EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, helps people process and heal from trauma. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn’t require you to talk through every detail of your trauma. Instead, it uses bilateral stimulation—often guided eye movements—to help your brain naturally reprocess painful memories.
It’s recognized as a highly effective therapy for trauma. EMDR can treat PTSD, anxiety, depression, and even long-standing Complex Trauma. The therapy works by allowing your brain to heal in the same way your body heals from a physical wound. This means you don’t need to stay stuck in past pain.
EMDR is an excellent option for anyone dealing with trauma—whether it’s a single-event trauma like an accident or assault, or more Complex Trauma from ongoing or repeated experiences. If you’ve tried other therapies and still feel stuck, EMDR might be the missing piece.
It’s also particularly helpful for neurodiverse individuals or those in the LGBTQIA+ community, who may face additional layers of trauma. EMDR provides a safe and supportive way to heal, without needing to relive the trauma in detail.
No matter what you're carrying—whether it’s trauma, anxiety, or the unique challenges of living in a marginalized identity—EMDR can help.
If you've been through repeated, long-term trauma—whether it's abuse, neglect, bullying, emotional, physical, or sexual—EMDR can help you process those painful memories in a way that feels manageable.
Surviving (or witnessing) domestic violence, assault, or any other type of abuse can leave overwhelming emotional scars. EMDR helps work through these emotions and start the healing process.
Repeated exposure to trauma in professions like firefighting, paramedics, or military service can take a toll. EMDR helps process the cumulative impact of these experiences.
For individuals who have experienced discrimination, racism, or oppression, EMDR can help process the trauma tied to living in a marginalized identity.
Facing discrimination, rejection, or trauma as part of the LGBTQ+ community can create emotional wounds that EMDR can help process and heal.
For neurodiverse folx, living in a world that often doesn’t understand or accommodate them can be stressful. EMDR helps address the trauma and anxiety that comes with this experience.
Living with chronic illness can be emotionally challenging, and EMDR can help process the trauma or emotional weight associated with being a "spoonie."
For those who have experienced a specific traumatic event and feel stuck in the past, EMDR is a proven treatment that helps reduce the emotional intensity of those memories.
EMDR can help process grief, especially when tied to traumatic or complex circumstances, offering relief from overwhelming feelings of loss.
EMDR works by getting to the root of anxiety and panic attacks, which are often tied to unresolved past experiences.
For those experiencing chronic stress or burnout, EMDR can help uncover and process underlying causes related to past experiences, allowing for more effective coping.
For those who experience intense anxiety in social situations, EMDR can help resolve memories of rejection or humiliation that may be driving the fear.
Deep fears of failure or feeling "not enough" often drive perfectionism. EMDR helps address the underlying emotions and helps set healthier expectations.
Constantly seeking validation or struggling to say no can stem from deeper emotional wounds. EMDR can help process what's driving these behaviors.
Feeling like a fraud, even in the face of success, can be debilitating. EMDR helps address the deep-seated insecurities and fears behind imposter syndrome.
For performers, athletes, or individuals with anxiety around performance, EMDR helps reprocess past criticisms or failures that may be holding them back.
Phobias, often tied to specific events or fears, can be desensitized through EMDR, making triggers more manageable.
For those struggling with intense and out-of-control emotions (emotional dysregulation), EMDR can help process trauma-related triggers, making emotional management easier.
For highly sensitive individuals who feel emotions deeply, EMDR can help process overwhelming feelings, especially those amplified by past trauma.
Sessions usually last between 60 and 90 minutes. During the first few sessions, you’ll focus on building a sense of safety and trust with your therapist. You’ll also practice relaxation techniques that you can use if emotions get intense during therapy.
When you start processing memories, your therapist will ask you to think about a specific memory while following their hand movements with your eyes. The process helps your brain do the work of reprocessing without needing to talk through every detail of the trauma.
After each set of eye movements, the therapist will check in to see what came up for you. They’ll guide you through each step, making sure you feel supported the whole time.
The most significant benefit of EMDR therapy is relief from trauma-related symptoms. Whether you’re dealing with flashbacks, nightmares, or overwhelming emotions, EMDR helps reduce these symptoms by resolving the root of the trauma.
But the benefits go beyond just trauma recovery. Many clients report feeling more emotionally balanced and present in their daily lives. Anxiety decreases, relationships improve, and you start feeling more in control of your emotions.
EMDR also works relatively quickly for many people. Some find relief in just a few sessions, though more complex traumas may take longer to process.
Research consistently shows that EMDR is one of the most effective treatments for trauma. Studies have found that up to 90% of single-trauma survivors no longer meet the criteria for PTSD after just a few EMDR sessions. EMDR is also highly effective for those with Complex Trauma, helping reduce symptoms and improve emotional regulation.
Organizations like the American Psychological Association (APA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend EMDR as a front-line treatment for trauma. These endorsements speak to the therapy’s strong research backing and real-world success.
Is EMDR Safe?
Yes. EMDR is a safe, evidence-based therapy when done by a trained professional. Your therapist will make sure you feel safe and supported at every step.
How Long Does EMDR Take to Work?
It varies. Some clients feel relief after just a few sessions. More complex trauma might take longer to process.
Are There Any Side Effects?
You might feel emotionally sensitive between sessions, but this usually fades as the therapy progresses. Your therapist will help you manage any difficult feelings that come up.
video: Introduction to EMDR Therapy
[embed]https://youtu.be/Pkfln-ZtWeY[/embed]
While therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) are great for many conditions, they’re primarily top-down approaches. This means they focus on changing thoughts to influence emotions. EMDR, on the other hand, is a bottom-up therapy. It works directly with how trauma is stored in the brain and body, helping you release it without needing to analyze or talk about it in depth.
If you’ve tried top-down therapies and still feel stuck, EMDR might be the next step for you. It’s especially effective for trauma and emotional pain that feels overwhelming.
At Empower Counseling Center, we approach treating trauma using EMDR based on Francine Shapiro’s Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model. The AIP model suggests that trauma disrupts the brain's natural ability to process and store memories adaptively. These unprocessed memories become "stuck" and continue to trigger distress. Through EMDR, we help clients reprocess these memories by accessing the brain’s natural healing processes. By doing this, we allow the trauma to be stored in a way that no longer causes emotional pain or symptoms, helping clients regain a sense of calm and control over their lives.
If you’ve been struggling with trauma, anxiety, or depression, EMDR therapy could be a good option. It’s especially helpful if you’re dealing with past experiences that you haven’t been able to process fully. Whether your trauma stems from a single event or from ongoing, complex experiences, EMDR provides a safe and supportive way to heal.
It’s also a good fit for neurodiverse individuals who may find traditional therapies overwhelming or not suited to their needs. EMDR works at your pace, helping you feel empowered in your healing journey.
Empower Counseling Center LLC
770.283.8386 | [email protected]
4411 Suwanee Dam Road, Suite 450
Suwanee, Georgia 30024
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We help people heal complex trauma using EMDR therapy; affirming to neurodivergent and LGBT+ identities; counseling offered both in person and online across Georgia.
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