EMDR

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a mouthful, and the name says very little about what the work actually feels like.

I think of EMDR as an accelerator. It does not do the healing. It helps the healing that is already trying to happen move more freely.

emdr person

what happens in a session

In ordinary conversation, we might avoid or circle painful memories for a long time. In the style of EMDR that I practice, we begin with deeply supportive resources and, when the time is right, focus on a particular memory or symptom. With gentle buzzers that you hold in your hands, I use what is called bilateral stimulation—a subtle sensation on the left side, then the right, then the left, then the right, and so on. This simple technique, together with EMDR protocols, can help you stay grounded and connected to a sense of safety while processing trauma.

safety comes first

Safety is foundational for this work, as it is for all of my work. We do not go near old pain until you are ready. You set the pace, and you are always welcome to stop. Stopping is not a failure. It is the work.

We begin by building resources—in particular, sources of protection, nurturing, and wisdom. You can return to these sources of support at any point, and they tend to linger throughout the session, even when we're not actively calling on them. In Attachment-Focused EMDR, this is not a preliminary step to get through on the way to the real thing. It is part of the medicine.

emdr river circle

Attachment-Focused EMDR

I completed Attachment-Focused EMDR training at the Parnell Institute.(opens in new tab)

Attachment-Focused EMDR is based on the understanding that relational safety between the client and others, especially the therapist, is foundational to the healing process.

For the trauma I most often work with—childhood, transgenerational, and collective—this matters a great deal.

what I use EMDR for

EMDR is best known for various kinds of trauma, ranging from single frightening events to the longer, sometimes complex harms of childhood. It can also reach things that don't announce themselves as trauma:

  • Anxiety with no obvious cause
  • Shame that arrives faster than thought
  • A belief about yourself that you know is not true and cannot stop believing

These often have an old memory underneath them, and when the memory moves, the belief and the accompanying feelings can move with it.

how long does EMDR take?

Sometimes EMDR is quick. A recent, contained event can resolve in a few sessions, and when that happens it can feel almost improbable.

Trauma that runs through childhood usually takes longer, and that's appropriate. There is more to meet, and meeting it well takes time.

interested in EMDR?

If this sounds like what you're looking for, I offer a free 15-minute consultation. Sessions range from 50–80 minutes.