EMDR Therapy OKC | across OK & tx

Move On & Feel Better…For Good.

Something from your past is holding you back.

You tell yourself you’ve moved on, but when triggers arise, it feels like you’re right back where you started. Maybe traditional therapy hasn’t helped, and you’re still stuck - overwhelmed, disconnected, and weighed down by emotions or flashbacks. The emotional toll is exhausting, and it’s hard to fully show up in your life. You may find yourself replaying messages from the past - things you’ve heard from parents or partners, etc. Over time, these messages shape your self-concept and diminish your self-worth.

  • I am not good enough

  • I don’t deserve _____

  • I can’t protect myself

  • I am helpless

Whether you know the source of your struggle or just sense that something isn’t right, you feel the past is still holding you back. You’re ready to uncover the root of it so you can finally relax, enjoy life, and feel like yourself again.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy shifts your self-concept by addressing the negative beliefs and emotions rooted in past experiences. It targets distressing memories and the negative self-talk connected to them, allowing you to reprocess them in a healthier, more adaptive way. This process helps to naturally replace limiting beliefs like "I’m not good enough" or "I am helpless" with more empowering ones, such as "I am worthy" and "I can handle challenges."

Unlike traditional methods that rely on repeated affirmations or endless worksheets, EMDR facilitates this shift as your brain processes and integrates the changes. This leads to a more positive, confident, and resilient self-concept, without the need for constant reinforcement.

I use EMDR therapy to help with:

  • Traumatic events (big, small, one time events or recurring)

  • Childhood trauma, abandonment, or abuse.

  • Traumatic death of a loved one

  • Performance anxiety

  • Relationship difficulties/ breakup

  • Low self-esteem/ self-confidence

  • Depression

  • Guilt and regret

  • Stress management

How EMDR Therapy Works

We’ll go through EMDR in a series of eight structured phases:

  • Understanding your background and identifying which memories to target.

    We’ll identify memories that are currently causing you emotional distress. These could be related to past traumas, upsetting events, or negative experiences that seem to impact your daily life. The goal is to focus on these memories in a way that helps reduce the emotional charge they hold.

  • Building trust, discussing the process, and ensuring you feel grounded.

    I will teach you self-regulation/relaxation techniques so you can deal with any emotional disturbance that may arise.

  • Identifying specific aspects of the memory, including emotions, negative beliefs, and physical sensations.

  • To facilitate processing, I’ll introduce bilateral stimulation, which can be side-to-side eye movements, hand tapping, or sounds that alternate from left to right. This rhythmic stimulation is a core part of EMDR and is thought to engage both sides of the brain, creating a space for your brain to work through these memories more effectively.

    As you focus on a specific memory, the bilateral stimulation activates your brain's natural ability to process and integrate information. It’s similar to how our brains process experiences during REM sleep. This processing helps transform the emotions and beliefs that have been attached to these memories, often releasing feelings of distress.

    Through this process, we aim to gradually reduce the emotional intensity connected to the targeted memories. Over time, you’ll likely notice that the memories become less triggering, allowing you to think about them without the same level of emotional reactivity.

  • Once the distress is reduced, we’ll work on installing positive beliefs to replace the negative ones associated with the memories. This step encourages a shift in perspective, helping you view yourself and the experience in a more balanced, empowering way.

  • Noticing and releasing any residual physical tension.

  • Ensuring you feel stable at the end of each session. You are briefed on what to expect between sessions, how to use a journal to record these experiences, and what calming techniques could be used to self-soothe outside of the therapy session.

  • Reviewing progress and planning for future sessions.

Potential Immediate Benefits of EMDR Therapy

Reduction in Distress

After an EMDR session, you may notice a significant reduction in the intensity of traumatic memories, making them feel more manageable.

Decreased Physical Tension

Physical tension tied to trauma may lessen as EMDR helps release emotional blockages.

Empowerment

As you confront and heal past trauma, you may feel a sense of empowerment and increased confidence.

Feeling Lighter or Calmer

You might experience a sense of calm or lightness as intense emotions are processed and released, helping you feel grounded.

Improved Sleep

If trauma has affected your sleep, you may notice improvements in both sleep quality and a reduction in nightmares.

Increased Clarity

EMDR often brings new clarity and understanding about your past, helping you make sense of your experiences in a freeing, affirming way.

Shift in Perspective

EMDR can shift how you view past trauma, allowing you to approach it with more compassion and less fear or blame.

Enhanced Emotional Regulation

EMDR helps you better manage emotions, making it easier to respond calmly to situations that once triggered intense feelings.

Your past doesn’t define you. You have the power to shape your future.

FAQs About EMDR Therapy OKC | Across OK & TX

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that helps people heal from trauma and distressing memories. It uses bilateral stimulation (alternating eye movements, sounds, or taps) to facilitate the brain's natural healing process, reprocessing traumatic memories and reducing emotional distress.

  • Yes, online EMDR therapy follows the same principles as in-person sessions but is conducted through a secure video platform. During our session, I’ll guide you through the same phases of EMDR, including memory processing, using bilateral stimulation. Instead of hand movements, I use specialized online tools, such as visual cues or auditory tones, to replicate the alternating stimulation that helps desensitize and reprocess distressing memories.

    The key to EMDR’s success isn’t the method (hand movements vs. following a dot on the screen), but the stimulation of alternating hemispheres of the brain. I can adjust the speed, direction, and method of bilateral stimulation to match your needs, ensuring the process feels natural and effective.

    I can show you how it works during our video consultation, so you’ll feel confident and comfortable before we begin.

  • Memory reprocessing does not happen immediately at the start of therapy. There is a specific phased approach to ensure the process is done safely and effectively. Only after the history-taking, preparation, and assessment phases, and when you’re ready, will I begin the actual reprocessing (Phase 4) of the memory. This is when bilateral stimulation (using eye movements, sounds, or tapping) is introduced to help process the memory and reduce emotional distress.

  • The time it takes to reprocess one memory can vary depending on factors like the memory’s complexity, emotional intensity, and your readiness. Reprocessing one memory typically takes 45 to 90 minutes. While one memory can often be processed in a single session, more complex and intense memory may require multiple sessions to fully address.

  • One of the benefits of EMDR is that it doesn’t require you to go into detailed descriptions of the trauma, unlike traditional talk therapy where the therapist and client discuss the traumatic event in depth. Additionally, EMDR therapists are discouraged from verbal processing between sets of bilateral stimulation, allowing the brain to naturally process the memory without excessive verbal exploration. We can engage in verbal processing to discuss your experience and insights at the end of the memory reprocessing, ensuring a balanced and supportive approach. You are always in control of what you feel comfortable sharing.

  • During memory reprocessing in EMDR therapy, you'll focus on a specific distressing memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation (eye movements, sounds, or tapping) to help your brain process the memory and reduce its emotional charge. You may experience intense emotions, physical sensations, or shifts in thoughts, but these reactions typically decrease as the session progresses. After processing, the memory often feels less distressing, and you may feel relief and gain new insights. I will ensure you feel safe and supported throughout, adjusting the pace as needed.