Why Try EMDR Therapy: Meeting the Past, Making Space for the Present

When we carry unprocessed pain—trauma, grief, fear—it doesn’t just live in the past. It shows up now. In our reactions, our relationships, our nervous system. Sometimes even in the quiet moments, when nothing feels wrong… but something still feels off.

That’s where EMDR therapy can help.

It’s not magic. But for many, it feels close—because it meets the parts of us that talking can’t always reach. And it works faster than most people expect.

So, what is EMDR therapy, really?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late ‘80s to help people heal from trauma.

The process uses bilateral stimulation (usually eye movements, tapping, or sounds) while you recall specific memories. It sounds simple, but the effect is powerful. It helps your brain reprocess the experience—so the memory no longer feels like it’s happening right now.

It’s different from talk therapy.

Talk therapy has its place—it helps us make sense of things, build insight, find patterns. But insight alone doesn’t always bring relief.

EMDR works on a different level. It’s less about explaining what happened and more about how your system holds it. Less narrative, more integration. It allows the charge behind a memory—the stuck emotion, the body tension, the inner chaos—to settle.

Why EMDR? Because many people don’t want to feel this way forever.

Studies show over 80% of people with PTSD experience significant relief through EMDR. But the therapy isn’t just for trauma in the clinical sense. It’s also for:

• Childhood wounds that still echo in adult relationships

• Anxiety that doesn’t respond to logic

• Panic, phobias, grief, or emotional overwhelm

• Old beliefs that won’t let go (“I’m not safe.” “It’s my fault.” “I’m not enough.”)

These aren’t just thoughts—they’re parts of us. And EMDR helps them unhook from the past.

What to expect in an EMDR session

There’s a process. Eight phases, to be exact. But it doesn’t feel clinical—it feels contained. Your therapist will start by getting to know you, your history, and what you want to work on. Safety and stabilization come first.

Then, when you’re ready, you’ll begin to process specific memories using bilateral stimulation. Your system does the work—you just stay present and notice what comes up. From there, new beliefs begin to take root. The body relaxes. The charge lessens.

You don’t have to relive it—you just have to be with it, with support.

Is EMDR right for you?

If you’ve been trying to “move on” but still feel stuck...
If you’ve done talk therapy but haven’t found full relief...
If you’re curious about a different way to heal...

Then maybe. Yes.

Healing isn’t about forgetting—it’s about updating the story.

Your nervous system isn’t broken. Your brain isn’t your enemy.
Sometimes, parts of us are just stuck in a moment that’s over.
EMDR helps bring them home.

If you’re ready to explore what healing might look like for your system, I’d love to talk.
There’s a way through. You don’t have to carry it all alone.