EMDR is proving to be the silicon chip of psychotherapy; it allows people to process incredible amounts of material in a shockingly short time."

WHAT IS EMDR? 

Traumatic events or stressful life experiences can have a lasting mental and emotional impact on an individual. Unfortunately, our brain's natural healing process is often blocked when we experience trauma - like water being stopped up by a dam. When the blockages are removed however, those same mechanisms of recovery can flow freely again to help us heal emotionally.  

This approach has been studied and found to provide results 5-7x times faster than traditional talk therapy! 

GETTING YOUR BRAIN UNSTUCK

EMDR helps to reframe how we see the impact of past events, allowing us to move towards a more balanced emotional place. It uses attention to physical and emotional states to help people make sense of how their brains have perceived certain events or situations in the past. Through focusing on present-moment experience and incorporating bilateral stimulation techniques like eye movements, audio tones, or tapping, EMDR assists clients in gently navigating powerful memories while gaining clarity and perspective over their emotions. 

IS EMDR ONLY FOR TREATING TRAUMA?

EMDR isn't limited to treating traumatic events. It can also help manage the psychological and physical symptoms of adverse life experiences, which may actually stem from prolonged stress or feeling overwhelmed by intense emotions associated with that experience rather than a single negative event. Trauma can manifest in many ways; from deep wounding, to simply feeling overwhelmed by stress. It can be used for those heavier moments in life such as the death of a loved one or being involved in an accident, but it's also helpful when addressing day-to-day occurrences that may have caused distress; like being fired from a job or feeling socially rejected. Even though these kinds of incidents might not feel particularly overwhelming at times, they're still capable of leaving behind lingering unpleasant beliefs about ourself and the world. EMDR is a great way to help process and heal from any impactful negative experiences, regardless of their magnitude. 

WHY MIGHT I CHOOSE EMDR OVER OTHER TYPES OF THERAPY?

Instead of taking weeks or months, this approach has been studied and found to provide results 5-7x times faster than traditional talk therapy! EMDR therapy may be the ideal choice for those looking to work through their issues in a shorter amount of time.  With EMDR you have your pick of approaches - one 50 minute session per week or a more intensive 90 minute sessions tailored to quickly target specific issues. 

WHAT IS AN EMDR SESSION LIKE?

During the beginning phases of EMDR (phases 1-3), it resembles traditional talk therapy. We’ll talk about what symptoms you’re experiencing today, your background and history, and then we’ll collaboratively make a list of targets/memories. Once processing a memory begins (phase 4), our session together look very different. Instead of talking through a traumatic memory, I'll guide you through a process that involves moving your eyes back and forth and then simply observe what shows up. In between sets, you’ll briefly describe to me what you’re noticing, I will again direct you to move your eyes to keep the information moving along. Once we get to the processing stage, there is very little talking. Instead, your goal is to observe what you’re noticing so that your brain’s natural healing process can start piecing together important information to give you a new, healthy perspective. EMDR doesn’t require you to have a vivid recollection or to talk at length about what happened.

HOW IS EMDR DIFFERENT THAN TRADITIONAL TALK THERAPY?

EMDR incoporates a technique called "bilateral stimulation" to guide clients through eye movements, tones or tapping. EMDR is a specialized type of psychotherapy that includes eye movements to help process traumatic memories, while traditional talk therapy is focused primarily on verbal communication. While traditional  talk therapy can be effective in helping people understand their emotions and experiences, EMDR works differently in that it focuses on processing the body's response to the trauma and reducing any negative effects. 

I'M ALREADY SEEING A THERAPIST, WHAT IF I JUST WANT TO DO SOME EMDR?

Adjunct EMDR therapy is an effective and distinct method of addressing trauma, body sensations or beliefs which hamper growth. Unlike other kinds of therapies, adjunct treatments are designed to work in tandem with primary therapeutic relationships rather than swapping them out; allowing everyone involved – client and therapist alike - to cooperate towards better healing results while providing room for further investigation into any unsolved problems or 'sticking points'. Generally these analog therapies require short time frames (4-12 sessions) permitting individuals suffering from single incident traumas or simple phobias obstructing their potential for treatment benefit. With clear goals set at the start, it can offer a powerful means toward seeing relief on deeper levels.

HOW CAN I KNOW IF EMDR IS RIGHT FOR ME?

The assessment process for EMDR includes an in-depth review of your current and past medical history, mental health status, and lifestyle. During this process, I will use the formal EMDR protocol to assess whether EMDR wil be a good fit for you and we'll discuss any safety concerns or potential risks associated with the treatment. During our first session, the intake session, we'll set treatment goals and begin the assessment process. The goal of assessment is to ensure that EMDR is safe and effective for each individual person before it begins.

HOW LONG WILL WE WORK TOGETHER?

During the intake process, we'll evaluate your treatment goals and I'll provide an estimate of ideal length of time we'll need to complete our treatment plan. If you are generally functioning pretty well in life and simply want to tackle a handful of EMDR targets, we'll likely plan for 8-12 sessions that last between 50-90 minutes. After our initial 8-12 weeks are complete, we'll weigh our options on how to best help you continue your growth. Many clients suggest additional EMDR targets that they'd like to target but some feel ready to wrap up treatment. 

BUT WHAT IF I FINISH MY EMDR TREATMENT GOALS, CAN WE STILL WORK TOGETHER?

Once we've hit your EMDR goals, you may decide you'd like to continue therapy with me. We'll assess for treatment needs and I will incoporate traditional therapy techniques (rather than EMDR) and focus more on current day matters. At that point, I'll approach therapy from a new lens, using a combination of attachment science, emotionally focused individual therapy (EFIT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - all designed with the purpose of improving overall life balance in mind!

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR EMDR TO WORK FOR ME?

Outcomes may vary depending on the nature of trauma, as recent events can often resolve in fewer treatments than childhood traumas. Many of my clients report positive shifts within a few initial sessions - with effects becoming more significant over time, continuing even outside the therapeutic setting! With EMDR you don't need to worry about longterm commitment; it’s possible for great strides towards healing to already be made from just a handful of visits. Best of all, there's no need for you to process every single traumatic memory; related memories tend to be linked together anyway. Everyone's healing journey is unique, so the number of sessions it'll take to feel relief will vary based on how much you'd like to work through. 

IS EMDR SAFE? IS IT SCARY?

It's normal to feel some fear the first time you experience it, but with each new session that fear lessens and eventually fades away completely. EMDR has been thoroughly studied and its safety is well-established when under the care of a trained healthcare professional. With this evidence-based treatment, professionals utilize an established protocol to help lower any distress attached to memories. While EMDR won’t artificially create or delete memories, it can lead you to greater inner peace by helping manage how those moments are processed within yourself. EMDR can be like taking a journey. 

WHAT IF I CAN'T REMEMBER EVERYTHING ABOUT MY PAST?

Your brain naturally stores and processes memories, whether they are vividly remembered or just vaguely sensed. Don’t worry if you don't remember all the details of a difficult past experience - it's absolutely okay!  EMDR focuses on how these experiences impact your life in the present day so accuracy isn't as important; instead, this therapy allows for healing to start taking place with its simple yet powerful process that addresses issues without having to dig into detail. 

WILL I GET WORSE BEFORE I GET BETTER?

Not necessarily! One of the reasons the EMDR protocol includes client education and resourcing exercises is to make sure you don’t feel worse once you start reprocessing a memory. EMDR is designed with your well-being in mind. Every single reprocessing session is closed out with a relaxation or containment exercise. This will ensure you never leave a session highly dysregulated or feeling significantly worse than when you came in.

ARE THERE SIDE EFFECTS?

Though these reactions usually pass quickly and many report no difficulties at all - long-term benefits often outweigh any possible drawbacks EMDR could bring about. During the session patients may feel stress or physical discomfort, an exacerbation of current symptoms in cases where trauma is already present and anxiety associated with recalling traumatic memories . After a session it's common to have intense dreams, increased emotions and occasionally mild disorientation or fatigue.  Although many people report intense dreams between sessions, rest assured that this indicates positive progress for working through difficult memories! 

WILL I FEEL OUT OF CONTROL?

During EMDR sessions, we will move forward at a pace that's comfortable for you. I am dedicated to creating an experience where we honor your individual needs. During each processing session, you're firmly in the driver's seat. Your task? Simply observe and briefly describe what presents itself without judgment - no matter how intense it may be. To leave feeling safe, calm and regulated after every process is complete, a grounding exercise will be offered at the end of each session with me. EMDR can make it easier to shift how these events impact us in a positive way - without changing what actually happened or erasing any part of your life story. 

IS EMDR USED WITH ADOLESCENTS AND TEENS?

Absolutely! Teens are on an incredible journey, transitioning from childhood into adulthood. Brain development at this time of life is preparing them for increased creativity and peer connection; however, it is a natural time to test out boundaries that parents might not agree with. EMDR therapy is a powerful ally for helping them through their journey – providing the tools to ground themselves, rebuild confidence in their own strengths and reprocess any issues related to negative beliefs and traumatic events that may arise along the way.

EMDR therapy can be beneficial for teenagers in a variety of ways. It can help to process traumatic experiences, reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and provide new insights into challenging situations. It can also help to improve self-esteem, communication skills, and increase overall wellbeing. Lastly it can help teens build coping skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.

WILL YOU DO EMDR WITH ANY TEEN?

It depends. During our initial appointment, we'll take a comprehensive look at IF and HOW treatment incoporating EMDR techniques could help your teen. Once we've had a chance to build rapport, I’ll guide them through an assessment process to gain insight into your teens unique situation and evaluate whether it's the best fit for moving forward.

There is research that supports the efficacy of EMDR for teens and adolescents. Studies have found EMDR to be beneficial in treating symptoms such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, stress, and anger. The studies also suggest that EMDR can produce positive outcomes on a variety of psychological measures such as self-esteem, coping skills, and overall mental health.

• RESEARCH STUDIES ON EMDR FOR DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS: A recent study of 61 teenagers with major depressive disorder showed that 70% no longer met the criteria for MDD after six weekly 60-minute sessions. An earlier smaller-scale project found complete remission from those same symptoms due to addressing any underlying trauma perceived by each teen through special techniques used during their time together. (link to research study)
• RESEARCH STUDIES ON EMDR FOR ANXIETY IN ADOLESCENTS: Participants not only saw significant reductions in symptoms related to PTSD but also their overall levels of anxiety decreased as well! (link to research study).
• RESEARCH ON EMDR FOR ADHD IN ADOLESCENTS: Research is showing that there may be a link between ADHD and unresolved childhood trauma. In tackling underlying issues with EMDR treatment, teens dealing with ADHD could see an improvement in their overall wellbeing (link to research study).
• RESEARCH ON EMDR FOR PTSD IN ADOLESCENTS:  A 2020 study published in the journal Psychological Trauma examined the efficacy of EMDR in treating adolescents who had experienced trauma. The findings indicated that EMDR was more effective than wait-list control, with participants reporting lower levels of PTSD symptoms and higher levels of self-esteem after treatment. Additionally, a 2014 study published in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology looked at the effect of EMDR on PTSD symptoms among adolescents who had experienced traumatic events. The results showed that those who received EMDR had significantly reduced levels of PTSD symptomatology. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology also evaluated the effects of EMDR on adolescent survivors of abuse and neglect, showing improved psychological symptomatology, including a reduction in trauma-related thoughts and feelings.