What is EMDR Therapy and How Can It Help Me?
If you've been feeling stuck, it makes complete sense to wonder if there's more to the story.
Maybe you've done everything you're "supposed" to do.
You've read the books. You've listened to the podcasts. You've learned coping skills. You've talked about what happened, yet you still find yourself reacting in ways you don't fully understand.
Maybe anxiety continues to take over.
Maybe you replay conversations long after they're over.
Maybe you feel overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself, or exhausted from carrying everyone else's needs while quietly ignoring your own.
If any of this sounds familiar, I want you to know something.
You're not broken.
And you're not failing at healing.
Sometimes our minds understand something logically, but our nervous systems are still carrying experiences that haven't been fully processed.
This is where EMDR therapy can be incredibly helpful.
EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based therapy that helps your brain process distressing experiences so they no longer feel like they're happening in the present.
Healing isn't about forgetting what happened.
It's about helping your past stop dictating how you experience your life today.
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR is based on something your brain already knows how to do naturally.
Think about what happens while you're sleeping during REM sleep, when your eyes move rapidly beneath your eyelids. During this stage of sleep, your brain sorts through the experiences of the day, deciding what information to keep, what to let go of, and where to store memories.
Most of the time, this process happens without us even realizing it.
But when something overwhelming, traumatic, or emotionally significant happens, that natural processing system can become disrupted.
Instead of being stored as something that happened in the past, the memory can remain "stuck."
And when a memory is stuck, your brain and body may continue responding as though the danger is still happening today.
One of my favorite ways to explain this is to imagine your brain like a computer.
Most memories are neatly organized into folders where they belong.
Traumatic or overwhelming experiences, however, can become stuck on your desktop with a flashing "SOS" sign attached to them.
Every time something reminds your brain of that experience, the file pops back up.
EMDR helps your brain do what it was designed to do all along.
It allows those experiences to be processed and stored where they belong so they no longer interrupt your daily life every time something reminds you of them.
What happens during an EMDR session?
One of the biggest misconceptions about EMDR is that you'll be expected to relive your trauma all over again.
That isn't how I practice EMDR.
Before we ever begin processing memories, we spend time building safety.
We'll get to know one another, answer your questions, strengthen your coping skills, and help your nervous system feel more regulated.
Only when you feel ready do we begin processing.
During EMDR, you'll briefly bring a memory, belief, body sensation, or emotion into awareness while engaging in bilateral stimulation, most commonly through guided eye movements, tapping, or handheld buzzers.
Your brain begins making connections that it wasn't able to make when the experience originally happened.
Over time, the emotional intensity decreases.
The memory doesn't disappear.
Instead, it becomes just that...a memory.
You can remember what happened without your nervous system reacting as though it's happening all over again.
You're Not Alone
If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or exhausted from carrying the weight of your past, I hope this article reminds you of one thing:
Healing is possible.
You don't have to have everything figured out before asking for help, and you don't have to navigate it alone.
Whether you're simply beginning to explore EMDR therapy or you're ready to take the next step, I'm here when you're ready.
In the meantime, you may find these resources helpful:
Or, if you'd like to explore whether we're the right fit, I invite you to schedule a consultation.
