EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy that believes mental health concerns are due to the maladaptive encoding of and/or incomplete processing of traumatic or disturbing adverse life experiences.

Let me make this easier to understand: Research shows that our brains were made to heal themselves, in the same way our bodies naturally heal when we get a physical injury but trauma interrupts our brains natural healing process.

Through EMDR, resolution of traumatic and upsetting life experiences are accomplished with a unique standardized set of procedures and clinical protocols which incorporates dual focus of attention and alternating bilateral visual, auditory and/or tactile stimulation.

EMDR helps reprocess memories that have gotten “stuck” and are open wounds (metaphorically) in your brain so that they no longer elicit a current response (i.e. emotions, body sensations, negative thoughts). It does this through eye movements or tapping (aka bilateral stimulation).

EMDR is a body based approach, meaning that you don’t have to provide a lot of details about your experiences but you have to be open to thinking about and feeling emotions and body sensations associated with past memories.