What EMDR Sessions Feel Like

Here’s a sense of what it’s like to do EMDR together:

• We’ll start by talking about what’s been hard and what you’d like to work on.

• Then, we'll transition to the structured, scripted part of EMDR.

• Before we begin reprocessing, we’ll build grounding skills so you feel safe and steady.

• During EMDR, you’ll bring a memory or feeling to mind while following gentle eye movements (or sometimes taps or tones). This helps your brain reprocess what happened in a healthier way.

• You might notice emotions, thoughts, or sensations come up — and that’s okay. We’ll pause as needed, and you’ll never go anywhere emotionally that feels unsafe.

• You’ll also learn calming tools you can use outside of therapy whenever things feel overwhelming.

Could EMDR Help You?

If you’ve been feeling weighed down by the past, stuck on painful memories, or constantly on alert even when life is calm, EMDR might be a good fit.

It can support people navigating:

• Post-traumatic stress or unresolved trauma — a sound, smell, or place that sends your body into tension before your mind can catch up.  Replaying moments that still feel “too close.”

• Anxiety, panic, or intrusive thoughts — heart racing, sudden dread, or thoughts that spiral even when you try to push them away.

• Grief or complicated loss — when you keep looping through memories of someone you’ve lost, or feel stuck between sadness, guilt, and longing.

• Low self-worth — that inner voice that echoes criticism or shame.

• Relationship struggles tied to emotional patterns — finding yourself shutting down, over-apologizing, or reacting more strongly than the moment calls for.