Finally feel in control & at ease.
EMDR Therapy In-Person in Columbus, Ohio
You feel like you’ve tried everything, but nothing has really worked.
The things you’ve experienced in your past keep following you into the present, no matter how much you want to leave them behind.
Most days you…
Are on-edge and easily irritated
Either feel highly anxious or completely numb
Experience panic attacks, which derail your entire day
Avoid anything that could remind you of your past
Cope with negative emotions by distracting yourself
It’s hard to trust your own judgment or decisions, and even harder to trust other people. When you don’t have anywhere to be or anything to do, you find yourself sinking into depression and don’t feel like you have the energy to pull yourself out of it. The combination of these things has left you feeling alone and detached, even from the people you love most.
Unwanted thoughts, flashbacks, & nightmares are keeping you stuck.
Ongoing trouble with sleep leaves you feeling constantly exhausted, and you worry it’s affecting your ability to be present at work and with loved ones. Whenever something comes up that triggers those memories or feelings, it’s difficult to move forward with your day. Maybe you carry a sense of guilt about what happened, or a looming feeling that you “should” be able to “just get over it.” You wish the past didn’t have such a hold over your life, but it seems like no amount of time or talking about it has really made much of a difference.
It’s time to put your pain in the past.
With EMDR therapy, you can significantly lessen the intensity of feelings brought up by thinking about those difficult memories. It’s an approach that addresses the ways that experiencing trauma physically affects our brains and bodies. EMDR therapy has also become known for providing relief in as few as 6 to 12 sessions, and is a great option for those who need to see results as soon as possible.
MY APPROACH AS AN EMDR THERAPIST
How is EMDR therapy different from talk therapy?
Let me walk you through the process.
+ How It Works
EMDR therapy gives attention to your past, present, and future. The goal is to help you to process emotions, thoughts, and memories that have become “stuck” in your brain so you can move on from them. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation, which can include side-to-side eye movements or tapping on certain parts of your body, to reprocess those memories in a way that makes them less difficult to think about. Think of it like reorganizing files on your computer so that they’re easier to navigate.
+ Get Started
In our first session, we’ll begin getting to know each other. I’ll ask you a series of questions to learn more about your background, experiences, and what symptoms you’re currently dealing with. Then, we’ll decide if EMDR is the right approach for you. I’ll answer any questions you might have and help you feel comfortable before we dive into the work.
If we decide to move forward with EMDR therapy as part of your treatment plan, we’ll spend the next sessions setting you up for success. As an EMDR therapist, I’ll help you understand how trauma affects us over time, and we’ll connect some of the challenges you’re experiencing now to what’s happened in your past. We’ll choose which memories or events you’d like to focus on moving forward from, and set expectations for the outcome of the process. Then, I’ll teach you some tools and techniques that will help you move through any difficult emotions that might come up.
+ Experience Change
Then, we will begin to reprocess the memories or events we’ve chosen to work on. I’ll go over the different kinds of bilateral stimulation and allow you to choose which one feels the most comfortable for you.
As we work to reprocess the target memory, we’ll identify any emotions, physical sensations, and negative beliefs associated with it. I’ll guide you through replacing those unhelpful beliefs with positive ones, and you’ll find your overall perspective changed. By the end, you’ll begin to feel relief from the anxiety or stress that the memory would usually cause.
We’ll repeat this process for any other troubling experiences you’d like to address, and you’ll see your life outside of our sessions in a totally new light.
You’ll gain more…
Coping skills to move through emotions.
Ability to focus and think clearly.
Positive beliefs about yourself.
Trust in yourself & others.
Confidence in your abilities & decisions.
Closeness in your relationships.
Ease in your day-to-day life.
& have less…
Feelings of shame & guilt.
Anxiety, worry, & panic.
Negative beliefs about yourself.
Difficulties speaking up.
Sleepless nights.
Flashbacks & nightmares.
Debilitating emotions or depression.
FAQs ABOUT EMDR THERAPY
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an approach to therapy that is mostly used to address trauma and PTSD. EMDR sessions usually involve guided eye movements or other bilateral stimulation exercises to help your brain process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional impact. Learn more.
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The number of EMDR sessions you’ll need varies depending on factors like the type and severity of trauma. Some people find relief in just a few sessions, while others may need more to see results. Based on our first session together, I’ll be able to give you a time estimate that takes into account your specific situation and needs. Learn more.
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A lot of people have found EMDR to be very effective in helping them find relief from distressing emotions, but it’s not for everyone. In our initial sessions, we’ll talk about your goals and needs, and I’ll be able to better determine if EMDR is the right method of treatment for you. Learn more.
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The risks with EMDR therapy depend on each individual. You can experience temporary emotional and physical discomfort due to distressing memories that can surface through the use of EMDR. Some individuals can experience a heightened level of emotional or physical sensations. I will work with you to find tools that allow you to feel safe and comfortable in your body so that you can manage symptoms when they arise. You will be fully equipped to regulate your nervous system and feel confident in managing heightened responses if they emerge. You may experience tiredness or feel over stimulated after session. I always recommend leaving space to relax and do some self-care practices after an EMDR session. Learn more here.
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Blocking beliefs are negative cognitions that create a barrier to healing from past trauma or stressful experiences. They hinder the brain from completely processing difficult memories and incorporating positive beliefs. For instance, someone may believe “I am unworthy” or “I have not good enough” based on their experiences and these blocking beliefs make it difficult for them to fully believe “I am worthy” or “I am good enough.” EMDR helps to connect the logical and emotional sides of the brain so that an individual is able to fully feel and believe the positive beliefs and be free from blocking beliefs. Learn more here.
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This refers to someone who can experience fatigue for a period of time after an EMDR session. You may experience feeling emotionally and mentally drained after an EMDR session due to the hard work that you completed. Learn more here.
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You should not engage in EMDR if you are currently undergoing major medication changes, are living in an unsafe environment, are experiencing uncontrolled substance abuse, or are experiencing suicidal ideation with any level of plan or intent.
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Everyone will have their own experience with EMDR. While some individuals do cry, others do not. It depends on the individual’s emotional response. I inform my clients that crying during an EMDR session suggests that your nervous system is working to find ways to release the stress or trauma and can be part of the healing process. Learn more here.
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My recommendation to clients is to make sure they give themselves space and time to relax after an EMDR session. Just because the session ends does not mean your brain stops processing; while we will work to regulate the nervous system at the end of our EMDR session together, it may take additional time to fully regulate and you may feel emotionally drained and in need of some rest afterwards. I do not recommend returning to work right after or going places that may cause overstimulation after an EMDR session. Do not begin or return to overwhelming tasks or consume any alcohol or drugs. Take some time to rest, drink water or eat something, and consider soothing exercises such as meditation or grounding. Some find it helpful to journal after a session as well.
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The butterfly hug is another tapping technique used to create bilateral stimulation. This can be used to reprocess a stressful or traumatic event. It can also be used as a tool to access the parasympathetic nervous system to help regulate the nervous system to calm and ground the mind and body. Learn more here.
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There are other options to help manage stress and trauma. I provide alternative methods, including somatic therapy, which involves connecting the mind and body. Somatic therapy also helps to address physical and emotional symptoms of trauma and stressors by bringing awareness to where stressors or traumatic events are stored in the body. It also uses body awareness exercises and education about your nervous system to support the release of emotional and physical sensations. Somatic therapy helps clients to feel safe in their own body to release the emotions that are stored or stuck and restore a physiological balance. Learning how to regulate the nervous system can be a very powerful tool to reduce and manage anxiety and trauma symptoms. I also offer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that helps clients identify and work through thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are connected to their trauma or anxiety. Learn more here.
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Yes, there is some talking during an EMDR session, but it is different from traditional talk therapy. During a reprocessing session in EMDR, talking is brief and is used more as a guide to help facilitate the bilateral stimulation, such as checking in and asking what you are noticing (thoughts, physical sensations, or emotions) rather than deep diving into a stressful or traumatic event in detail. Learn more here.
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Tapping creates a bilateral stimulation across the emotional and logical sides of the brain. This helps to alleviate distressing memories and allows the distressing memories to feel more manageable. Learn more here.
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I strongly believe in meeting each client where they are. If a client requests that their faith be incorporated into treatment, we can certainly do so. I will always ask questions to understand your faith and give you options on how you would like your faith to be incorporated into your EMDR treatment. Learn more here.