“The best resource is the present moment.” -Deany Laliotis, LICSW

Eye-Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)

• What is EMDR?

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an integrative, evidenced-based approach to more deeply heal unresolved trauma. This technique was originally developed by American psychologist Francine Shapiro in 1989, to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, we now know how much more widely applicable this approach can be, utilizing the brain’s own mechanisms to dig deeper to the roots of the difficulties we experience day-to-day, and things getting in the way of who we want to be, the relationships we want, and how we generally maneuver in life. Many other disorders, symptoms and difficulties - such as anxiety, cognitive rumination, and other negative self-talk and behavioral issues that cannot be addressed solely with talk-therapy, may benefit from EMDR. If you are curious about this type of therapy, I encourage you to explore more here, and see below for options of exploring this therapy together.

• The Therapeutic process:

  • Individual psychotherapy: Most of the clients with whom I work reach out to me because they feel a resonance with my therapeutic approach, in general. Some have past histories with psychotherapy - positive and some, less-so - and others are seeking therapy for the first time. Regardless, I meet each client as a new person, a new relationship; the therapeutic relationship is a unique and intimate one, therefore, it needs time, attention, and appropriate pacing. That said, whether or not you are seeking out therapy in the hopes of a specific modality, I offer EMDR as an option — among various other treatment options, such as somatic and relational approaches, frameworks from Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) — and we will explore together to make it a curated, custom process that meets your needs.

  • EMDR package and Collaborative care: If you are interested in a more honed therapeutic experience specifically with EMDR, we can create that as an option, as well. Depending on readiness and established resourcing - like a fundamental security with grounding techniques - an EMDR “package” service can be available. For example, if you have another provider with whom you have a rapport, I can offer collaborative care to integrate the work you have already experienced in ‘regular’ therapy with the specialty of EMDR, building out your therapy ‘team’ and enhancing your healing experience.