What Is EMDR Therapy and How Can It Help You Heal?
Introduction
When you’ve been through something painful, it can feel like the memory is always with you. Some people describe it as being “stuck in the past,” replaying the event through anxiety, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts. EMDR therapy was created to help people break free from this cycle and finally experience relief.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s a form of therapy designed to help the brain finish what it couldn’t do in the moment of trauma — fully process the experience. When trauma gets “stuck,” it can keep showing up as overwhelming emotions, body reactions, or negative beliefs about yourself.
EMDR helps the brain reprocess those memories so they feel less painful and more like part of your past, rather than something that controls your present.
Although it was first developed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), EMDR is now used for many concerns, including:
Anxiety and panic attacks
Depression
Grief and loss
Childhood trauma and neglect
Betrayal trauma
Stress and emotional overwhelm
How Does EMDR Work?
In EMDR, you focus on specific memories or emotions while your therapist guides you through bilateral stimulation(this may be eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds). This process activates both sides of the brain, allowing your nervous system to “unstick” the memory and process it more completely.
Over time, the memory becomes less emotionally charged, and new, healthier beliefs can take hold. For example, the thought “I’m not safe” may shift into “I am safe now.”
What to Expect in EMDR Sessions
Here’s what the process usually looks like:
Preparation – We begin by building coping tools and grounding techniques so you feel safe and supported.
Identifying Targets – We decide together which memories or beliefs to focus on.
Processing – Using bilateral stimulation, we work through those memories in a structured, gentle way.
Integration – New insights emerge, and old beliefs are replaced by more balanced, life-giving ones.
Most people are surprised by how effective EMDR feels, and often by how quickly relief begins compared to traditional talk therapy.
Why EMDR Can Be Transformative
After EMDR, many clients describe:
Feeling calmer and more present
Being less triggered by reminders of the past
Noticing anxiety or shame lose their grip
Gaining a sense of peace and self-confidence they didn’t think was possible
Is EMDR Right for You?
If you’ve tried other therapies and still feel weighed down by the past, EMDR could be the next step. It’s particularly helpful if you feel like your mind knows you’re “safe now,” but your body or emotions haven’t caught up.
You don’t have to carry the pain alone. EMDR therapy can help you move from simply surviving to truly healing.
Call (480) 656-9174 to schedule your free 15-minute consultation and find out if EMDR might be right for you.
References & Further Reading
American Psychological Association. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of PTSD. APA
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
EMDR International Association. About EMDR Therapy. EMDRIA
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD. Overview of EMDR. VA.gov