What is EMDR?

Think about what happens when you get a cut. If it’s not cleaned and cared for, it can get infected and keep hurting. But if you gently clean it out, put a bandage on it, and give it time, the wound can heal. The scar may still be there, but it no longer causes pain.

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Our minds work in a similar way with difficult experiences. Most of the time, the brain naturally processes events and files them away as long-term memories. But when something really upsetting happens, it’s like the wound didn’t get cleaned. The memory stays “stuck,” and when something reminds you of it, it can feel raw and painful, even years later.

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This is where EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) comes in. EMDR is a gentle therapy that helps the brain go back and “clean out” those old wounds so they can finally heal. During a session, I will guide you to think about the memory while doing something that helps both sides of your brain work together—like moving your eyes back and forth, tapping your hands, or listening to sounds. 

The process doesn’t erase the memory, just like cleaning a wound doesn’t erase the scar. But it takes away the sting, the infection, and the pain, so the memory can become part of your past instead of something that keeps hurting in the present. 

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In short: EMDR is like an antiseptic that helps your brain heal old wounds, so you can feel lighter, calmer, and more free to live in the moment.

If EMDR is like cleaning out a wound, then you might be wondering—how exactly does that happen in therapy?

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When you come to an EMDR session, we won’t dive straight into the hardest memories. First, I’ll help you build tools and resources—like ways to feel calm, safe, and grounded. Think of it as gathering the right supplies before tending to a wound: water, bandages, and a safe place to sit.

When you’re ready, I’ll guide you to gently bring up part of a painful memory. At the same time, you’ll be doing something that helps both sides of your brain talk to each other—like moving your eyes back and forth, tapping your hands, or listening to sounds that alternate from ear to ear. This back-and-forth activity is a bit like the brain’s natural “cleaning cloth.”

While your brain is doing this, the memory starts to shift. It’s as if your mind is sorting through the pieces, rinsing away the sting, and filing the memory in the right place. You won’t be forced to relive every detail—instead, your brain does the work in the background, while I’m there to guide and support you.

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Over time, the painful memory doesn’t feel as raw. Just like a wound that’s been cleaned and bandaged, it heals. The scar may remain, but it no longer hurts the same way.

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In short: EMDR works by helping your brain reprocess stuck memories in a safe, supported way—so the past can settle into the past, and you can feel more present and whole today.

You might be wondering—why EMDR? Why use this approach instead of just talking about what happened?

The short answer is: sometimes talking isn’t enough. When something deeply upsetting happens, the brain doesn’t always process the memory the way it should. Instead of being filed away as “something that happened in the past,” the memory can get stuck. That’s why you might feel the same fear, sadness, or body tension today as you did back then—almost like the wound never got properly cleaned or cleaned at all.

​EMDR gives your brain the chance to finish what it couldn’t do at the time. It’s not about erasing memories or pretending things never happened. It’s about helping your brain and body finally heal.

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Why does this matter? Because when old wounds stay unhealed, they can affect how you see yourself, how safe you feel in the world, and even how you react in everyday situations. You might find yourself feeling on edge, avoiding certain things, or being pulled back into the past without wanting to be. Through EMDR, those memories lose their sharp sting. They become part of your story—something that happened, but no longer something that controls your present. Just like cleaning out a wound allows it to heal, EMDR allows your mind to heal so you can feel lighter, calmer, and more free to live in the now.

 

In short: The “why” of EMDR is simple—because you deserve healing. You deserve to carry your past as memory, not as ongoing pain.