EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been proven effective for the treatment of trauma and many other mental health problems. It has gained recognition from organizations such as the World Health Organization, the US Department of Defence and the American Psychiatric Association.
EMDR functions a bit like Rapid Eye Movement during sleep. It helps with memory processing and storage. EMDR however, happens while you’re awake and the bilateral stimulation is facilitated by a trained therapist who uses an empirically validated protocol to ensure the treatment’s efficiency and effectiveness.
The brain is oriented towards health and has the ability to achieve it. However, sometimes memory storage is blocked by trauma and/or unmet developmental needs. EMDR can help desensitize and reintegrate memories in order to get the brain’s own healing process back on track. The goal is not to forget memories but to have peace with them; to get comfortable with the present and confident in the future. Clients often say things like, “That was bad, but I’m OK now,” "I can see the event but it feels far away and I feel safe," or "There's more to me than that experience."
When to use EMDR:
Trauma, PTSD (any kind)
Past unresolved challenging or adverse life experiences
Current anxieties and future trepidation
Phobias & fears
Panic attacks, nightmares, intrusions
Critical incidents
Feeling stuck
For more:
- EMDRIA,
For a free consultation, contact me at or 416-901-8694.
Please note that I cannot offer crisis services. If you are in crisis, please contact: