EMDR Therapy
Are Painful Memories Keeping You Trapped In The Past?
Understanding EMDR: A Revolutionary Approach to Healing Trauma
EMDR therapy was developed in 1987 by psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro, who observed that specific eye movements could reduce the intensity of disturbing thoughts. Since then, extensive research has established EMDR as one of the most effective treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR works directly with how your brain stores traumatic memories. Normally, your brain processes daily experiences during REM sleep, filing them away as past events with appropriate emotional responses. Traumatic experiences, however, often get stored differently—frozen in time with their original emotional intensity and physical sensations intact.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (typically guided eye movements, tapping, or tones) to activate both hemispheres of the brain while you briefly focus on traumatic memories. This process mimics the brain's natural REM processing, helping traumatic memories transform from vivid, present-tense experiences into appropriately filed past events.
Do disturbing memories intrude on your present moments, bringing with them overwhelming emotions and physical sensations? Perhaps you've tried traditional talk therapy but find that simply discussing traumatic experiences doesn't diminish their emotional charge. Many people describe feeling "stuck" in past events—intellectually understanding they're over, yet emotionally reacting as if they're still occurring.
You might notice that certain triggers—a sound, scent, or situation—instantly transport you back to distressing memories, activating your body's stress response and making it impossible to remain present. Or perhaps you've developed elaborate strategies to avoid anything that might remind you of painful experiences, gradually limiting your life choices and relationships.
At Holistic Counseling, our EMDR-certified therapists offer an evidence-based approach specifically designed to help your brain process and integrate traumatic memories. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy provides a pathway to healing that doesn't require extensive retelling of painful details or years of gradual exposure.
When EMDR Therapy Can Help
EMDR was initially developed for PTSD but has proven effective for many conditions where disturbing memories play a role. Research supports its use for:
Single-incident traumas (accidents, assaults, natural disasters)
Complex developmental trauma and childhood adverse experiences
Anxiety disorders and phobias
Depression with roots in negative life experiences
Grief and complicated bereavement
Performance anxiety and self-limiting beliefs
Pain disorders with psychological components
Substance use disorders and addictive behaviors
Many clients choose EMDR because it can produce significant results more rapidly than traditional talk therapy, particularly for single-incident traumas. It also doesn't require detailed verbal recounting of traumatic events, which makes it accessible for those who find talking about their experiences overwhelming.
Our Specialized Approach to EMDR Therapy
At Holistic Counseling, our EMDR practitioners have completed comprehensive training and certification through EMDRIA (EMDR International Association), ensuring they meet the highest standards for this specialized therapeutic approach. We integrate EMDR with our holistic philosophy, recognizing that trauma affects the entire person—mind, body, emotions, and spirit.
As therapy progresses, many clients report not only reduced distress around targeted memories but also positive shifts in their overall sense of self, relationships with others, and ability to engage fully with life's possibilities.
The EMDR Process: What to Expect
EMDR therapy follows a structured eight-phase protocol that ensures safety and effectiveness throughout the healing journey:
History Taking: We'll explore your background, identify therapeutic targets, and develop a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
Preparation: Before processing begins, we'll teach you effective self-regulation techniques to manage emotional intensity both during and between sessions.
Assessment: We'll identify specific memories for processing and clarify the negative beliefs, desired positive beliefs, emotions, and physical sensations associated with each.
Desensitization: Using bilateral stimulation, we'll help your brain reprocess the targeted memory until its emotional charge diminishes substantially.
Installation: We'll strengthen your connection to positive beliefs that contradict the negative beliefs installed by traumatic experiences.
Body Scan: We'll ensure that no residual physical tension remains when recalling the targeted memory.
Closure: Each session ends with stabilization techniques, ensuring you feel grounded before leaving.
Reevaluation: At the beginning of subsequent sessions, we'll assess your progress and determine next steps.
Throughout this process, our therapists maintain a client-centered approach, moving at a pace that feels manageable for you and adjusting the protocol as needed to address your unique circumstances. We complement EMDR with mindfulness practices, somatic techniques, and parts work when appropriate, creating an integrated healing experience.
Common Questions About EMDR Therapy
How does moving my eyes help process traumatic memories?
This is one of the most common questions about EMDR, and it reflects natural skepticism about such a seemingly simple intervention producing profound results. Research suggests that bilateral stimulation (whether through eye movements, alternating tones, or tactile stimulation) helps in several ways:
It taxes working memory, making it difficult to maintain the vivid intensity of troubling images
It creates a dual-attention state similar to REM sleep, facilitating memory processing
It activates both brain hemispheres, promoting integration between emotional and logical processing
It stimulates the orienting response, a relaxation reflex that occurs when we determine our environment is safe
While researchers continue to refine our understanding of precisely how EMDR works, numerous studies confirm its effectiveness—many people experience significant relief regardless of the exact mechanisms at work.
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
The number of sessions varies based on several factors, including the nature and complexity of your traumatic experiences, your history, and your specific goals. As a general guideline:
Single-incident adult traumas may resolve in as few as 3-5 processing sessions (after the initial preparation phases)
More complex or developmental trauma typically requires more extensive treatment, sometimes 20+ sessions
Some clients choose to address multiple issues over time, returning to EMDR for different concerns as they arise
During your initial consultation, we'll provide a more personalized estimate based on your circumstances. We'll also regularly evaluate progress together, adjusting our approach as needed.
Will I need to discuss all the details of my traumatic experiences?
One of EMDR's advantages is that it doesn't require extensive verbal recounting of traumatic events. While you'll need to briefly focus on aspects of the memory during processing, you don't need to share all the disturbing details with your therapist if that feels overwhelming.
Your therapist needs to understand enough about your experiences to guide treatment effectively, but EMDR's emphasis on internal processing means much of the work happens within your own mind. Many clients appreciate this aspect of EMDR, particularly those who find talking about their trauma retraumatizing.
Is EMDR therapy just a "quick fix" or does it provide lasting results?
Follow-up studies show that the benefits of successful EMDR therapy tend to maintain over time, with many clients reporting continued improvement even after treatment ends. This durability likely stems from EMDR's focus on reprocessing the underlying memories rather than merely managing symptoms.
That said, EMDR isn't a miracle cure that erases all traces of difficult experiences. The goal isn't to forget what happened but to transform how these memories are stored—reducing their emotional charge and helping them become appropriately filed as past events. This transformation allows you to acknowledge what happened without being controlled by it.
Begin Your EMDR Healing Journey Today
At Holistic Counseling, we believe in your innate capacity to heal from even the most difficult experiences. EMDR therapy offers a powerful pathway to transform how traumatic memories affect your present life, freeing you to engage more fully with current possibilities rather than remaining trapped in past pain.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our EMDR-certified therapists. We'll help you determine if EMDR is right for your specific situation and answer any additional questions about the process. We offer both in-person and secure online EMDR sessions to clients throughout Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming.
If you're experiencing a crisis or need immediate support, please contact:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
SAMHSA's National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)