Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched method of psychotherapy that has proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports the use of EMDR therapy as an effective treatment for a wide range of mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, chemical dependency, OCD, and more. 

EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages clients to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories.

EMDR therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue or completing homework between sessions. EMDR therapy, rather than focusing on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue, allows the brain to resume its natural healing process. EMDR therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain. For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies.

Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. This process involves communication between the amygdala (the alarm signal for stressful events), the hippocampus (which assists with learning, including memories about safety and danger), and the prefrontal cortex (which analyzes and controls behavior and emotion). While many times traumatic experiences can be managed and resolved spontaneously, they may not be processed without help.

Stress responses are part of our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts. When distress from a disturbing event remains, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create an overwhelming feeling of being back in that moment, or of being “frozen in time.” EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories, and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.

EMDR therapy is an effective method of psychotherapy used to treat both children and adults struggling with a wide range of challenges, such as:

Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias

Chronic Illness and medical issues

Depression and bipolar disorders

Dissociative disorders

Eating disorders

Grief and loss

Pain

Performance anxiety

Personality disorders

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma and stress-related issues

Sexual assault

Sleep disturbance

Substance abuse and addiction

Violence and abuse