EMDR Therapy
Modern, evidence-based treatment for accelerated results
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a brain and body based therapy that helps reprocess overwhelming experiences in a healthier way.
EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach designed to help people recover from trauma, distressing experiences, and overwhelming emotions. EMDR is based on the premise that our body has a natural capacity to heal. However, sometimes our system gets overwhelmed which leads to memories getting stuck. By activating both sides of the brain during therapy (such as guided eye movements, tapping, or sound tones) the brain’s natural processing is once-again stimulated and unresolved memories can be cleared.
While there is a general protocol, EMDR is not a one-size-fits-all approach and is tailored to the clients needs. Unlike talk therapy, processing trauma with EMDR therapy involves a lot less talking, which many clients report relief from. EMDR supports the brain’s natural healing process, helping clients move from distress to adaptive resolution and emotional well-being. It is widely used for trauma, phobias, anxiety, and performance enhancement.
How is EMDR different than talk therapy?
EMDR is different from traditional talk therapy because it's like a dynamic duo for your mind and body.
While talk therapy mainly uses your thinking brain to explore feelings, EMDR uses techniques that address both thoughts and body sensations to target these feelings at the root. So instead of just talking about your problems (and dealing with them on the surface), you’re shifting symptoms at the source - leading to lasting change.
Clients who come to EMDR after years of talk therapy express how it changes things in a much deeper way in which “just talking” never could.
How does EMDR Therapy work?
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During the preparation phase of our EMDR therapy sessions, we’ll discuss what EMDR involves and how it can help you feel better. This is your space to ask questions, express any concerns you may have, and share your goals for therapy. Together, we'll explore coping strategies and relaxation techniques that can prepare you for any emotions that arise during our sessions. My priority is to create a safe and trusting environment where you feel informed, empowered, and ready to embark on this transformative journey towards healing.
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This phase is all about equipping you with the internal resources you need to navigate the challenges and emotions that might come up during our sessions. Together, we'll explore your strengths, positive experiences, and coping mechanisms that you can draw upon whenever you feel overwhelmed or distressed. Whether it’s visualizing a relaxing place, practicing grounding grounding exercises, or envisioning a positive future, we'll work strengthen the resources that will lay a positive foundation for processing.
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During this phase we’ll begin to explore the memories, emotions, and beliefs that are at the core of your struggles. With gentle guidance and support, we'll focus on specific memories or experiences that you've identified as targets for processing. Using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tactile sensations, we'll work to desensitize the emotional intensity associated with these memories and reprocess them in a way that promotes healing and resolution. Throughout this phase, I'll be by your side, providing a safe and supportive space for you to explore, express, and ultimately transform your pain into healing and growth. Together, we'll navigate the complexities of your inner world, uncovering insights and creating new pathways towards a empowered future.
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In this phase we’ll take a moment to pause and integrate the insights and experiences that have emerged during our sessions. This provides an opportunity for us to review and process the progress you've made, as well as any new insights or shifts in perspective that have arisen. Together, we'll reflect on the changes you've noticed in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, as well as how these changes are impacting your daily life. We'll also explore any lingering emotions or sensations that may require further attention or processing. This phase is crucial for solidifying the gains you've made and setting the stage for continued growth and healing.
Ways to work together…
EMDR Therapy
I am available for ongoing EMDR therapy for clients who want to incorporate EMDR into their weekly support.
Online or in-person, this is designated for individuals to process and explore their thoughts. Typically, meetings are weekly or bi-weekly.
50 mins | $250 | Get started
EMDR Intensive
I offer customizable healing intensives for individuals that are 3 days of in-person treatment at my office in downtown Washington, DC. Intensive packages include an intake evaluation to prepare and a follow up session.
3-Day Intensive (17hr) | $6,000 | Get started
1 Additional Intensive Day | $1,750 | Get started
EMDR Consultation for Therapists
If you are an EMDR-trained therapist interested in individual clinical consultation, please contact me about working together.
60 mins | $200 | Get started
Frequently Asked Questions
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During EMDR therapy, you will attend to a disturbing memory, trigger, or specific problem, while simultaneously focusing on a set of bilateral stimulation (eye movements, hand taps or tones). After each set, you will share any associations that come up (pictures, thoughts, feelings, body sensations, etc.). You will continue to do sets of bilateral stimulation until the memory becomes less disturbing and is associated with positive thoughts and beliefs about who you are.
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EMDR isn’t just for trauma. It works on a wide-range of issues including anxiety, low self-esteem, and perfectionism. If you’re feeling stuck, chances are you picked up some unhelpful thoughts along the way. EMDR works by targeting these thoughts, decreasing their power, and installing different (more positive) beliefs that support your goals.
EMDR can help your brain think in a healthier, more adaptive way by removing blocks which helps you think better, feel calmer, and move forward.
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If you’re interested in EMDR therapy, you might wonder whether it will work if you don’t really remember your past.
The good news is that you don’t need to fully remember something vividly to process it. There’s no need for accuracy because even a vague sense of what happened will provide plenty of information.
Since EMDR targets how upsetting a memory is experienced in the present, there’s no need for accuracy or concern about whether something happened a certain way. You’re simply observing what shows up now and letting your brain process this information, without needing it to be accurate or even make logical sense.
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Bilateral stimulation works in EMDR by activating both sides of the brain which allows for the processing of memories, emotions, and incidents that are stuck in the nervous system. When we experience something negative, our brains can get "stuck" on that event and it can feel like we're reliving it over and over again. Bilateral stimulation is thought to help "unstick" those memories so that they can be processed and resolved.
Essentially, by having you focus both on something distressing while also paying attention to the stimulus activating alternating sides of the body, bilateral stimulation allows the brain to access both sides of the brain which leads to more effective processing of memories.
Bilateral stimulation can be achieved by moving your eyes back and forth (guided by the therapist), tapping your shoulders, listening to bilateral tunes, or with my preferred method - holding hand buzzers.