EMDR Therapy for Trauma in NYC & San Diego
Online Sessions Across NY, NJ, and CA
Past painful experiences don’t have to keep you stuck.
You handle life well day to day but a part of you deep down feels a familiar hurt from the past. Even though things in your life now seem to be relatively good, there’s a sense of worry, sadness, and pain that you can’t completely escape from.
It’s hard to ignore that feeling when out of nowhere you have a reaction that is bigger than you expected or wanted. You notice it the most in your relationship with your partner, friends, and coworkers.
Sometimes this happens when…
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You have this huge rush of anxiety and fear of abandonment – during an argument with your partner or when your partner may be angry with you
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You make a mistake at work and suddenly you are convinced that nothing you do is ever good enough
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You feel a deep sense of rejection… just when a friend cancels plans even though you know that person really cares about you
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You see something online or on TV that reminds you of your painful experience
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Go through a life change and it brings up memories or feelings about what you’ve been through all over again
Maybe you’re confused because you thought you put those things behind you, but now you’re wondering if they really have been resolved since they seem to still impact you today.
EMDR therapy can help with these experiences.
EMDR can help you heal the past so you can have a calm and confident future.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence based body focused therapy. EMDR does not require talking about the past painful experience and instead asks you to bring the memory/feeling/thought to mind while using bi-lateral stimulation such as rapid eye movements or tapping.
With frequent check-ins about what you are experiencing, this process helps you keep one foot in the present and one foot in the past to keep you from getting overwhelmed or flooded while reprocessing the painful experience.
What To Expect?
History and planning: Together we will understand your past and how it may be impacting your present. We will identify which experiences would be helpful to decrease distress around.
Resourcing: This includes identifying and practicing grounding resources that will help you cope with the distress that is brought up in reprocessing.
Reprocessing: This means you will think about the distressing experience while using bilateral stimulation (engaging both sides of the body such as eye movements or tapping).
Incorporating: When necessary, bilateral stimulation will be used to help reinforce positive reactions and desired future actions.
What Can EMDR Help With?
EMDR can help with any painful experiences that have stayed with you from the past and impact you today. Some of these experiences may be:
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Loss of a significant relationship as a child (parent, friend, pet, etc.)
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Parent’s divorce
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Emotionally disconnected from parents
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Chaotic or angry/anxious environment
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Emotionally disconnected from friends or bullying
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Hurtful past romantic relationships
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Consistently feeling alone, unheard, misunderstood, rejected
Find calm in your body and thoughts and feel confident in your future.
Reprocessing past painful experiences will help you get distance from those painful experiences. While you won’t forget the experience and the feelings/thoughts that came from it, you can feel less distressed by it. It won’t hold the power it once had and won’t trigger you in the same way in the present. You can finally feel more in control of your reactions and experience emotions/thoughts without the past keeping you stuck.
EMDR Therapy Can Help You...
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Identify past painful experiences that may be impacting you in the present
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Safely reprocess painful experiences and lower the distress they cause
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Feel more in control of your feelings and thoughts in the present
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Heal from the past
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Strengthen positive beliefs and desired behaviors
You can get distance from the past and
heal for a calmer future.
FAQs
Is EMDR different from normal therapy?
Yes - EMDR therapy is not traditional talk therapy. While you are welcome to share as much or as little as you'd like, only a snapshot of your experience is needed once reprocessing begins. EMDR beleives that these experiences get stored in the body so we will focus on how your body and mind can heal.
Can you do EMDR if you don’t have trauma?
EMDR is shown to be effective for trauma, anxiety, depression, and more. While your past painful experiences may not feel "big enough" to be called trauma they can still have a negative impact on your life now and you can benefit from reprocessing and healing from them.
How long does it take for EMDR to work?
The process of EMDR therapy is deeply personal. We will consistently communicate about how the process is going and reassess as needed.
Am I awake during EMDR? Is it like hypnosis?
You are awake during every phase of EMDR therapy. It is not hypnosis and does not include a trance-like state. You are in control of the process at all times.
Is EMDR hard?
It can be difficult. The emotions associated with painful experiences can feel overwhelmeing and intense sometimes. However, since it is not talk therapy, it is a great option for people who don’t want to discuss their experiences in detail. Before we begin reprocessing, we’ll spend time resourcing coping and grounding skills to help you manage emotions and return to a state of calm both in and out of session.