About EMDR

What Is EMDR?

What is emdr

EMDR Therapy helps people heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences. You are not alone. There is a path to healing.
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Who Can Benefit

EMDR therapy helps children and adults – of all ages. Therapists use EMDR with a wide range of challenges:

  • Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias
  • Chronic Illness and medical issues
  • Depression and bipolar disorders
  • Dissociative disorders
  • Eating disorders
  • Grief and loss
  • Pain
  • Performance anxiety
  • PTSD and other trauma and stress related issues
  • Sexual assault
  • Sleep disturbance
  • Substance abuse and addiction
  • Violence and abuse

8 phases timeline

Phase 1: History Taking

Gathering relevant information and assessing for safety, stability, and resources.

Phase 2: Preparation

Establishing skills and resources for safe and effective trauma work.

Phase 3: Assessment

Identifying the specific traumatic incidents to target without needing to share every detail.

Phase 4: Desensitization

Reprocessing traumatic memories to reduce distress and reactivity.

Phase 5: Installation

Reinforcing positive beliefs to replace negative ones associated with trauma.

Phase 6: Body Scan

Ensuring no lingering physical responses to the traumatic memories.

Phase 7: Closure

Helping clients return to a state of equilibrium after sessions.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

Reviewing progress and determining if additional treatment is needed to address remaining issues.

After A Session

After an EMDR session, it is possible to feel emotionally drained, or tired, much like you might feel after a good workout. It is also possible to feel really good, light and energized. The processing can continue for 24-48 hours after a session, so take note of anything that comes up that feels related to the work you are doing. If possible, try not to plan anything for a couple hours after your appointment to allow some time for yourself. At times, symptoms may increase, or emotional responses may feel exaggerated during EMDR Therapy, other traumatic memories could surface, you may have vivid dreams or heightened physical symptoms. The reprocessing accesses and opens up the channels in the brain that hold the traumatic material and may stay activated, and can continue to process after a session. Ideally, you and your therapist have made a plan for this and are consistently working within your window of tolerance to avoid as much distress between sessions as possible. If you need help managing between sessions, please reach out to your therapist, access your skills, or contact someone who can be a support to you.

As always call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room should you experience unmanageable suicidal thoughts or urges.

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