WHAT IS EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy that helps people heal from the emotional pain of difficult or traumatic experiences.
HOW DOES EMDR THERAPY WORK?
Our brains have an innate ability to heal from distressing experiences. Under normal circumstances, the amygdala (which signals danger), the hippocampus (which processes memory and learning), and the prefrontal cortex (which regulates thinking and emotion) work together to integrate what has happened and restore balance.
When an experience is overwhelming or traumatic, this process can become disrupted. The memory remains unprocessed, and the body continues to respond as if the event is still occurring.
EMDR therapy helps the brain resume its natural healing process. The memory itself remains, but the emotional intensity and physical reactivity lessen. Over time, the event becomes something remembered, not relived—allowing you to move forward with greater calm and clarity.
EMDR THERAPY CAN HELP TREAT:
EATING DISORDERS
GRIEF AND LOSS
PAIN
PERFORMANCE ANXIETY
SEXUAL ASSAULT
PERSONALITY DISORDERS
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
SLEEP DISTURBANCE
BIPOLAR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ADDICTION
ANXIETY
CHONIC ILLNESS
DEPRESSION
DISSOCIATIVE DISORDER
TRAUMA
EMDR Therapy vs. Traditional Therapy
EMDR therapy doesn’t require you to talk in detail about the distressing event or complete assignments between sessions. Instead of trying to change your thoughts, emotions, or behaviors directly, EMDR helps your brain return to its natural state of processing and healing.
During EMDR, you’ll briefly focus on a troubling memory while also engaging in gentle, rhythmic movements—often following the therapist’s hand or another form of left-right (bilateral) stimulation.
This approach is designed to target and resolve unprocessed traumatic memories stored in the brain. For many people, EMDR leads to meaningful relief and progress in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy.
