About EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy approach that helps the brain finish processing experiences that got "stuck," that is, stored in a way that keeps triggering the same physical and emotional reaction long after the original event. Using bilateral stimulation (usually guided eye movements, though sometimes tapping or sound), EMDR engages both sides of the brain in a way that seems to help the nervous system do what it does naturally during REM sleep: file an experience away as something that happened, rather than something that's still happening. 

You don't have to talk through every detail of what happened for it to work, which is part of why it can move faster than traditional talk therapy. It's well-researched for PTSD, but in practice it's just as effective for the subtler stuff as well. Most people are surprised by how different it feels from regular talk therapy. There is significantly less explaining, and more noticing what's actually happening in your body and mind as we work.

The concept of using bilateral stimulation for healing isn’t new. Many traditional healing practices incorporate some form of bilateral stimulation, such as drumming, canoeing, and even just simply walking. If you’ve ever experienced the sense of “processing through” a challenge while on a long walk, you have a sense of what EMDR can do in a much more structured and deliberate way.

Learn more at the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) website.