EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

Eye Movement and Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy is an evidence based trauma treatment that utilizes bilateral stimulation to reprocess traumatic events and the beliefs we hold around them.

EMDR helps individuals to create more adaptive neural connections around traumatic events and emotions and has been proven to significantly reduce distress associated with these traumatic events in a fairly short period of time.

How does EMDR therapy affect the brain?

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.

ERMDRIA website:  https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/

EMDR therapy helps children and adults of all ages. Therapists use EMDR therapy to address a wide range of challenges.  Some of these include:

• 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