EMDR Therapy Online
for trauma and limiting beliefs

EMDR helps the brain and nervous system process painful or unresolved experiences that may still be contributing to anxiety, emotional distress, negative beliefs, physical reactions, or feeling stuck in certain patterns.

During EMDR, we identify specific memories, experiences, fears, beliefs, or triggers that continue affecting you in the present. Through bilateral stimulation (BLS) — such as eye movements, tapping, or sounds — the brain is able to reprocess these experiences in a way that reduces their emotional intensity and helps the nervous system recognize that the danger is no longer happening now.

Many people describe EMDR as helping experiences feel more “resolved” rather than emotionally overwhelming or constantly reactivated. Over time, distressing thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and reactions often become less intense, allowing for greater emotional regulation, flexibility, and self-trust moving forward.

Research suggests that EMDR can create meaningful neurological and nervous system changes associated with reduced distress and improved emotional functioning. In other words, EMDR doesn’t just help you think differently — it can also help your mind and body respond differently.

BLS is thought to mimic what happens in slow-wave-sleep, calming the amygdala and allowing it to synchronize with the rest of the brain. Studies of brain scans have shown that EMDR can increase grey matter density in the brain, which was associated with reduction or elimination of symptoms directly after treatment that were maintained at follow-up. Basically, EMDR not only changes the way you think and feel, it changes your brain for the better.

EMDR follows a structured approach designed to help the brain and nervous system process unresolved experiences in a safe and supportive way. Before beginning reprocessing, we’ll spend time understanding your history, identifying goals, building coping tools, and making sure you feel emotionally prepared for the work.

During an EMDR session, we focus on a specific memory, trigger, belief, or emotional response while using bilateral stimulation (BLS) such as eye movements, tapping, or sounds. Online sessions commonly use guided eye movements on-screen or self-tapping techniques like the “butterfly hug.”

As processing unfolds, clients often notice shifts in emotions, body sensations, thoughts, memories, or perspectives connected to the experience. You remain fully in control throughout the session and can pause or slow the process at any time.

The goal of EMDR is not to erase memories, but to reduce the emotional and physical distress connected to them so they no longer feel as overwhelming in the present.

Everyone responds to EMDR a little differently, but many people report feeling mentally or physically tired afterward — almost like they’ve just woken up from a deep nap. This is a normal response, as the brain and nervous system are actively processing and reorganizing information during EMDR work.

Because of this, it can be helpful to plan for extra self-care around your sessions when possible. Drinking water, allowing for downtime afterward, getting adequate rest, and giving yourself a slower or more gentle schedule can all support the processing experience.

At the end of each session, we intentionally leave time to help you return to a more grounded and regulated state before ending. You will not simply be left emotionally activated and sent on your way.

Some people also notice more vivid dreams, emotional shifts, memories resurfacing, or new insights emerging between sessions. This can be a normal part of the brain continuing to process material outside of therapy. Occasionally, upsetting emotions or memories may surface as well. If that happens, we’ll work together to safely contain and process those experiences at a pace that feels manageable and supportive for you.

Like many forms of meaningful therapy, EMDR can sometimes bring temporary discomfort as painful experiences are processed more directly. However, you will not be expected to navigate that discomfort alone. Part of our work together involves helping you build the tools, support, and emotional safety needed to move through the process in a healthy and regulated way.

EMDR can be incredibly effective for people who feel motivated to create meaningful change and are willing to actively engage in the process. While EMDR is often experienced as a more accelerated approach compared to some traditional therapies, it is not an instant or “quick fix.” Consistency, emotional readiness, and a strong therapeutic foundation all play important roles in creating lasting results.

EMDR can also be especially helpful for individuals who are already participating in ongoing therapy but want additional support processing trauma, attachment wounds, distressing memories, or deeply rooted emotional patterns. In some cases, clients continue working with their primary therapist for weekly support while using EMDR sessions to focus more specifically on trauma reprocessing and nervous system healing.

If you are currently working with another therapist, I’m happy to coordinate care with your permission so treatment feels supportive and cohesive. (Please note that for ethical reasons, I cannot provide ongoing talk therapy if you are already seeing another individual therapist.)

Because EMDR can access emotionally intense material, emotional stability and nervous system safety are important parts of the process. In some situations — such as active addiction, significant dissociation, or ongoing unsafe or highly unstable living environments — additional stabilization and support may be recommended before beginning EMDR reprocessing work.

The goal is never to push someone into processing before they feel ready, but to create a safe, thoughtful, and supportive foundation for healing to happen in a manageable and effective way.

The length of EMDR treatment depends on your specific goals, experiences, nervous system responses, and the number of “targets” or areas we decide to work through together.

Some clients experiencing single-incident trauma or more isolated fears — such as public speaking anxiety or a specific phobia — may notice significant improvement within a relatively small number of sessions. More complex concerns, such as chronic anxiety, attachment wounds, prolonged stress, complex trauma, or multiple overlapping life experiences, often require a longer and more layered process.

That said, many people begin noticing meaningful shifts relatively early in treatment. EMDR can often help reduce emotional intensity, increase nervous system regulation, and create a sense of movement or relief more quickly than some traditional talk therapy approaches alone.

Because every person and situation is different, I cannot predict an exact number of sessions in advance. I’m always happy to discuss your specific goals, concerns, and treatment options during a free 15-minute consultation so we can determine what approach may be the best fit for you.

In EMDR, these are often referred to as “blocking beliefs” — deeply rooted negative beliefs about ourselves that keep us feeling stuck emotionally, relationally, or behaviorally.

Often, clients describe it as:

“I logically want to believe I’m good enough, safe, lovable, capable, or worthy… but I just can’t fully feel it.”

These beliefs are usually not random. They often develop through painful experiences, attachment wounds, criticism, rejection, trauma, or repeated emotional patterns over time. Even when we consciously know something isn’t true anymore, the nervous system and emotional brain may still continue responding as though it is.

Together, we’ll work to identify the underlying beliefs contributing to emotional distress, self-doubt, anxiety, or stuck patterns. Through EMDR, we can begin processing the experiences connected to those beliefs so your mind and body can start responding from the present instead of old emotional conditioning.

The goal is not simply positive thinking — it’s creating deeper emotional shifts that allow healthier, more adaptive beliefs to genuinely feel true.

EMDR can be an incredibly effective tool for preparing for upcoming situations that feel emotionally overwhelming, anxiety-provoking, or high-pressure. Whether you’re preparing for a wedding, public speaking event, major life transition, important conversation, performance, travel, or another meaningful moment, EMDR can help reduce anxiety while strengthening feelings of confidence, emotional regulation, and self-trust.

One of the most common examples? Weddings — and actually, one of the reasons I became an EMDR client myself.

Even exciting life events can bring up anxiety, perfectionism, fear of judgment, family stress, pressure, or unresolved emotional wounds. EMDR can help identify and process the blocking beliefs, fears, or nervous system responses that may be interfering with your ability to feel calm, grounded, and fully present during important moments in your life.

When time is limited before an event, EMDR intensives can sometimes be a helpful option for more focused and accelerated work.