Trauma treatment
EMDR
EMDR is a structured psychotherapy widely used for PTSD and trauma-related distress. It may also be helpful for anxiety, phobias, complicated grief, chronic pain, and performance-related concerns.
What EMDR actually involves
Treatment usually includes history-taking and planning, preparation, memory processing, and review.
During processing, you bring a particular memory or experience to mind while using bilateral stimulation, often guided eye movements. We pause regularly and track what happens to you: imagery, emotions, body sensations, thoughts, or associations. You stay awake and aware throughout, with full control over stopping or pausing at any point.
Before memory processing
Before processing begins, I ask about relevant history, your current supports, and how you tend to manage distress when it rises. This helps us decide whether EMDR is appropriate and how to proceed.
Depending on your situation, we may spend more time preparing before beginning EMDR. You may also decide to stop EMDR or shift to another approach that feels more suitable. There’s no rush and no pressure.
"Do I have to tell you everything?"
EMDR doesn't require a detailed verbal account of a traumatic experience. I do need enough information for us to work safely and coherently. You can decide how much detail to share, and we can discuss what is clinically useful.
Because sessions are virtual, we make sure the practical setup works, talk through what to do if distress rises, and leave enough time to wind down the session properly.
How it helps
EMDR is based on the idea that some traumatic experiences do not become integrated into personal history in the usual way. They may continue to intrude on the present through flashbacks, nightmares, distressing emotions, or physical reactions.
The aim is not to erase the memory. It is for the memory to become less immediate and less disruptive in daily life.