Is EMDR Right for You?
I get a ton of requests each week for EMDR. It gets a lot of attention as a modality for trauma—both good and bad. But having experienced trauma doesn’t automatically mean you need EMDR.
Some people benefit tremendously from talking about their experiences, making connections, understanding patterns, and processing emotions through traditional therapy. If that’s working for you, there may be no reason to change it.
For others, talking only gets them so far.
You may understand exactly what happened and still feel emotionally stuck. You may have difficulty accessing the feelings connected to an experience, or find that certain memories, beliefs, or physical reactions continue to affect you despite everything you already understand intellectually.
That’s where EMDR may be worth exploring.
What Is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured form of psychotherapy originally developed to treat trauma and PTSD.
During EMDR, you briefly bring aspects of a distressing experience to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation, which may include guided eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds.
And despite the name, EMDR is much more than moving your eyes back and forth.
The process allows us to work with memories, emotions, beliefs, images, and physical sensations associated with experiences that may still be affecting you today.
Who Might Benefit From EMDR?
EMDR has been most extensively studied for PTSD and trauma-related symptoms, but it may also be incorporated into treatment when difficult past experiences continue to influence how you think, feel, or respond in the present.
EMDR may be worth exploring if you’re struggling with:
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Trauma or PTSD
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Abuse, neglect, or difficult childhood experiences
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Accidents or frightening events
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Loss or other painful life experiences
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Persistent negative beliefs about yourself
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Memories that continue to feel emotionally “stuck”
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Strong emotional or physical reactions to reminders of the past
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Difficulty accessing or processing emotions connected to an experience
EMDR may be particularly worth exploring when you know what happened, you’ve talked about what happened, but something still doesn’t feel resolved.
EMDR Involves Less Talking Than You Might Expect
One of the biggest differences between EMDR and traditional talk therapy is that there is relatively little talking during the actual processing.
You don’t need to tell your entire story in detail, explain everything that comes into your mind, or spend the session analyzing every thought or feeling with me.
Instead, much of the processing happens internally while I guide you through the EMDR process.
For some people, that’s exactly what they’re looking for.
For others, it isn’t.
EMDR Isn’t for Everyone—and That’s Okay
Trauma does not automatically equal EMDR. If you enjoy talking through your experiences, making connections, exploring relationships, and verbally processing your emotions, EMDR may not be the best fit. Traditional talk therapy may make more sense. You may also benefit from Internal Family Systems (IFS) or Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
On the other hand, if you’ve talked about something repeatedly but still feel stuck—or you have difficulty accessing or putting words to the emotions connected to an experience—EMDR may provide another way of approaching it.
We’ll also consider your treatment goals, current stability, coping resources, and readiness for trauma processing before deciding whether EMDR is appropriate.
The goal isn’t to use EMDR simply because you have trauma. The goal is to determine what kind of therapy makes the most sense for you.
What If I Have Trouble Accessing My Emotions?
You might be able to tell the story of something difficult that happened to you but feel disconnected from it.
Or perhaps you know intellectually that something from your past affects you, but when someone asks how you feel about it, you’re not quite sure.
That can be one reason we consider EMDR.
Rather than requiring you to explain everything perfectly, EMDR allows us to work with memories, images, thoughts, emotions, and body sensations as they emerge.
You don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what you feel.
Can EMDR Be Done Online?
Yes. EMDR can be provided through teletherapy, and many clients prefer the convenience of doing the work from their own environment.
Bilateral stimulation can be adapted for virtual sessions using guided eye movements, self-tapping, alternating sounds, and other techniques.
Online EMDR also means that geography doesn’t have to prevent us from working together—as long as you are located in a state where I am licensed to practice.
My Background with EMDR
I am an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist, with specialized training and experience incorporating EMDR into trauma-focused treatment.
But being trained in EMDR doesn’t mean I believe EMDR is the answer for everyone.
My approach is to look at the whole person: what you’re experiencing, how you tend to process emotions, what has and hasn’t helped in the past, and what you hope to get out of therapy. If EMDR makes sense, we can use it. If something else makes more sense, we can do that instead.
Interested in EMDR? Let’s Talk About Whether It’s Right for You
You don’t have to figure out on your own whether EMDR is the right treatment.
I offer online EMDR therapy throughout New Jersey, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. If you’re curious about EMDR, we can start by talking about what brings you to therapy, what you’ve already tried, and where you continue to feel stuck.
You also don’t have to commit to EMDR simply because you contact me. If it seems appropriate, we can incorporate it into our work. If another approach makes more sense, we can discuss that too.
Contact me to schedule a consultation.