EMDR Therapy
Backed by over 30 randomized controlled trials. Recognized by the WHO, APA, and Department of Veterans Affairs. 77 to 100 percent of single-trauma survivors no longer meet criteria for PTSD after 3 to 6 sessions.
If you are carrying something that talk therapy has not been able to reach, you are not alone. Many of the clients I work with come to EMDR after years of traditional therapy that helped them understand their experiences intellectually but never changed how those experiences felt in their body. The anxiety is still there. The triggers are still there. The old beliefs about yourself, the ones that formed during your worst moments, are still running in the background.
As an EMDRIA-Certified EMDR therapist, I have spent years training in and practicing EMDR with clients healing from narcissistic abuse, complex trauma, chronic stress, and the emotional residue of environments that demanded too much for too long. This guide is designed to give you a clear, honest understanding of what EMDR is, how it works, and what you can expect from the process.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is an evidence-based psychotherapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987 that helps people heal from trauma and other distressing life experiences.
What makes EMDR different from traditional talk therapy is that it does not require you to describe a distressing event in detail or complete homework between sessions. Instead, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (guided eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones) to activate your brain's natural healing processes. You don't have to “talk it to death.” Your brain does the healing work.
How EMDR Works
Traumatic or overwhelming experiences can get “frozen” in the nervous system. When a memory is not fully processed, it gets stored with its original emotions, physical sensations, and beliefs. You might know logically that you are safe now, but your body and your nervous system have not caught up.
During EMDR, bilateral stimulation activates both hemispheres of the brain while you focus on the target memory. After successful processing, you can still remember the event, but it no longer carries the same emotional charge. The memory becomes part of your past instead of something that controls your present.
The 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy
EMDR follows a structured eight-phase protocol. Each phase serves a specific purpose, and throughout the entire process, you remain in control of the pace.
Phase 1: History Taking and Treatment Planning
We begin by understanding your history and identifying the target memories for processing. I focus on the whole person over the lifespan, looking at both the obvious events and the quieter, accumulative ones that may be fueling your distress.
Phase 2: Preparation
Before processing begins, I teach you self-regulation and grounding techniques to manage any emotional distress that may arise during or between sessions. For telehealth sessions, we also adapt bilateral stimulation techniques for the virtual setting.
Phase 3: Assessment
For each target memory, we identify the specific image, the negative belief about yourself (such as “I am not safe” or “it was my fault”), the positive belief you want to hold instead, and the emotions and body sensations connected to the memory.
Phase 4: Desensitization
This is the active reprocessing phase. While focusing on the target memory, you engage in bilateral stimulation, such as following my hand with your eyes or using the butterfly hug. Many clients are surprised by how quickly the emotional intensity diminishes.
Phase 5: Installation
Once the distress is resolved, we strengthen the positive belief you identified in Phase 3, transforming “I am powerless” into “I am strong and capable.”
Phase 6: Body Scan
We check for any remaining physical tension or sensation associated with the memory. The body often holds trauma even when the mind has processed it, and my training in health psychology makes this phase particularly important in how I practice.
Phase 7: Closure
Each session ends with stabilization. I ensure you leave feeling grounded and safe, regardless of whether the processing is complete.
Phase 8: Reevaluation
At the start of each subsequent session, we assess the previous session's work to ensure therapeutic gains are holding and identify any additional targets.
EMDR vs. Traditional Talk Therapy
I value talk therapy and I integrate it into my practice. But I have seen EMDR reach places that talk therapy alone could not. Some of the differences I see in practice:
- Speed: EMDR often produces results in fewer sessions
- Verbal processing: EMDR does not require detailed recounting of traumatic events
- Between sessions: Minimal homework or assignments
- Depth: Accesses memories stored as sensations, emotions, or fragmented images
- Body involvement: Directly addresses how trauma lives in the body
I often integrate EMDR with individual psychotherapy techniques to create the most effective treatment plan for each person I work with.
What Conditions Does EMDR Treat?
- PTSD and C-PTSD from single-incident, repeated, or developmental trauma
- Anxiety including generalized anxiety, panic, and hypervigilance
- Depression rooted in unprocessed adverse experiences
- Narcissistic abuse including gaslighting, manipulation, and loss of identity
- Phobias and fears including medical phobias and performance anxiety
- Grief especially when it feels stuck or unresolvable
- Chronic pain where the mind-body connection plays a role
- Childhood ACEs that shape adult functioning and self-perception
- Attachment injuries from early relational trauma
EMDR Therapy Online in Pennsylvania
Multiple studies have confirmed that online EMDR produces outcomes comparable to in-person treatment, and my own clinical experience supports this. Techniques I use with clients include the butterfly hug, guided visual tracking on your screen, and alternating self-tapping on your knees or thighs.
Many clients find that the comfort and safety of their own environment enhances the therapeutic process. You can process difficult material in your safe space and take time to decompress afterward without a commute back into a busy environment.
Why EMDRIA Certification Matters
Basic EMDR Training involves a 50+ hour program that provides foundational knowledge. Many therapists complete this level and begin offering EMDR.
EMDRIA Certification goes further: an approved training program, a minimum of 50 additional supervised EMDR sessions, 20 hours of consultation with an approved consultant, and ongoing continuing education.
I pursued EMDRIA Certification because I wanted to give my clients the highest standard of care available in EMDR.
The Research Behind EMDR
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR
Healing Is Possible
I offer a free 15-minute consultation to discuss whether EMDR is a good fit for your situation. I serve clients throughout Pennsylvania via secure telehealth.
Schedule a Consultation