In-person in Lehigh Valley, PA

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EMDR therapy

Specialized, trauma-informed therapy for adults

You’ve tried everything to feel better, but nothing’s really worked.

Despite trying therapy in the past, you feel like the same patterns keep repeating themselves.

You’re still struggling with:

Having strong negative feelings such as fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame?

Negative beliefs about yourself or the world (i.e. I am not safe, My voice doesn’t matter, I’m responsible)

Physical reactions when something reminded you of the past (i.e. heart pounding, trouble breathing, sweating)

EMDR can help you heal from the past and live you life.

EMDR therapy is safe & effective. It’s a quick therapy that helps reduce negative symptoms & neutralize the emotional impact of trauma and stress. It also increases positive beliefs about oneself to help create hope for the future.

  • EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is grounded in neurobiology, tapping into the brain's natural ability to heal from traumatic experiences. Through targeted bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tactile sensations, EMDR facilitates the reprocessing of distressing memories, promoting adaptive resolution and emotional integration. This evidence-based therapy has been shown to modulate neural networks, promoting neuroplasticity and fostering long-lasting healing outcomes.

  • EMDR sessions typically involve a structured approach where I will guide you through various phases .Sessions start with establishing safety and rapport, followed by identifying target memories for processing. During processing, you'll focus on the memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as following the therapist's hand movements with your eyes. Throughout the session, you may experience a range of sensations, emotions, and insights as your brain processes and integrates the targeted memories. The therapist will help you navigate these experiences, providing support and guidance as needed to ensure your comfort and progress.

  •  EMDR can help promote emotional healing and symptom relief. EMDR assists in desensitizing and reframing traumatic experiences by activating the brain's inherent adaptive processes. This enables people to address unresolved emotions and beliefs connected to those memories. As a result, there may be less emotional distress, better cognitive processing, and an increased feeling of resilience and empowerment. It has been demonstrated that EMDR is beneficial in treating a number of mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and more. Additionally, by addressing underlying problems and facilitating constructive changes in thought patterns and behavior, EMDR can support personal development and improve general well-being.

EMDR

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The past affects the present even without US being aware of it.

DR. Francine Shapiro, developer of EMDR

who it’s for

EMDR is for you if…

  • You are motivated to heal from past traumas and experiences.

  • You are committed to actively participating in the therapy process, including attending regular sessions

  • You are looking for a treatment approach that integrates both psychological and physiological aspects of healing.

who it’s not for

EMDR is not for you if…

  • You are not ready or willing to address past traumas or difficult emotions.

  • You are currently in a crisis situation and need immediate stabilization before engaging in trauma-focused therapy.

  • You are seeking a quick-fix solution and are not prepared for the time and effort required for EMDR therapy to be effective

how does emdr work?

EMDR is brain-based change to help alleviate the symptoms of traumatic stress.

THREE-PRONGED PROTOCOL

  • Past: Earlier memories causing problem

  • Present: Experiences triggering stress (ie. Identify current people and situations that trigger negative reactions)

  • Future - Behaviors needed for future success (ie. prepare for potential challenges that may arise)

Healing Memory Networks

Therapy begins with identifying experiences related to a negative belief about yourself. Once the experiences are identified, they become the map of your treatment - in EMDR this is called a memory network.The goal of EMDR is to reduce the pain and stress of dysfunctional memory networks and help your brain make a stronger, more adaptable memory networks.

Using Bilateral Stimulation

The way we’ll achieve this transformation is through Bilateral Stimulation (BLS). The BLS is usually back-and-forth eye movements, but BLS can also be done through sound or physical tapping. The purpose of the BLS is to intentionally induce the onboard healing and processing functions that naturally happen during REM sleep.

Maintaining Dual-Awareness

This is a critical aspect of EMDR that often goes unnoticed! As we delve into processing your experiences, your focus will be divided between the present moment with me and the past experience we're addressing. It's like strolling through a museum, where each exhibit represents a past experience. You observe them passing by, allowing your brain to engage in the healing process while you remain anchored in the present.

Developing Resources

Resourcing involves helping you build up positive feelings and helpful ways of dealing with tough situations. These resources can come from different places such as mastery, symbolic, and relational.

Please know this:

Your story matters.

  • How long you will be in therapy depends on your needs. The research suggests that most therapy clients feel improvement in 12 - 15 sessions and I would expect the same for us. My goal is for you to be symptom free and no longer need me. There are some people that find they enjoy the process of therapy and want to continue as their lives change and evolve.

  • You don't! I never offer a guarantee. However, I firmly believe that everyone has the potential to experience change, growth, and healing. Every day, I witness clients embracing life in new and fulfilling ways. I offer a free consultation to ensure that I'm the right person to support you. Research after research has shown that the most consistent and powerful predictor of successful therapy outcomes is the strength of the relationship between the client and therapist.

  • An accelerated type of therapy called a "therapy intensive" is designed to help you go deeper and get results faster. Intensives allow you to complete the same amount of work in a few days as opposed to going to therapy once a week for a year. They are a way to help you recover more quickly.

  • Contact me to schedule a free consultation with me. It’s important that you feel comfortable with your therapist, and I’ll help you decide if I’m the right fit for you.

frequently asked questions