A key element of EMDR therapy is something called bilateral stimulation. This simply means engaging both sides of your body—and in turn, both hemispheres of your brain—to help you reprocess difficult memories or emotions and get “unstuck” from the past. There is growing research that states it helps connect the memory centers of your brain with the thinking centers and the emotional centers.  By combining all three of these areas with the bilaterals, the memories can begin to be reprocessed.  There are several ways this can be done, but the goal is the same: to create a rhythm that helps your brain process information in a more adaptive, healing way.

The most common method involves the therapist moving their hand side to side while you follow it with your eyes as you think about a painful or stressful experience. But that's just one approach.  I have equipment in my office that will allow for your eyes to move, your ears to hear tones, or your hands to feel the “buzzers” that alternate in a calming way.

EMDR therapists have developed many creative ways to use bilateral stimulation, and your therapist will work with you to find what feels most comfortable and effective. If you're working virtually with me for EMDR, you might be guided to watch something move across your screen, tap your upper arms in a self-hug motion (sometimes called the "butterfly hug"), alternate tapping your knees, or listen to sounds that alternate between your ears. There are plenty of options, and I will tailor the process to best suit your needs and preferences.

During Bilateral Stimulation

In EMDR therapy, the process begins by identifying a negative belief you hold that’s connected to a distressing memory. Next, you come up with a more positive, empowering belief you’d like to replace it with. You also tune into the emotions and physical sensations that come up when you think about that memory and the negative belief.

Once that’s established, you focus on the memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation—this could be eye movements, tapping, or sound. Throughout the session, you take short pauses to talk with your therapist about what thoughts, feelings, or images are coming up for you.

This back-and-forth stimulation of both sides of the brain helps your mind begin to reprocess the memory in a new, healthier way. Over time, this process supports your brain’s natural ability to heal and makes it easier to let go of the emotional pain tied to that experience.

Here Are Videos That Describe EMDR in More Detail

Who Can Benefit from EMDR Therapy?

EMDR was originally created to help individuals recover from PTSD and the effects of past trauma, and decades of research have consistently shown it to be a highly effective treatment for those issues. But more recently, both clinical experience and growing scientific evidence have shown that EMDR is helpful for a much broader range of mental health challenges.

Therapists have found that EMDR can often lead to faster breakthroughs compared to traditional therapy approaches, helping people move forward more quickly. It’s not just for trauma survivors—EMDR can be beneficial for anyone struggling with overwhelming emotions, difficult memories, or patterns that seem hard to break.

Some of the specific issues EMDR can help with include:

• Recent stress or trauma:  EMDR therapists are trained in specialized techniques that can support you in processing recent highly stressful or traumatic events, helping you work through them before they become more deeply rooted.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):  Whether you have a formal diagnosis or not, EMDR can be a powerful tool for healing from the effects of trauma and reducing the emotional impact of past experiences.

• Chronic Pain:  This is pain that goes beyond the typical recovery period after an injury, surgery or illness.  Chronic pain can be localized (think migraines or back pain), or it can be full body pain (like fibromyalgia). 

• Chronic Illness:  There are some illnesses that do not go away.  Living with a chronic illness can involve trauma (from trying to get a diagnosis, medical trauma, and trying to manage the illness with or without a support system).  Chronic illnesses can include: autoimmune disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, Ehlers Danlos syndrome, neurological disorders, cancer, cardiac issues, respiratory diseases, and many more.

• Complex Trauma:  Having many traumas in your past, childhood trauma, multilayered traumas where more than one happened at any one time can all fit into this category.  This could refer to your past or it could be happening right now in your life.

• Depression:  Feeling down, unmotivated, apathetic, “going through life in a fog” can all describe depression.  Sometimes depression can feel like anger or irritability, or it can include thoughts about hurting yourself.

• Anxiety Disorders:  Frequent repetitive thoughts, fixations, or having strong reactions to something even when you tell yourself, “I shouldn’t feel anxious about this.”

• Unhelpful habits or addictive behaviors:  This can include patterns like chronic procrastination, using work, excessive exercise, or even self-denial as a way to cope with emotions. It also extends to more recognizable addictions such as gambling, compulsive shopping, problematic sexual behaviors, alcohol use, or other substance-related issues.

Why Choose EMDR Therapy?

EMDR helps clients work through the most painful or distressing parts of their past, better manage current triggers, and develop healthier, more balanced ways of thinking about the future. It’s a comprehensive approach that supports healing on multiple levels—past, present, and future.

One of the things that sets EMDR apart is that it can often feel more gentle than some traditional forms of therapy. A big emphasis is placed on keeping you within your window of tolerance—that emotional space where you feel safe and grounded enough to face difficult material without becoming overwhelmed. This allows your brain to begin healing in a supported and manageable way.

Another benefit many clients appreciate is that you don’t have to go into graphic detail about your past traumas for EMDR to be effective. Because of the way EMDR works—using bilateral stimulation to activate the brain’s natural healing processes—it can sometimes produce results more quickly than standard talk therapy. Plus, EMDR isn’t just for trauma; it can be helpful for a wide variety of emotional and psychological challenges.

Comprehensive EMDR Therapy Services

I offer EMDR therapy as a standalone treatment or to supplement other work you may already be doing with a therapist. What this means is that you can choose to just do EMDR as your primary treatment or you could do both talk therapy and EMDR with me. But if you already have a therapist you are doing excellent work with, it’s possible to add EMDR to compliment the work you’re already doing. I can stay in touch with your outside therapist to make sure they are in the loop regarding your treatment.

EMDR therapy can be done either in-person or via telehealth. This means that I can do EMDR with you in her office or anywhere in California.

Virtual EMDR therapy is similar to in-person EMDR, but you use technology to connect with me. I use a special EMDR virtual platform that allows for your eyes to move side to side and/or you can hear a bilateral tone. Why telehealth? Because it’s convenient for you as the client. Yet, Telehealth is also very effective as a delivery method for EMDR. Here are some of the benefits of online EMDR sessions:

• You can meet me from anywhere you feel safe and comfortable. With EMDR, it’s important to feel safe during sessions so virtual sessions can happen in a space where you are already comfortable.
• Attending telehealth sessions cuts down drive time to and from a therapy session.
• Some people enjoy meeting a therapist who lives in another part of the state and they’re unlikely to otherwise cross paths with. Telehealth makes this possible.
• There are creative ways of using EMDR via telehealth and I have several options for providing bilateral stimulation-including via your computer or through tapping.

What is Holding You Back from EMDR Therapy?

If you’ve read this far, chances are you’re genuinely interested in EMDR. So, what’s stopping you from taking the next step? Maybe it feels a bit daunting to try something unfamiliar—and I get it. The concept of "bilateral stimulation" might sound unusual at first. It did to me, too.  But the reality is, EMDR works.

You’ve already done your best to handle things on your own. Maybe you’ve even spent time in traditional talk therapy without seeing the results you hoped for. Now might be the right moment to try a new approach—one that’s specifically designed to help you break free from feeling stuck. EMDR could be the key to the change you’ve been looking for.

Getting Started with EMDR Therapy

You don’t have to live with the same unhealthy, self-defeating patterns. EMDR therapy can help you find clarity, free yourself from negative old thinking patterns and begin moving forward. I specialize in EMDR therapy and can help you with a wide range of mental health concerns. Contact me to get connected with a skilled EMDR clinician. To start your therapy journey, follow these simple steps:

1. Contact me

2. Schedule a first appointment

3. Start EMDR therapy to break free from what’s holding you back and embrace a more fulfilling life

Other Counseling Services Kathleen Provides

I am happy to offer in-person and online individual therapy services for adults.  I have practiced in the mental health field for 25+ years and have developed an expertise and passion for working with clients. I specialize in providing counseling for anxiety, chronic illness, chronic pain, depression, stress management, trauma and PTSD and more.  I also provide support for busy professionals.  I use CBT therapy, DBT therapy and EMDR therapy with great success.  If you don’t see the issue you are looking for listed, please contact me to ask if I can help you with your unique situation.  I look forward to helping you live your best life possible!