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EMDR Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based modality that helps to rewire negative beliefs and lower the intensity of traumatic memories. If you feel stuck in the past, overwhelmed by emotions, or held back by limiting beliefs, EMDR may be a great fit. 

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How exactly does EMDR therapy work?

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation through eye movements (similar to what you experience during REM sleep) to help the brain process painful experiences and intense emotions. During EMDR, you bring a specific memory or feeling to mind while moving your eyes back and forth. This movement helps the brain do what it naturally does during sleep: file away memories, make sense of our experiences, and reduce the emotional intensity attached to them. Over time, memories that once felt distressing or “stuck” often begin to feel more distant and manageable, allowing you to remember what happened without feeling as overwhelmed. Here is a great video demo of EMDR if you want a closer look into what sessions usually look like.

What types of issues can EMDR help with?

Although EMDR was initially created to treat trauma/PTSD, it can be helpful for a wide variety of issues. Many mental health struggles result from painful experiences and negative beliefs we’ve internalized throughout our lives (e.g., “I’m not enough” or “I’m unlovable”), which makes EMDR an effective therapy for more than just trauma.

If you struggle with any of these issues, EMDR might be a helpful approach:

  • Trauma and PTSD

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Self-Esteem

  • Insecure Attachment Styles

  • Body Image and Disordered Eating

  • Substance Use

  • High Emotional Reactivity

What are some benefits of EMDR therapy?

  • Because EMDR originated specifically as a trauma therapy, it’s designed to help clients process trauma without re-traumatization. Even though EMDR can be emotionally taxing, a trained EMDR professional will know how to help you “feel to heal” without overwhelming your system. 

  • The goal with EMDR isn’t just to know how to react to triggers, it’s to not experience them in the first place. Because EMDR addresses the root causes of present-day issues rather than managing symptoms, many clients report lasting changes in the ways they think, feel, and act.

  • When one memory is processed in EMDR, related memories and patterns often get processed as well. This means EMDR can help resolve different layers of a problem rather than addressing each one separately.

  • While every person’s process is different, many people notice progress in a shorter period of time compared to some traditional talk therapies.

How does EMDR change negative beliefs?

Part of what makes EMDR so effective is that it targets core beliefs that we’ve adopted throughout our lives. These beliefs become the lens through which we view ourselves, others, and the world. Below are some of the most common negative core beliefs we see in our practice:

  • I’m not enough

  • I’m unlovable

  • I’m not safe

  • I’m out of control

  • I’m a bad person

  • I’m unimportant

  • I’m a failure

These beliefs become solidified through our relationships, life experiences, and even our own self-talk. This is in part why two different people can experience the same event and walk away with completely different interpretations. For example, if you’re holding onto the “I’m not enough” belief, receiving constructive criticism can feel mortifying, destabilizing, and damaging to your self-esteem. On the other hand, someone who generally does believe “I am enough” might feel disappointed when receiving criticism, but their self-esteem and self-worth won’t be so threatened.

EMDR targets negative core beliefs by helping the brain reprocess the experiences that originally shaped them. It allows us to view past experiences from a more balanced and accurate standpoint, rather than a highly emotional one. As those memories are processed, the meaning attached to them begins to shift, and clients often find that beliefs like “I’m not enough” or “I’m unlovable” start to feel less true and automatic.

Getting started

We invite you to book a free, 15-minute intro call to learn more about therapy at Flatiron Wellness. We’ll use this time to review your reasons for seeking therapy and discuss what working together could look like.

  • Let’s chat! We’ll use this time to explore your reasons for seeking therapy, answer any questions you might have, and discuss what working together could look like.

  • Understanding insurance coverage can be frustrating and confusing, which is we offer an easy-to-use insurance verification tool to make the cost of therapy clear.

  • We offer in-person therapy out of our Flatiron, NYC office, as well as virtual therapy to clients anywhere in New York.

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