EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a treatment developed by Francine Shapiro in 1989. There are now 30+ studies showing EMDR’s effectiveness. Some people believe that EMDR mimics REM sleep when a client is fully conscious to help them to reprocess what happened and re-organize difficult memories. Either way, EMDR has been shown to lessen emotional and physiological distress, and transform negative thoughts into more authentically positive thoughts. 

In a reprocessing session, you will focus on a particular memory while either watching flashes of light, watching your therapist move her fingers back and forth, holding onto a small tapping device, or tapping yourself on alternating sides of your body. This works to help stimulate both sides of your brain in reprocessing the memory. Your therapist will also stop at different points to ask you some questions about what you are noticing about the memory, and what you are feeling in your body to help check in with how the process is going for you.

EMDR can be used to help with many different types of experiences including anxiety, depression, divorce, abuse, car accidents, addiction, or just feeling stuck.