EMDR Therapy
Moving Memories from Technicolor to Black and White
Developed in the 1980s by Dr. Francine Shapiro, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a highly researched form of therapy proven to significantly decrease symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and phobias.
How It Works
When we experience trauma, the memory often gets “stuck” in the nervous system or isolated in one side of the brain, remaining intensely emotional or starkly rational. EMDR utilizes Bilateral Stimulation—moving the eyes back and forth, using alternating audio tones, or using a gentle handheld tapping device (a TheraTapper)—to bridge the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This mimics the natural processing that occurs during REM sleep.
The Somatic Connection
Most of our traumatic memories live “below the chin.” We cannot simply think or talk our way through deep nervous system wounds. Most human responses to trauma fall into Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn.
EMDR safely rewires these automatic survival responses. It does not erase your memories; rather, it processes them so they lose their painful, vivid, “technicolor” emotional charge. Clients often describe the relief as finally “putting the past behind a thick layer of protective glass.” I was trained in EMDR nearly 20 years ago and continuously refine my skill set through advanced workshops to bring this life-changing tool to my patients.
EMDR safely rewires these automatic survival responses. It does not erase your memories; rather, it processes them so they lose their painful, vivid, “technicolor” emotional charge. Clients often describe the relief as finally “putting the past behind a thick layer of protective glass.” I was trained in EMDR nearly 20 years ago and continuously refine my skill set through advanced workshops to bring this life-changing tool to my patients.
