Skip to content EMDR TherapyIn Michigan, South Carolina, Florida & Vermont.
Therapy that is effective & evidence-based.
You’ve been through painful experiences
Sometimes strong emotions seem to come out of nowhere.
Sometimes you make decisions and wonder, “Why did I do that?” It can be hard to put words to what is happening inside of you. You may want to tell people about what you’re going through, but you don’t know how.
Suddenly you’re feeling really:
You don’t always know what you’re feeling or why you’re feeling that way.
Similarly, you get body sensations like:
They can hit in a moment when you feel stressed or something reminds you of a painful event in your past.
You end up feeling alone, disconnected, and like you have to figure it out on your own.
EMDR Therapy can help
When past memories replay in your mind,
It’s confusing, because it can come out of nowhere. Maybe it doesn’t even feel like the real you. Your so kind to others and yet, at times, you can be so mean to yourself. You would never speak to anyone else that way. You don’t understand what’s happening inside you that’s leading you to act this way.
you may get stuck in a negative thinking cycle, saying things like:
More than anything, you just want to be at peace and able to enjoy life again.
Get relief from your pain,
rediscover who you are & reclaim a life that you love.
What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
Before we talk about EMDR, let’s talk about trauma.
Trauma is when we experience something that overwhelms our ability to cope. When that happens, all the emotions, body sensations, and beliefs from that experience get stored in the brain in a specific place, called the trauma neural network.
Usually, when we experience things that do not overwhelm our ability to cope, our experiences get stored by the brain in a functional manner. And the past feels like it’s in the past – we can move on without it feeling like it’s still with us, in the present.
when trauma occurs,
The brain keeps “the file” of the event open on the desk so it can be easily referenced. The brain doesn’t allow it to get filed in the past because that information is needed and can be useful to protect us from further harm or danger.
That’s why so many trauma survivors feel like the bad thing that happened is still happening even days, months, or years after the experience. And when something similar to that trauma happens again, our brains link those same thoughts and feelings that we had when the original trauma occurred.
This is where EMDR comes in
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR Therapy uses bilateral brain stimulation (or eye movements) to help us work with those traumatic memories so they can be re-processed and stored by the brain in a functional manner. That way they are actually “filed away” in the past.
EMDR therapy does not get rid of the painful memories.
After EMDR Therapy is complete,
you can still remember the details of what happened,
But you will no longer feel the intense emotions, body sensations, or negative beliefs that were associated with them. Now, your painful experience is stored in the brain the way it should be – allowing you to move on with your life and create new positive memories.
What is an EMDR therapy session like?
History taking.
The first few sessions, we spend time getting to know each other and talking about your history.
Resourcing Activities.
Next, we work on building you up with resourcing activities including imagery of a calm place, as well as nurturing and wise figures to prepare for EMDR and build you up.
We select a target / area of concern to focus on.
Once resources are set up, we move on to target your concerns. We make note of your painful past experiences, the negative and positive beliefs associated with them, and other times in life when you have felt the same way. We will also talk about your present triggers and any events that could trigger symptoms in the future.
I will ask: “When was the first time you can remember feeling this way?”
We will apply bilateral brain stimulation (or eye movements).
During this session we will target the presenting complaint, using our resources to help you re-process all those negative thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. At the end of the EMDR process, clients will often report “no disturbance” when they think of the painful event or experience.
I incorporate more resourcing and IFS parts work along the way.
The negative emotions, beliefs, and body sensations are reduced in intensity and the memory is re-processed.
EMDR therapy can help you…
Learn ways to experience calm and relaxing moments.
- Find relief from difficult memories & painful experiences.
- Learn how to cope with strong or overwhelming emotions.
- Be able to set boundaries & make the best decisions for yourself.
- Feel closer to the people you love.
- Respect and care for yourself.
Find freedom. Find peace. Find yourself.
Get relief from your pain, rediscover who you are & reclaim a life that you love.
FAQs
About EMDR Therapy
Certain medical conditions would need medical clearance to participate in EMDR ( like epilepsy and traumatic brain injury). Many times it is safe with a form of bilateral brain stimulation other than eye movements. Please note that EMDR is not seen to be effective with clients who take benzodiazepines or marijuana within 24 hours of the session.
Click this link to see the EMDRIA Video - https://youtu.be/Pkfln-ZtWeY
