EMDR Therapy

You know why you react the way you do. You've done the journaling, the self-reflection, maybe even the therapy. You can trace it back to where it started. And yet — the reaction still happens. The anxiety still spikes. The same dynamic still plays out. The same voice still shows up in your head.

This is one of the most frustrating experiences a person can have: understanding something intellectually and still being unable to shift it. It's not because you're not trying hard enough. It's because insight alone doesn't always reach where the pattern actually lives — in your body, your nervous system, the memories that got stuck before you had the words for them.

That's what EMDR is for.

What EMDR therapy actually is

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It's a research-backed therapy originally developed for trauma, now widely used for anxiety, phobias, grief, low self-esteem, and the accumulated weight of experiences that didn't get processed at the time.

The core idea: when we go through something distressing, our brain sometimes can't fully process and file it the way it normally would. The memory gets stuck, still carrying the original emotional charge. So years later, something small can trigger a response that feels completely out of proportion — because your nervous system is responding to the old event, not the current one.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — typically eye movements, taps, or sounds alternating left and right — while you briefly hold the distressing memory in mind. This helps your brain do what it couldn't do at the time: fully process the experience, integrate it, and let the emotional charge attached to it decrease.

When it works — and the research shows it works well — the memory is still there, but it loses its grip. It becomes something that happened, rather than something that's still happening to you.

Who EMDR helps

EMDR is not just for people who have experienced major trauma. It's effective for a wide range of experiences, including what's often called small-t trauma — the chronic, cumulative experiences that don't feel dramatic enough to call trauma but have still shaped how you move through the world.

EMDR may be a good fit if you:

• Know intellectually why you react a certain way — and still can't change the reaction

• Feel triggered by situations that "shouldn't" bother you this much

• Carry anxiety, shame, or self-doubt that feels almost hardwired

• Grew up in an environment that was critical, unpredictable, or emotionally unavailable

• Have done talk therapy and feel like you've hit a ceiling

• Are dealing with grief, loss, or a painful experience that still feels very present

• Struggle with perfectionism or people-pleasing rooted in early experiences

What EMDR therapy with me looks like

I integrate EMDR into therapy, it's not a standalone protocol delivered in a vacuum. We build a real foundation first: you'll feel resourced, prepared, and genuinely ready before we move toward anything difficult. We'll always work at your pace, and you're in control throughout.

Sessions are 45 minutes, 90 minutes, or 3 hours. Read more about intensive EMDR Sessions here. EMDR doesn't require you to describe traumatic experiences in extensive detail, which many clients find a relief. You'll hold the memory lightly while we do the processing work — and over time, the emotional weight attached to it decreases.

Some clients notice significant shifts in just a few EMDR-focused sessions. For others, it becomes a regular part of how we work together over a longer period. It depends entirely on what you're bringing in and what's most useful for you.

What to expect when getting started

01

Free 15-minute consult call — We'll talk about what's bringing you in and whether EMDR is likely to be useful for your specific situation. I'll answer any questions — including the ones about whether it's as strange as it sounds (it's a little strange, I won't lie).

02

Building the foundation first — We don't jump straight into EMDR processing. The early sessions are about understanding your history, identifying what we're working toward, and making sure you have the resources and grounding to do the work safely.

03

EMDR processing, integrated into our sessions — When you're ready, we'll begin working directly with the memories and experiences that are fueling your current patterns. You'll notice what comes up between sessions — often, things shift in ways that are subtle at first and then suddenly very clear.

04

Integration and consolidation — As processing progresses, we'll work on integrating what's shifted into your day-to-day life. The goal is lasting change — not just relief in the room, but a genuine difference in how you move through the world.

If you've been wondering whether EMDR might help you, the consult call is the right place to start. Book your free 15-minute call in person in Flatiron, NYC or virtually anywhere in New York State.