Leaving the past where it belongs.

Online EMDR Therapy in Texas

Do you worry that you’ll always be stuck with painful memories?

You may be a good fit for EMDR if you:

  • Struggle to let go of negative beliefs about yourself

  • Have tried talk therapy in the past but it didn’t give you the results you wanted

  • Feel overwhelmed with the past 

  • Haven’t been able to move forward from a traumatic event

  • Often feel tension in your body 

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a powerful method of taking away painful emotions that are tied to past experiences. EMDR can be used to work through several issues including depression, anxiety, and trauma. Sometimes memories can keep us feeling hurt, shameful, angry, or fearful for what can feel like forever. It can be difficult to move forward when it feels like the past is holding you back. This method can give you the freedom to release the heavy emotions you’ve held on to for so long. 

Bilateral stimulation (BLS) is a side-to-side pattern that activates both sides of your brain, for example: moving your eyes side to side, alternating taps on your shoulders, listening to sounds on headphones, or some variation of the above. EMDR uses BLS to help your brain sort old information in a new and helpful way. Unlike talk therapy, talking is limited in EMDR to allow your brain the time and space to process the thoughts and emotions that come up. This method can be a way to resolve negative feelings and help you enjoy a sense of peace. 

How does it work?

What to Expect

  • Phase 1- History

    This initial step is an opportunity for me to gain a better understanding of you and your background. It’s also the time for us to create a plan of which memories or triggers we will target and our goals.

    Phase 2- Preparation

    We’ll take a look at the current coping skills and resources you are comfortable using during times of discomfort. We’ll look at additional calming tools that may be helpful for you to learn. We may also practice bilateral stimulation at this stage.

    Phase 3- Assessment

    This is when we will take a look at the emotions that you associate with the past event. We’ll explore the belief it’s led to and how you hope to change it.

    Phase 4- Desensitization

    In this phase we’ll use bilateral stimulation to help you process the thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations that are attached to the memory. You may make connections that you hadn’t thought about previously. We will spend the majority of our time on this step.

    Phase 5- Installation

    When you no longer feel burdened by the memory, we will revisit the thought that you aimed to believe. We will use bilateral stimulation again to help strengthen this belief.

    Phase 6- Body Scan

    We’ll take time to consider if there is any discomfort left in your body after working through the previous steps. If there is any residual tension, we will continue working through BLS.

    Phase 7- Closure

    This phase is meant for returning you to a calm state through breathing or meditation. If we have not finished processing the full memory, we may move to this step from phase 4 in order to help you return to a comfortable state before returning to your normal activities outside of session. If this happens, we will pick up where we left off at the next session.

    Phase 8- Re-evaluation

    The final step is for us to revisit the memory after you’ve had time to complete processing between sessions. You might have had more painful emotions, thoughts, or sensations come up for you. If so, we will return to phase 4.

EMDR can help you:

  • Find freedom from negative beliefs

  • Process memories that have been difficult to overcome

  • Release pain that you’ve held onto from the past

  • Feel relief in your body after letting go of trauma

  • Make room for positive emotions in your life 

You can move forward.

You can move forward.

You can move forward.

You can move forward.

You can move forward.

FAQ

How do I know if EMDR is right for me?

I encourage my clients to consider EMDR if they feel stuck in a loop and haven’t seen any progress in talk therapy. Maybe you’ve heard about EMDR and decided right away that you want to give it a try. If you’re on the fence, it may help to watch reputable videos, read articles, or ask friends/family who have tried EMDR how the experience was for them. Ultimately, the decision is yours to make, and you are free to change your mind at any point. 

Can I use talk therapy with EMDR?

There are several different options that can be used with EMDR, and it all depends on your personal preference. Some clients choose to only do EMDR where there is minimal talking. Others prefer to alternate EMDR and talk therapy sessions. They may use the EMDR sessions to work through past experiences and talk therapy sessions when they have a conflict arise in their present life. Another option would be to do EMDR for a short period of time to work through a couple of past experiences before switching gears to talk therapy.

What if I don’t like EMDR?

Similar to talk therapy with me, EMDR still allows you to lead your sessions. If at any point, you decide that EMDR is not helping or is bringing back memories that you’re not ready to work through, you are always encouraged to voice your concerns. You can return to or start talk therapy whenever you choose.