the processing.

4. Desensitization

This is what most people think of when they think of EMDR. Using bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, tapping, or sound), your brain begins to “digest” the memory. You may notice shifts in emotions, sensations, or beliefs as the memory becomes less distressing. You may experience big emotions (or not) or you may notice other memories, throughts, or body sensations (or not). We’ll let whatever happens, happen. We’ll be there to support you, as needed.

5. Installation

Now that the memory feels less charged, we strengthen a more positive, empowering belief about yourself—like “I’m safe now” or “I did the best I could.” You get decide what fits best for you as you move forward, and we’ll strengthen that belief.

6. Body Scan

We check in with your body to make sure no leftover tension or distress is hanging around. If it is, we process it gently until things feel more settled. Are there any parts of your body that are keeping the score or have concerns about what happened? We’ll let whatever happens, happen, as your body settles.

7. Closure

At the end of each session, we help you return to a place of calm and stability. Whether or not the memory feels fully resolved yet (some memories may take multiple sessions to process), we’ll make sure you leave feeling safe and supported.

8. Reevaluation

At your next session, we check in on how things are feeling. If something’s still active, we revisit it. If it feels settled, we move on to the next target memory or goal. As we continue our work, we’ll move from past memories to present triggers, and eventually to imagining what is now possible for your future.

In short: EMDR is a step-by-step process that helps you heal in a safe, supported, and structured way. You stay in control throughout, and we’re with you every step of the way. As we go through the process, you may notice that you feel less triggered or less symptoms. You may start reacting (or not reacting) differently and as you heal and feel better. You’ll be able to step into the future in a new way.

Your first session is about building safety and connection. We’ll get to know you—your history, your strengths, and what you’re seeking from therapy. We won’t jump into EMDR processing right away. Instead, we take time to create a foundation of trust and teach tools to help you feel grounded and resourced. We will get curious about and make recommendations about where to begin reprocessing.

Once you’re ready, EMDR reprocessing involves focusing on specific memories, beliefs, or emotional patterns, while engaging in bilateral stimulation (like eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones).

You are always in control. This isn’t hypnosis, and you will not be re-traumatized. We’re there with you every step of the way — not just as a clinician, but as a compassionate witness and guide. Your brain knows what to do to reprocess these memories, and we are there to help and support you, when and as needed.

No. One of the most healing aspects of EMDR is that you don’t have to relive or retell the full story. While we identify key pieces of the memory — like images, beliefs, and sensations — the focus is on reprocessing, not retelling.

That’s okay. One of the unique aspects of EMDR is that you don’t need to remember every detail of your experience. We can reprocess memories that we truly remember, things we were scared of or imagined happening (like in nightmares), things we saw on TV or saw happening to others, and many other experiences that may not have clear or even accurate memories. If there is disturbance or a body sensation around an issue, we can reprocess it to find relief.

Most clients attend one 53-minute session per week. The number of sessions varies from person to person. Some people experience significant relief in just a few sessions.Others may work with us for months or longer, especially if we’re untangling deeper, longstanding patterns. We’ll work collaboratively with you to create a pace and plan that feels right.

There is research that says 12-16 weeks of weekly sessions is a significant chapter of work for most people. Of course, that can be less or more, depending on the depth and breadth of work you choose to do with us. We move at a pace that feels safe and sustainable for you.

Most clients describe it as emotionally intense but deeply relieving. You may feel waves of emotion, shifts in body sensation, or sudden insights. Sometimes the memory changes — it may feel farther away, less charged, or even transform entirely. People often say, “It still happened, but it doesn’t hurt the same way anymore.”

That’s healing.

Yes — when provided by a trained and attuned therapist, EMDR is a very safe, evidence-based, and widely researched approach. Our team of EMDR Therapists are extensively trained and committed to creating a supportive, trauma-informed environment where you feel safe, seen, and empowered. We will always ensure you have the tools and internal resources to stay grounded before we begin any reprocessing work.

Your safety — emotional and physical — is our top priority.

That said, you may feel more uncomfortable before the relief comes. We will actively be asking you to approach memories that may be uncomfortable, difficult, or traumatic. We are approaching them to reprocess them once and for all, so that you can reprocess them, get past your past, and move towards a new future. 

Possibly—yes. EMDR can bring up strong emotions, but that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s often a sign that your nervous system is beginning to process and release what’s been stuck or held inside for a long time.

That said: you will not be alone in it.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Emotions may come up during EMDR sessions, like sadness, fear, anger, or even relief. This is a natural part of your brain’s healing process.
• You’re always in control. We’ll never push you beyond what feels manageable. You can pause, slow down, or stop at any time.
• We prepare you ahead of time. Before we begin EMDR reprocessing, we spend time helping you build tools for grounding, emotional regulation, and nervous system support.
• Our sessions move at your pace. If things feel intense, we know how to stay with you in a safe, supportive, and contained way—without re-traumatizing you.

It’s not always heavy.

Sometimes people are surprised by what they feel—there can be moments of insight, peace, clarity, or even laughter in the process. EMDR isn’t about reliving trauma; it’s about resolving it.

Yes. EMDR is highly effective via telehealth. We use secure platforms and tools that allow for bilateral stimulation and deep processing from the comfort of your own space. Some clients even find it easier to go inward and process when in their own familiar environment. We believe that EMDR is just as effective online as in person, and research now confirms that. Because of the efficacy and convenience, most of our clients now prefer online EMDR therapy. However, some clients do prefer to meet in person and we have in person sessions available, also.

That’s completely normal — especially if you’ve never done therapy before, or if past attempts weren’t helpful. Many of our clients have tried other kinds of healing or even EMDR in the past. We can help.

That’s completely okay. Part of our job as therapists is to help you explore what kind of support will be most helpful and when. In our initial sessions, we’ll take time to understand your goals, needs, and history—then together decide whether EMDR is the right fit, or if another approach might be better at this time.

EMDR is a powerful tool, but it’s just one of many. You don’t have to decide on your own. We’ll walk with you and help you find the right path for where you are.

No, we don’t only do EMDR—though it’s one of our core specialties. Each therapist on our team is trained in EMDR, but we also bring a range of therapeutic approaches to support you in the way that best fits your needs, goals, and nervous system.

Our approach is integrative and client-centered.

That means we tailor therapy to you—not the other way around.

While EMDR is a powerful tool for trauma and stuck patterns, it’s not always the first or only tool we use. Depending on what you’re coming in with, we might also draw from:

• Parts work / Internal Family Systems (IFS-informed) – to help you understand and connect with different parts of yourself
• Somatic and body-based practices – to support nervous system regulation and embodied healing
• Attachment-focused therapy – to heal early relational wounds and improve connection in the present
• Mindfulness and self-compassion practices
• Cognitive and emotional skills-building – for anxiety, boundaries, stress, and more

Our goal is to support your healing—not just deliver a technique.
EMDR is part of what we do, but our real specialty is helping people feel safe enough to grow, feel, and heal—at a pace that honors their unique story.

Absolutely—and in many cases, that can work really well.

If you’re already working with a trusted talk therapist and you’re coming to us specifically for EMDR, we’re happy to collaborate and offer EMDR as a focused, adjunct therapy. This means we’d do targeted EMDR work while your primary therapist continues to support you with insight, integration, or day-to-day challenges.

Some clients choose to transition fully to working with us.

That’s okay too. If EMDR becomes your main mode of therapy, we’re equipped to support you not only with trauma processing but also with emotional regulation, self-worth, relationships, and ongoing growth.

Either way, the decision is yours.

We’re here to support you—whether that means working in collaboration with another therapist or becoming your primary therapist ourselves. There’s no pressure, and we’ll talk through what makes the most sense for your goals.

We all have advanced training through The EMDR Institute, the gold-standard of EMDR training and the original training institution of Dr. Francine Shapiro who discovered EMDR. There are now many training organizations where therapists can learn EMDR, and while many are good, not all trainings are created equal.

High quality EMDR training and advanced training matters. Fidelity to empiracally-based EMDR therapy is important to us to give you the highest level of EMDR therapy and care possible.

We are a team of warm, skilled EMDR therapists who value depth, compassion, and real connection. Each of us brings years of experience and ongoing training in trauma-informed care, attachment, and somatic approaches. We value empirically-validated EMDR therapy and research-based interventions. We meet regularly as a team to collaborate, consult, and continue learning—so you benefit from our collective wisdom and support.

We know healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. We’ll meet you where you are and walk with you toward where you want to go.